Carlos Alcaraz needed just three words to sum up what Valentin Vacherot's Monte-Carlo Masters run meant. After beating the 27-year-old Monegasque 6-4, 6-4 in Saturday's semi-final, the world No 1 grabbed a marker and wrote on the camera lens: "Respect to Valentin."
Those three words will stick with Vacherot long after the result. This time last year, he was ranked 256th in the world. On Monday, when the ATP rankings update, he's projected to jump to a career-high No 14 — a rise that underlines why this tournament was a breakout moment.
The match was the first meeting between the two players. Alcaraz, the reigning champion, came in as the heavy favourite. But Vacherot, playing at the club where he grew up, didn't back down. He served deep and powerful, pushing Alcaraz behind the baseline and holding his own for long stretches.
Alcaraz shifted the momentum by using his trademark drop shot, drawing Vacherot forward and breaking his rhythm. The tactical adjustment worked. The Spaniard edged key moments in both sets to close out the straight-sets win.
The atmosphere peaked at 4-4 in the second set. Alcaraz asked for a video review on a Vacherot low return near the net, believing it had bounced twice. The crowd booed. The replay showed the shot was legal — the point went to Vacherot, and the cheers were loud. Alcaraz regrouped, broke serve in the same game, and served out the match.
As Vacherot left the court, he got a warm ovation. Prince Albert II of Monaco rose to applaud. Tennis legends Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, both former Monte-Carlo champions, were also in the stands.
Vacherot's run included wins over world No 5 Lorenzo Musetti and world No 6 Alex de Minaur. He became the first Monegasque in the Open Era to reach both the quarter-finals and semi-finals of this tournament — at the club where he learned the game.
"I'm going to stay as I am, do the same things, but I'm happy that the clay court season is only starting, because I have to play those beautiful tournaments to come up to the way to the French Open in one month and a half," Vacherot said in his press conference.
He added: "It was a great tournament. I'll have those memories for the rest of my life. Although I had Alcaraz on the other side of the net, I'm happy that I came out of the match with some frustration, because it shows that I want to do even better. I want to bother him even more. But for a first time, I believe it was a good battle already."
Alcaraz now faces world No 2 Jannik Sinner in Sunday's final. Their head-to-head stands at 10-6 in favour of the Spaniard. For Vacherot, the clay season is just getting started — and the French Open is a month and a half away.