Novak Djokovic, visibly struggling with health issues, was ousted from the Shanghai Masters semifinals on Saturday by Valentin Vacherot, ranked 204th in the world.
The 26-year-old Monaco native, who entered the tournament as a qualifier, secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory, halting Djokovic’s pursuit of a record fifth Shanghai Masters title.
Throughout the match, the 38-year-old Serbian star appeared to be in pain, even vomiting near the court and requiring multiple medical interventions.
Vacherot is set to compete in the final against either his cousin, the unseeded French player Arthur Rinderknech, or Daniil Medvedev, who will face off on Sunday.
“I still can’t believe this is happening,” Vacherot expressed after achieving the most significant triumph of his career.
Addressing the crowd, which had overwhelmingly supported the 24-time Grand Slam champion, he added, “I know many of you were rooting for Novak, but playing against him was an incredible learning experience.”
“Right now, I’m overwhelmed with emotions,” he admitted.
Djokovic, a former world number one, praised Vacherot’s unexpected journey through the tournament as “truly remarkable.”
Notably, Vacherot is the lowest-ranked player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final since the series began in 1990.
“I told him at the net that his performance and attitude throughout this event have been outstanding,” Djokovic remarked. “It’s all about his determination.”
“I wish him the best in the final, and today the better player won.”
– Physical Challenges –
When questioned about his condition, Djokovic chose not to elaborate.
Following his previous match, he had expressed concerns over bouts of vomiting, leg pain, and exhaustion that had plagued him during the tournament.
Despite these issues, Djokovic started the semifinal strongly, breaking Vacherot’s serve in the opening game.
However, Vacherot quickly responded by breaking back immediately.
Djokovic’s left leg began to trouble him around the seventh game, forcing him to pause several times to stretch and even collapse briefly on the court.
He took a lengthy medical timeout, lying face down without his shirt while receiving treatment for his back.
Though he resumed play, Djokovic’s discomfort was evident, as he vented frustration by hitting a ball against the wall after needing to shake out his leg again.
With Djokovic’s mobility compromised, Vacherot capitalized by breaking serve once more in the eighth game, then held his own serve with two aces to close out the set.
Djokovic sought further treatment during the break but continued to struggle in the second set.
Under sweltering conditions-31°C with 62% humidity-he managed to hold serve in the opening game despite facing two break points and falling to the ground again.
Serving in the ninth game, Djokovic committed two double faults in quick succession but fought back, only to be broken after another error.
Despite a valiant effort to stay in the match, Djokovic was unable to prevent Vacherot from maintaining his serve and clinching the victory.