Home Hero Valentin Vacherot Delighted with Victory Over Lorenzo Musetti in Monte Carlo
In a thrilling encounter at the Monte Carlo Masters, Monaco’s own Valentin Vacherot triumphed over world number five Lorenzo Musetti, securing a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 7-6(6), 7-5. This victory is particularly sweet for Vacherot, marking his second career win against a top-five player as he performed in front of an energized home crowd.
The 27-year-old Vacherot has emerged as a significant talent, becoming only the second Monegasque athlete, following in the footsteps of his half-brother and coach Benjamin Balleret, to advance to the third round of this prestigious tournament. Vacherot’s impressive victory comes on the heels of a remarkable win against 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic during his path to claiming his first ATP title at the Shanghai Masters last year.
Reflecting on the match, Vacherot expressed his disbelief at achieving this milestone, stating, “If someone had told me that my first top-five win of the season, the second after Shanghai, would be here on a night session, on the centre court that I’ve been hitting on since I’m six years old, I wouldn’t have believed it.” His love for the clay surface, where he honed his skills for 18 years before transitioning to hard courts, played a crucial role in his success on this momentous occasion.
He further elaborated on his performance, saying, “Let’s say I needed a set and a half to get on it in the first round. And now my game is back.” Following this victory, Vacherot’s global ranking soared from number 204 to an impressive number 40, illustrating the significant impact of his recent achievements. He is now set to face Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, as he aims to continue his impressive run in the tournament later on Thursday.
