Valentin Vacherot Wins Basel Title and Apologizes to Coach
Valentin Vacherot defeated Jiri Lehecka 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 on November 1 to win the Swiss Indoors final in Basel, securing his second career ATP title and his first at the ATP 500 level, tennisworldde.com reported.
The 27-year-old Monegasque player started slowly against the eighth-seeded Czech, losing the opening set 6-2 after dropping four consecutive games. Vacherot admitted after the match that Lehecka’s consistency caused him severe frustration during the early stages, noting that it felt like playing against a ball machine. During that tense opening set, Vacherot exchanged sharp words with his coach and half-brother, Benjamin Balleret, which prompted Balleret to temporarily leave his seat.
At the trophy ceremony, Vacherot publicly addressed the incident and apologized to his coach. “I have to say sorry to one person first, that’s my coach, because I didn’t say very nice words to him during the first set,” Vacherot told the crowd in Basel.
Reports from essentiallysports.com also noted that Vacherot came close to a ball kid with a racket throw during his early-match struggles, sparking social media criticism regarding player conduct, though officials issued no official disqualification.
Valentin Vacherot defeats Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to secure a spot in the Basel final 4 👏#SwissIndoorsBasel | @val_vacherot pic.twitter.com/9JzA2ai2ZW
Turning the Match Around in Sets Two and Three
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second set when Vacherot broke Lehecka’s serve for a 3-1 lead. Serving for the set at 5-3, he successfully fended off two break points to level the match.
In the deciding third set, Vacherot secured an early break at 2-1 and protected his advantage through the remainder of the contest, completing the comeback after one hour and 54 minutes. He told reporters that his strategy shifted to hitting good shots when it mattered most rather than chasing perfection across the entire match.
Lehecka’s defeat marked another disappointment in an ATP final for the 24-year-old Czech player, who now holds a record of two titles from nine championship matches and has lost all three of his finals at the ATP 500 level. Vacherot praised his opponent during the ceremony, predicting that Lehecka will have many more opportunities to contest for trophies.
Rising Through the ATP Rankings and Next Challenges
The Basel triumph continues an upward trajectory for Vacherot that began in October 2025, when he entered the qualifying rounds and won the Shanghai Masters as a player ranked outside the top 200. Following his victory in Switzerland, where he received a tournament wildcard, Vacherot rose from No. 31 to No. 27 in the ATP rankings, returning to the top 30. He also became the first player from Monaco to capture the Basel singles title.
Vacherot’s immediate attention turns to the Paris Masters, where he is scheduled to face 39-year-old Serbian veteran Novak Djokovic in the opening round.
Related reading