Vacherot wins the 2025 ATP Breakthrough of the Year Award, Shanghai victory marks a career turning point

On December 10, 2025, the ATP officially announced the inaugural Breakthrough of the Year Award, with Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot standing out thanks to his stunning late-season performances, becoming the first recipient of this honor and adding a major accolade to his remarkable 2025 season.

The Breakthrough of the Year Award selection involved two rounds: the International Tennis Writers Association (ITWA) shortlisted four nominees—Jack Draper, João Fonseca, Jakob Menzies, and Vacherot. Ultimately, 29 members of the ATP World No.1 Club (both active and retired world number ones) voted to decide the winner. Vacherot’s triumph was well deserved—he made history at the Rolex Shanghai Masters by winning the title ranked world No. 204, the lowest-ranked player ever to claim an ATP1000 Masters crown, a feat that shook the tennis world.

Reflecting on his Shanghai Masters journey, 27-year-old Vacherot’s performance was nothing short of legendary. Prior to the event, he had only one tour-level win but went on a nine-match winning streak, defeating top 20 stars like Alexander Bublik and Holger Rune, as well as four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic. In the final, he faced his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in a family showdown, ultimately securing the championship and crafting one of the most inspiring comebacks in recent ATP tour history. Continuing his hot streak at the Paris Masters, Vacherot again defeated Rinderknech and advanced to the quarterfinals. Thanks to his late-season surge, his world ranking skyrocketed from outside the top 250 in early August to a career-high No. 30, finishing the year at No. 31 and laying a strong foundation for the 2026 season.

“This is the result of years of hard work with my team,” an emotional Vacherot said after receiving the award. “My experiences in Shanghai and Paris made all the effort worthwhile. I hope this is just the beginning and that more honors will follow.” From an obscure qualifier to the breakthrough star of the year, Vacherot proved his potential match by match, and being crowned the first ATP Breakthrough of the Year is undoubtedly the best recognition of his career transformation.

His breakthrough in the 2025 season also propelled his coach and half-brother Benjamin Barrett into contention for this year’s Best Coach award. We look forward to the final results.

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