Alexander Zverev dethroned Sinner, becoming the first German world number one since Becker

Alexander Zverev has achieved a historic milestone in men’s tennis, becoming the first German to top the ATP rankings since Boris Becker in 1991. The 29-year-old’s rise to the top was confirmed after a third-round exit from Carlos Alcaraz at the Shanghai Masters as Zverev ended the season as the world’s top player.

The achievement marks a significant moment in Zverev’s career, which has seen several major titles and years of competition among the sport’s elite. In 2026, he became one of the top players on the ATP Tour, winning the French Open and the US Open to establish himself as a formidable force in men’s tennis.

Zverev’s exit also marks the end of Germany’s long wait for the men’s world number one. Becker remains the only German to occupy this position, in 1991 he topped the chart twice for a total of 12 weeks.

SINFUL INJURY OPENS THE DOOR

It helped Zverev’s rise longer absence of Jannik Sinnerwho has not played since winning Wimbledon in July due to a knee injury. The Italian subsequently missed the North American hard court swing including the US Open, as well as the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters.

Sinner’s withdrawal from Shanghai, announced earlier this month, has further weakened his position in the race to finish the season at the top. The reigning Wimbledon champion had enjoyed an outstanding campaign in 2026 before his injury, compiling a 44-3 win-loss record and collecting five ATP Masters 1000 titles before his triumph at the All England Club.

With Sinner shut down, Zverev had an opportunity to consolidate his position in the all-season rankings. The German entered the Shanghai Masters as the leading contender for the year-end No. 1 ranking. His performances throughout the season put him in control of his destiny.

HOW DID ZVEREV PERFORM IN 2026

Alexander Zverev enjoyed a remarkable season in 2026, reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open before making deep runs in the first four ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. He finished second in Madrid and suffered early season defeats to eventual champions Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Zverev broke through at Roland Garroshe defeated Flavio Cobolli in five sets to win his first Grand Slam title. He became the first German to win the French Open in the Open Era. The 29-year-old subsequently reached the Wimbledon final, becoming the first German to compete for the title at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Zverev continued his impressive run at the US Open, claiming his second major title of the season after dropping just one set after the opening two rounds. He finished the Grand Slam season with a record of 25-2.

Recently, Zverev participated in the China Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. The German will now face Alexander Bublik in the round of 16 at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday after defeating Quentin Halys in his opening match.

After ending 2024 as the year-end world No. 2, Zverev has now finished 2026 at the top of the ATP rankings, joining Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner among active players to achieve the year-end No. 1 honor.

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