PARIS — Valentin Vacherot reached the Masters quarterfinals again, defeating Cameron Norrie 7-6 (4), 6-4 in Paris on Thursday.
This month, Vaccello performed well in the qualifiers and won the Shanghai Masters, his first career title. He defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and his cousin Arthur Lindeknych in the final.
“I didn’t expect this,” Vaccello said. “Fortunately, I continue to come here and maybe enjoy the game more than in Shanghai.”
The 40th-ranked Vaccello from Monaco defeated Lindekneich again in the second round in Paris and will set up a fight with Norrie after the British fighter knocked out top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz.
Vaccello hit five aces and saved all five break points against Norrie, who dropped serve once.
Vaccello will next face ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who defeated Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The victory kept Auger-Aliassime’s chances of reaching the eight-man ATP season-ending finals in Turin, Italy.
Fifth seed Ben Shelton defeated 12th seed Andrei Rublev 7-6 (6), 6-3 to compete with four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner for a chance in the quarterfinals.
Later on Thursday, Sinner continued his bid to regain the No. 1 spot in the world when he faced Francisco Cerundolo. The unseeded player has won two of five career matches but lost both of his previous indoor matches.
If Sinner wins, he will return to No. 1.
In addition, defending champion Alexander Zverev takes on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and fourth seed Taylor Fritz takes on Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan.
