31 Oct 2026 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Alexander Zverev will replace Jannik Sinner as the men’s world number one at his earliest opportunity after reaching the quarter-finals in Vienna.
He was already guaranteed to finish 2026 as the ATP’s leading player, but made sure he will rise to the summit on Monday with a 6-4 7-5 win over Tallon Griekspoor at the Erste Bank Open.
Zverev, 29, is the second German to reach the pinnacle of the men’s tour after Boris Becker in 1991.
The achievement is a testament to his body of work this year, having won two Grand Slam titles and 64 of his 80 matches.
“It’s been a wait but sometimes you have to wait for the best things in life,” said Zverev, who is the second oldest man to top the rankings for the first time.
“I’m super happy, super thrilled - I have no words for this year.”
At the start of the year it seemed unthinkable that anybody other than Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz would become world number one.
But the dominant duo have missed large chunks of this season through injury, opening the door for Zverev - who won the French Open and US Open titles with at least one of the pair absent - to take over.
Going into 2026, Alcaraz led the rankings with 12,050 points, closely followed by Sinner on 11,500. (BBC sport)
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