AS Monaco Basket has entered cessation of payments and will pause operations after failing to secure a place in France’s top divisions, despite efforts to find a route back into competition. The move closes a 12-year rise from the lower divisions to domestic titles and major EuroLeague appearances, amid reported liabilities of €27.8 million. The Association de l’ASM’s NM3 team will continue playing and hopes to use Salle Gaston-Médecin, keeping men’s basketball active in Monaco. The club hopes the Principality can eventually return to the top level. The announcement coincides with former Monaco star Mike James’s Achilles tendon rupture, which is expected to keep him out for seven to nine months.

Monaco defeated Finland 3-1 in Espoo to qualify for the 2027 Davis Cup Qualifiers for the first time. After Lucas Catarina lost on his return from a long injury absence, Valentin Vacherot levelled the tie. Romain Arneodo and Hugo Nys won the doubles after dropping the first set, and Vacherot then beat Otto Virtanen in three sets to clinch the tie. The result extends Monaco’s recent rise to World Group I and reflects the team’s development and close relationships; Catarina said he has no current plans for a full-time return to professional tennis.

Valentin Vacherot reflects on his rapid rise from world No. 204 to No. 39, crediting his lifelong passion for tennis, lessons from early-career losses, and support from Monaco. His Shanghai breakthrough and the celebrations that followed strengthened his confidence. For 2026, he plans to maintain his training routines, focus on his own game, and pursue another tournament win while continuing to learn and manage rising expectations.