Alexander Zverev will replace Jannik Sinner as the ATP men's world number one after reaching the quarter-finals in Vienna. The 29-year-old German secured the position with a 6-4 7-5 win over Tallon Griekspoor at the Erste Bank Open. Zverev, the second German to reach the top spot after Boris Becker in 1991, is the 30th man to hold the ranking. His achievement stems from winning two Grand Slam titles and 64 of 80 matches this year. "It's been a wait but sometimes you have to wait for the best things in life," Zverev said. At the start of the year, few expected anyone other than Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz to top the rankings, but both missed significant time due to injury. Zverev clinched the year-end number one spot when Alcaraz lost in Shanghai on 12 October.
Zverev acknowledged he might not be the world's best if both rivals were healthy, but he efficiently beat what was in front of him. Going into 2026, Alcaraz led with 12,050 points, followed by Sinner on 11,500. Third-ranked Zverev had 5,110 points — numerically closer to the 2,221st player than the top two. Both his major triumphs came without facing Sinner or Alcaraz.
In other Vienna matches, British number one Arthur Fery advanced past Lorenzo Musetti, setting up a quarter-final clash with Zverev. Cameron Norrie pushed Daniil Medvedev to a final-set decider before losing.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing