'It's such an honour': Vacherot relishing showdown with Alcaraz on home soil

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vacherot-valentin/rFqoSYd8/"]Vacherot[/a], who was ‌ranked outside the top 200 before his shock Shanghai ‌Masters triumph last year, downed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-minaur-alex/EZgZ9Xfh/"]Alex De Minaur[/a] ‌[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/de-minaur-a-EZgZ9Xfh/vacherot-v-rFqoSYd8/?mid=fm41gShg"]6-4 3-6 6-3[/a] in front of roaring fans on Friday and became the first Monegasque player to reach the ‌last-four at Monte Carlo.[/p][p]World number two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sinner-jannik/6HdC3z4H/"]⁠Jannik Sinner[/a], who ‌has the opportunity to reclaim top spot from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a], meets ​the third-ranked [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Alexander Zverev[/a] in the other semi-final.[/p][p][b]"It's such an honour to be part ​of the semi-finals with the three best players of the past few years,"[/b] Vacherot said shortly after ⁠his win in ​Monte Carlo on Friday.[/p][p][b]"I can't wait to play Carlos in my hometown, it's amazing.[/b][/p][p][b]"The guys in the crowd chanting, they're my best friends from when I ‌was nine or 10 years old. It's rare for a player to have this chance to have this many people around.[/b][/p][p]"I'm so lucky to have a tournament in my club."[/p][embed guid="c0d69fff-edbd-4605-8565-d01cfba3985d" url="https://x.com/ROLEXMCMASTERS/status/2042666573891031248" social-type="twitter" /][p]Vacherot is projected to break into the top 20 when the ATP rankings are updated on Monday. Alcaraz was left impressed by the 27-year-old's rise.[/p][p][b]"It's impressive, his story. He ‌has a lot of motivation playing at home," [/b]​Alcaraz said shortly before Vacherot set up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/vacherot-v-rFqoSYd8/?mid=tYmITb13"]their ‌last-four clash[/a], which takes place later on Saturday.[/p][p][b]"He has won great matches this tournament this year. I've never played against him before; I just practised with him once at Indian Wells. ⁠I know he's ⁠a pretty tough opponent ‌to play."[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/monte-carlo/"]Follow the Monte Carlo semi-finals here.[/a][/b][/p]