Former ATP star John Isner has come under fire after a bold claim he made about Valentin Vacherot’s 2025 Shanghai Masters triumph and Emma Raducanu’s US Open title run.
Vacherot shocked the tennis world by winning nine consecutive matches, including two qualifying rounds, to claim his first-ever ATP title at the prestigious ATP 1000 event in Shanghai.
The 26-year-old Monegasque was ranked 204th and only entered the qualifying draw after a host of withdrawals as he was the ninth alternate.
Isner discussed Vacherot’s remarkable victory on the Nothing Major podcast with fellow former American pros Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock.
The former world No 8 was asked by Querrey if Vacherot’s Shanghai run was “more impressive” than Raducanu winning the 2021 US Open title.
“That’s a good question. You absolutely can compare it,” Isner said.
“I think it’s more impressive, yes. But Raducanu, it’s a bigger story because it’s the US Open. I think this (Vacherot’s run) is more improbable than what she did.
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“But obviously it being the US Open [that Raducanu won] makes it a bigger story, even though this story is really big in the tennis world.
“I am giving it to Vacherot there. It was just unheard of.”
Raducanu won 10 straight matches (including three qualifiers) without dropping a set to win the 2021 US Open in astonishing fashion.
The Brit, who was 18 and ranked 150th at the time, is the only player in tennis history to win a Grand Slam title as a qualifier.
Isner’s controversial take was shared in a post on X, and the American was met with strong and widespread disagreement.
“These people must leave Emma Raducanu alone. Celebrate the new guy alone,” one user wrote.
Another posted: “Ridiculous claim. The best players weren’t even there (in Shanghai).”
Several users argued that winning a Grand Slam and a Masters title should not be compared.
“I think there is serious recency bias involved here. A qualifier winning a Masters is not unheard of. A qualifier winning a Slam is,” one wrote.
“Emma was 18 playing only her second Grand Glam event and hadn’t even won a match on the WTA Tour. She won 10 matches and Vacherot nine.”
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