Valentin Vacherot became the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion after defeating Arthur Rinderknech in the Shanghai Masters final on Sunday.
Vacherot was ranked 204 in the world heading into the tournament, entering the main draw via the qualifying rounds.
The Monegasque star defeated ATP giants such as Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic on his way to the title, a run described as ‘absolutely ludicrous.’
As a result, Vacherot is now the third qualifier to have won a Masters 1000 title in ATP Tour history.
But who was the first?
Roberto Carretero won the 1996 Hamburg Open as a qualifier
Former junior French Open champion Roberto Carretero caused a shock at the 1996 Hamburg Open in Germany.
Carretero was ranked 143 on the ATP Tour heading into the tournament: a clear outsider for the title.
After entering the main draw through qualifying, the Spaniard defeated compatriot Jordi Arrese in the first round, before knocking out American 10th seed MaliVai Washington.
Seventh seed Arnaud Boetsch was the next to fall at the hands of Carretero, losing 6-4, 6-1.
In the quarter-finals, the Spaniard defeated 16th seed Gilbert Schaller, who had knocked out top seed Boris Becker in the previous round.
Carretero then stunned former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the semi-finals, winning the contest in straight sets: 7-5, 6-2.
In the final, the former world number 58 fought from a set down to defeat compatriot Àlex Corretja, winning the title after a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory.
The title would end up being the Spaniard’s only ATP Tour triumph.
Alberto Portas’ 2001 Hamburg triumph
The second player to win a Masters 1000 title as a qualifier was Alberto Portas, who emulated Carretero’s feat at the 2001 Hamburg Open.
Portas, ranked 42nd in the world, defeated three seeded players on his way to the final: Magnus Norman, Sebastien Grosjean and Lleyton Hewitt.
Portas then stunned future French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final, winning a gripping five-set contest 4-6, 6-2, 0-6, 7-6, 7-5.
As per the BBC, Portas said after the final: “It’s the happiest day of my life. It was a great match for everybody.
“I like to play Spanish players as we are all friends. I knew it would be hard – but I did it.”
