China
Valentin Vacherot capped off his miraculous run at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday after defeating his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the finals.
Ranked No. 204 in the world before entering the tournament, Vacherot did not have a tour win in his career. After battling through qualifiers, the Monegasque recorded stunning wins over Holger Rune and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
“It is unreal what just happened,” Vacherot said. “I have no idea what is happening right now. I am not even dreaming, it is just crazy.”
In just the third Masters 1000 final between two unseeded players, Vacherot reunited with Rinderknech after their playing days together at Texas A&M University in 2018. Rinderknech entered the Shanghai Masters with a career-high ranking of 42 in the world. En route to the finals, he defeated Top 20 opponents Alexander Zverev, Jiři Lehečka, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Daniil Medvedev.
After the Frenchman took the first set 6-4, Vacherot rallied in the second set 6-3. In the deciding set, Vacherot took his play up a level after getting out to an early break, winning 92% of his first serves and recording just one unforced error in the 6-3 set to claim the title.
“I was just trying to beat the guy on the other side of the net,” Vacherot said. “[I tried] to put on the side that it is my cousin and the guy I have been training with and growing up with.
Italy
Italy shut out Israel 3-0 in a World Cup Qualifier on Tuesday at Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy.
Due to the continuous conflict between Israel and Gaza, the match was classified as a high-security event and extensive safety measures were instilled for both teams and the fans.
“Today wasn’t easy for us,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “I want to thank the police who have done an incredible job in these days.”
Before the game, Israel’s team bus traveled under a 13-vehicle police escort. Helicopters and drones monitored the area throughout the day, and snipers were spotted on the roof of the Israel team’s hotel.
Fans also faced rigorous security checks, though fewer than 10,000 attended in a stadium that has a capacity of a little over 25,000 people.
“Considering that we’re trying to get to the World Cup and we need to give our absolute all,” Gattuso said. “I’m sure you can understand that I would have preferred to play a home game with the enthusiasm that we saw in Bergamo a month ago.”
Despite nearby protests and tensions, there were no major disruptions during the match, and fans largely remained peaceful.
United Kingdom
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is speaking out after the West Midlands Police decided to prevent Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans from attending a Europa League game against Aston Villa in Birmingham on Nov. 6.
“This is the wrong decision,” Starmer said. “We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation.”
Influenced by the targeted attacks that occurred after the 2024 UEFA Europa League Match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv that left five hospitalized and approximately 30 others with minor injuries, West Midlands Police classified the impending match at Aston Villa as high risk and decided to restrict away fan attendance after a multi-agency meeting.
Throughout this season, many have called upon UEFA to ban Israel’s teams from competitions due to the continuous conflict with Gaza. While no such measures have been taken, UEFA remains firm that they support a safe environment for their fans and leave safety measures up to the local authorities for each event.
Many others have also spoken out against the decision made by UEFA authorities.
“It is perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can’t guarantee their safety,” the London-based Jewish Leadership Council wrote in an X post. “Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors.”
Contact Emily Barbire at [email protected]