It's been a world-wind trip to the Rolex Shanghai Masters for Melanie-Antoinette de Massy, president of the Monegasque Tennis Federation, Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
De Massy arrived in Shanghai at midday Friday from a 19-hour trip from Monaco with Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tournament director David Massey.
On Saturday, de Massy sat in Valentin Vacherot's guest box along with Massey to see her countryman defeat four-time Rolex Shanghai Masters champion and World No. 5 Novak Djokovic.
"I am so, so proud of him and there's really no words that come to mind to describe really the feelings throughout the match," said de Massy. "He played incredibly well and the match was fantastic. We saw really some amazing points, fantastic tennis and I'm so glad to be here. I'm so glad to live this moment with him and so happy to see this historical final."
I was shaking throughout the match. It was so stressful and at the same time so exciting.It's just amazing moments that I will keep in my memory forever."
De Massy's phone has been getting non-stop messages from well wishers back home and interview requests. Avid tennis fan HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has been following closely Vacherot's historic run in Shanghai and will be watching the final.
Through de Massy, Prince Albert II sent a congratulatory video for Vacherot, wishing him all the best for the final, as well as a message to herself congratulating her for Valentin’s results and the achievements of the Monaco Tennis Federation.
"I think he's been living a dream throughout this whole edition of the tournament and for us we've been living this dream with him," said de Massy. "For me to first be at a distance and now to be here by his side. The whole country of Monaco, everybody's been so excited and we're all cheering for him and hoping for the best in the final."
Vacherot was happy to have the additional support in his player guest box, including his fitness coach Julien Wahl.
"The first thing when I won the quarter-final is that I texted my fitness coach and I said, 'Do you want to come, with a laughing face.'" said Vacherot. "And I think five minutes later the flight was booked. He arrived Friday night and he was here in the box. Also Melanie and David came. I think it helped me a lot to have a few more people in the box, to be honest."
Vacherot reflected on his breakthrough tournament and what the accomplishment means for his country with a population of 31,813.
"I mean, of course it's historical and I probably broke the record on everything around now," said Vacherot, who has climbed from No. 204 to No. 58 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. "It means a lot for me and for the country. This is probably the smallest country in the world and we don't have so many athletes. But to see all the joy that I'm bringing back home, that's probably what feels the most special in my heart right now."
Earlier this year at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in April, French-born Monegasque player Romain Arneodo made history by winning the doubles title with Frenchman Manuel Guinard. Arneodo became the first Monegasque player to win the Monte-Carlo doubles title.
"We're just such a small federation, we're only four players," said Vacherot. "Four players at that level is crazy for Monaco. We're a little family. We have a bunch of young kids that train every day. Seeing the videos of them jumping around when I win is, I was saying before, what's in my heart is the most important is the joy that I bring back home."
Hugo Nys is ranked No. 19 in doubles and has been a career-high No. 12 in June 2023. He won his biggest title at ATP Masters 1000 Rome that year and also was a finalist at the Australian Open in 2023. Arneodo, a winner of two doubles titles this season, is ranked No. 45 in doubles after reaching a career-high No. 38 in August.
"For Monaco it's absolutely extraordinary and we've never had a Monoaco-born player in the top 100 in singles," said de Massy. "We've had, as Valentin said at the end of his match, and I really appreciated that he did that, is to remind everyone that in tennis there's singles, but there's also doubles, and we have extraordinary double players. In Monaco we love playing Davis Cup because we love being a team, we love being all together and with Monaco Tennis Federation and Monaco tennis as a whole actually, whether it's the tournament, the federation, or the club is one big family."
