Tennis star ‘would rather win Monte Carlo Masters than Wimbledon’ as players pull out | Tennis | Sport

Valentin Vacherot has revealed that he’d rather win his home tournament, the Monte Carlo Masters, than be crowned a Grand Slam champion. The Monegasque tennis star is already a Masters 1000 champion – the next tier down from the Grand Slams when it comes to professional tennis tournaments. Vacherot lifted the trophy in Shanghai last year as a qualifier ranked down at No. 204 in the world. Now, he’s set his sights on the Monte Carlo Masters.

Vacherot grew up attending the tournament to watch his brother, former world No. 204 Benjamin Balleret, who is now his coach, in action. It gives the Monte Carlo Masters extra meaning for the 27-year-old, who ranks it above the four Majors – including Wimbledon – on his dream title list.

“It was my favourite week of the year. All I was waiting for was the tournament. My coach, who is my brother, was playing back in the day. He was mostly ranked all of his career around No. 200, but since he’s from Monaco as well, he was getting a wildcard every year, so he was allowing me to watch him play there,” Vacherot told the Australian Open’s Sit-Down Podcast.

“That was generally my favourite week of the year, I was waiting for that. I was praying that it was going to be during vacation, so I didn’t have any problem to go from 9am to 7pm on site and watch every single match possible, catch every autograph possible, and that’s why it’s weird, but I’d rather win Monte Carlo than a Grand Slam, if I could, to be honest.

“It’s maybe number one, Monte Carlo, and let’s say, one person under, all the Grand Slams. Of course, I wouldn’t mind winning a Grand Slam. It’s just really special. It’s the club that I’ve always been playing tennis in.”

Vacherot has also received Monte Carlo wildcards during his career, but this year, he returns as a whole new player. The Monegasque star is currently sitting at a career-high of No. 23, and already has a Masters title under his belt thanks to his fairytale run in Shanghai last Autumn.

“Sometimes I still pinch myself to see if it was real. I try to not forget the images that are in my head that happened over there. It was a little bit, let’s say, like a little parenthesis in my life It’s hard to even believe sometimes that it was real, but I try to not think about it all the time,” he added.

“It was an amazing example for how I played, how I battled and everything, but also [it was about] just getting back to Earth and just knowing now this is my place, this is where I belong. And try to gradually keep climbing and see where I can end up by the end. Hopefully, those two weeks are the base of a second huge part of my career.”

Vacherot will face lucky loser Juan Manuel Cerundolo in his opening match at the Monte Carlo Country Club this year. Cerundolo got in the draw after Kamil Majchrzak pulled out of the tournament. Majchrzak, Frances Tiafoe, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard all withdrew after the main draw had already been made.

Meanwhile, seven players withdrew before the draw ceremony, including Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper. Another seven, who were ranked high enough to make it into the Monte Carlo Masters, decided not to sign up to the entry list altogether.

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