“I had a lump in my throat for a week watching those two guys”: Former Vacherot coach relives the Shanghai Masters final

Valentin Vacherot’s breakthrough run in Shanghai did not surprise Steve Denton, who had coached him at Texas A&M and understood the foundation behind that performance. For Denton, the way Vacherot handled the conditions, the opponents and the pressure reflected years of physical and mental preparation already put in place during his college years. As the coach explained in Inside-In podcast, “He had done the preparation the year before; he won three Challengers in Thailand under extreme heat and humidity, and one in India”

Watching Vacherot lift the Shanghai trophy after navigating a field that included Alexander Bublik, Holger Rune and Novak Djokovic reaffirmed Denton’s long-held conviction that growth happens in layers and rarely on a predictable timeline. As he put it, “He just figured out that if he was coming forward and playing his brand of tennis, the other guys would have to adjust to him”

That preparation was interrupted by a knee injury at Wimbledon, forcing Vacherot off the tour for a stretch that could have derailed his momentum. Instead, it sharpened the focus when he finally returned. Denton noted how unusual the opportunity in Shanghai was, and how Vacherot was ready for it despite the circumstances. As Denton recalled, “He went to Shanghai as maybe the seventh or eighth alternate. People pulled out, and he got in”

Once inside the draw, Vacherot played with the type of looseness and clarity Denton had been hoping to see for years. The combination of his big game, improved durability and more mature decision-making allowed each round to build on the last. Denton highlighted that inner freedom as the catalyst for the run. As he put it, “Once he got in the main draw, he was playing with ‘house money.’ Val has a big game and he can dictate”

For Denton, the Shanghai storyline became even more emotional when Vacherot and his cousin Arthur Rinderknech both made spectacular runs to the final. Denton watched the entire week unfold, including wins over top players as Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and a semifinal that pushed Daniil Medvedev. Seeing his former players share a stage of that magnitude captured everything he envisioned for the program. As he described, “I had a lump in my throat for a week watching those two guys”

Denton has always believed that college tennis can fill the gaps that young players might struggle to address alone, especially when their games are still incomplete. Many of his players needed time to grow, to mature, and to learn what professional-level tennis actually demands. He emphasised how critical that environment was for their transition. As he said, “Many of our players were not professional yet in their first year or two. As we gave them a blueprint of what it should look like, they began to mature”

Part of that blueprint includes strategic development without the immediate pressure that exists on tour. Denton sees college as the ideal setting to correct weaknesses and build long-term resilience before facing the best players in the world. That perspective has shaped the identity of his program for years. As he explained, “If a player has three or four ‘holes’ in his game, what better way to fill those than in a less pressure-cooked situation in college?”

Another crucial element behind Vacherot’s success is the physical robustness A&M players develop under Denton’s system. Durability, he believes, has become one of the most decisive factors in modern tennis, especially with smaller rosters and longer seasons. His concerns about the sport’s direction highlight why preparation matters so much. As he noted, “One of the biggest things moving forward is going to be durability… I do have some concerns about matches in the future where we may not have enough players to field the team”

Denton also stresses that joining his program means accepting a full developmental commitment, one that lasts far beyond the years spent on campus. He continues mentoring players long after they turn professional, supporting them through scouting, analysis and on-site coaching when possible. That ongoing investment is part of what has allowed players like Vacherot to thrive. As Denton said, “When players come to play for me, it’s a 20-year decision, not a four-year decision”