In an exhilarating weekend of tennis in the heart of Monaco, the Monegasque Davis Cup team came heartbreakingly close to an upset against Portugal but ultimately fell short, losing 3-2 in a thrilling encounter.
The tie, held at the iconic Rainier III court at the Monte Carlo Country Club , kept spectators on the edge of their seats right until the final match. The weekend’s drama began on Saturday, with the teams level at 1-1 after the first two singles matches.
Valentin Vacherot’s Strong Start
Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot set the tone early, overcoming Jaime Faria in a fierce battle. The match was a tense affair, with Vacherot holding his nerve in the third set to win 6-4, 6-7, 6-2. Despite a missed opportunity to close it out in the second set tie-break, Vacherot’s determination kept Monaco in the hunt for the crucial victory.
However, on the other side of the court, Benjamin Balleret struggled against the highly-ranked Nuno Borges. The world No. 37 proved too much for Balleret, with the Portuguese star comfortably securing a 6-3, 6-1 win to level the tie. Going into Sunday, both teams had everything to play for.
Doubles Disappointment and Vacherot’s Heroics
Sunday saw the doubles match, where Monaco’s Hugo Nys and Romain Arneodo faced off against Portugal’s Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral. After dropping the first set 6-3, Monaco rallied in the second, breaking at 2-2 to force a decider. But in the final set, two crucial errors at 5-6 allowed the Portuguese duo to seal the match 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, giving Portugal a 2-1 lead.
With the tie on the line, Vacherot rose to the occasion again, facing the fatigued Borges in a singles match. After dropping the first set 4-6, Vacherot showed remarkable resilience, bouncing back with a dominant 6-1 second set and following it up with a 6-2 final set to claim a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win. His victory brought Monaco back to 2-2, with everything hinging on the final singles match.
A Hard-Fought End: Arneodo’s Narrow Loss
In the deciding match, Romain Arneodo was given the task of facing Portugal’s Henrique Rocha. Although Arneodo had not played singles on the ATP circuit this year, he delivered a brave performance, breaking early in both sets. But Rocha, ranked 161st in the world, proved too composed under pressure, breaking back and clinching both sets 7-5, 7-5 to win the match and the tie for Portugal.
Despite the defeat, Monaco’s team displayed tremendous spirit, giving a higher-ranked Portuguese side all they could handle. From Vacherot’s two wins to the doubles match that nearly turned the tide, Monaco’s players can hold their heads high, knowing they pushed their opponents to the very limit. It was a narrow loss, but the Monegasques showed immense promise for future competitions.
