Alexander Zverev ensured he will finish 2026 as the winner of the Grand Slam battle after he lifted his first US Open title with a win against Ben Shelton in New York.
It was a second major title success for the German this year after his breakthrough win at the French Open ended his long wait for Grand Slam glory.
Zverev was also a semi-finalist at the Australian Open and served for the match against Carlos Alcaraz, before the Spaniard roared back to end his challenge in Melbourne.
His impressive season of consistency in major tournaments this year also included a first appearance in the Wimbledon final, as he took the first set from Jannik Sinner before losing in four.
Zverev is still 1,810 ranking points behind Sinner despite his impressive Grand Slam performances this year, but former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski has claimed the German could now be considered the best player in the world, for 2026 at least.
More Tennis News
“When he won the French, he was expected to win when Sinner went out and then again he was No 1 seed at the US Open and he got the job done on both occasions,” Rusedski said on his podcast.
“Yes, Sinner is the world No 1. For me, from the results at the majors, Zverev’s the best player on the planet this year. That’s where we define greatness. There’s very rarely a player who wins two majors in the year who isn’t the world No 1.
“He’s been by far the best at the majors. He could have gotten to the finals in Australia serving for the match against Alcaraz 5-3. Then on top of that, winning the French and then the finals of Wimbledon before he won his second major at the US Open.
“He’s a great player and those who questioned him before this year were crazy to do so. Winning majors is not easy, especially when guys like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and recently Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are around.
“Now we are seeing a different Zverev. He is not worried about when that first major will come any more and he is playing with freedom. That’s dangerous for everyone else because all the top players say he has the best serve in tennis. That’s no doubt he has now.
“What we can also say is we now have a Big 3 at the top of men’s tennis because Zverev has stepped up.”
Zverev gave his own verdict on whether he should be viewed as world No 1 after his US Open win, as he suggested Sinner was still the man to beat when he returns from his knee injury.
“You have to take everything into consideration,” he said. “With Jannik Sinner being injured and Carlos Alcaraz coming back from injury after four months, right now, probably yes. Both of them healthy and both of them at the top of their game, maybe not.
“But if we say right, right now with Jannik being injured and Carlos coming back from injury, maybe. I mean, four, five months ago when both of them were healthy, I wasn’t.
“I was losing to Jannik all the time. So if everyone is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead. It’s as simple as that.”
READ NEXT: Boris Becker says when he thinks Alexander Zverev will become world No 1 after US Open triumph
