Valentin Vacherot has a new backer for the 2026 season, with Monaco property group Groupe Michel Pastor confirming a sponsorship deal with the Principality’s most celebrated tennis player.

The partnership was announced last week, months after Vacherot’s stunning run at the Shanghai Masters 1000 last October turned him from a journeyman qualifier into one of the sport’s most talked-about names. Ranked 204th in the world at the start of the tournament, he came through qualifying to defeat a series of top-ranked opponents and claim a title that few saw coming — one of the standout sporting stories of 2025.

Jean-Baptiste Pastor, President and Managing Director of Groupe Michel Pastor, said the alignment between the group and the player went beyond geography. “His methodical determination in pursuit of great objectives in all circumstances echoes our own commitments in the development of ambitious and responsible property projects,” he said, adding that the values of perseverance and resilience that defined Vacherot’s Shanghai campaign were ones the group recognised in its own work.

Vacherot welcomed the backing ahead of what promises to be his most high-profile season to date. “This support is an asset and an additional source of motivation to meet the many challenges of the competitions I am engaged in,” he said.

The timing is significant. Vacherot is set to walk onto the clay at the Monte-Carlo Country Club next month as a direct entry into the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters main draw — the first time a Monegasque player has achieved this without a wild card. For both player and sponsor, home soil has rarely felt so meaningful.

See also: 

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2026: what was revealed at the official launch

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Main photo source: Groupe Michel Pastor