Alexander Zverev said it was a “dream come true” after clinching the year-end No 1 ranking for the first time in his career.
With Jannik Sinner out with a knee injury for the rest of the season and Carlos Alcaraz falling early at the Shanghai Masters, Zverev’s place at the top of the podium was secured.
He said earlier this month, “It’s been a fantastic season for me. Knowing that I will finish the year on top of the rankings is just a dream come true.
“So much work and effort have been put into achieving this goal, especially after coming back from the ankle injury. I look forward to finishing the season in style.”
Some of his critics have argued that his 3-8 record against the top 10 in 2026, the fact that he has failed to beat any of Sinner, Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic this year, and that he hasn’t had to overcome any of them to win the French Open and US Open put an asterisk next to his achievements.
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Moreover, Alcaraz was out for more than four months with a wrist injury, and Sinner has been sidelined with a knee issue since beating Zverev in the Wimbledon final in mid-July.
Boris Becker has angrily hit out at Zverev’s detractors, and this weekend, former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev said the German fully deserved to become the year-end No 1.
While that goal is secured, when will Zverev officially overtake Sinner in the ATP Tour rankings? In the live rankings, the latter is on 9,450 points, and the former is on 9,350.
The gap has narrowed significantly in recent days as the 1,500 points Sinner earned by winning in Vienna and Paris last year have dropped off.
Zverev lost to the Italian in the final of the Austrian tournament in three tight sets, before being routed in the French capital 6-0, 6-1 in the semi-finals the following week.
All that being said, if Zverev reaches the quarter-finals of the Vienna Open, he will draw level with Sinner on 9,350 points but can be the outright leader if he reaches the semi-finals.
A last eight spot will earn him 100 points, a semi-final pockets him 200 points, a final will see him collect 330 points, and if he wins the title, an extra 500 points will be added.
Zverev begins his campaign on Tuesday against the unseeded Spaniard, Martin Landaluce. If he wants to reach the semi-finals, he may have to beat Brussels Open champion Tallon Griekspoor and sixth seed Frances Tiafoe along the way.
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