Emma Raducanu accomplishment played down after star's £838k payday

Monegasque ace Valentin Vacherot took a page out of the Emma Raducanu playbook, winning the Shanghai Masters as a qualifier. Raducanu made history at the 2021 US Open when, aged just 18 and playing her fourth professional tournament, she became the first qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam title.

Vacherot enjoyed a fairytale run of his own in Shanghai. When he landed in China, he was nine spots outside of the qualifying draw. But he got in, made it to the main draw, and stunned Novak Djokovic en route to the final, where he beat his own cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, to be crowned the champion.

When the tournament started, Vacherot was ranked No. 204 and had earned a total of £445k ($594k) in prize money throughout his career. By the end, he shot up to No. 40 in the world and banked £838k ($1.1m).

It was a similar story for Raducanu in 2021. She was the world No. 150 when she entered US Open qualifying, and skyrocketed straight into the top 25 after being crowned the champion, receiving a staggering £1.86m ($2.5m) in prize money.

However, retired American tennis ace John Isner has now suggested that Vacherot's run was even more impressive than Raducanu's, even though she lifted a Major trophy.

Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, which he co-hosts with fellow ex-pros Jack Sock, Sam Querrey, and Steve Johnson, former world No. 8 Isner said: "I think it is more impressive [what Vacherot did], yes.

"But Raducanu, it's a bigger story because it's the US Open. I think this is more improbable than what she did.

"But obviously, it being the US Open makes it a bigger story, even though this story is really big in the tennis world. But yeah, I'm giving it to Vacherot there because it's unheard of."

Johnson replied: "I think time will tell, right? I mean, Raducanu has still been good. She hasn't won any titles since, but at least she's been relevant and still good.

"If this guy gets to 40 [in the world], obviously, then he's going to be in all these ATP tournaments next year, but doesn't win any matches, then goes to Shanghai and drops back to 300 next year.

"Then you're like, 'Oh, that was the craziest thing for one week. This guy got hotter than I'll be, and got a title'. So we'll see what happens in the next 12 months, but he's going to have an opportunity to play all the Masters series, 250s, he's going to have chances to win a lot of tour matches."

Vacherot has already been given an opportunity to build on his incredible run in Shanghai. For most tournaments through to the end of the season, the entry lists have already been determined, and Vacherot was not ranked high enough to make the cut at the time.

However, organisers of the upcoming ATP 500 event in Basel have given him a main draw wildcard. It remains to be seen whether Vacherot also gets a free pass into the Paris Masters at the end of the month.