Alexander Zverev reacts to securing year-end world number one ranking

By SABC Sport
13th October 2026

Alexander Zverev has described finishing 2026 as the world's top-ranked player as a "dream come true" after Carlos Alcaraz's unexpected defeat in Shanghai confirmed his position.

With Jannik Sinner out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, Zverev was not a certainty to finish the year as the world's top-ranked player.

However, Carlos Alcaraz's surprise third-round loss to Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Open means nobody can catch the 29-year-old in the ATP Tour rankings.

The German has enjoyed a magical year, winning both the French Open and US Open to finally break his Grand Slam duck. Now, the 6ft 6in player has opened up on a "fantastic" season that is getting better and better.

He told the ATP's website, "It's been a fantastic season for me, winning in Paris and New York and 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."

Zverev has been leading the ATP Race to Sinner by 900 points, with the world No 2 currently sitting on 8,850 points. Australian Open champion Alcaraz is back in third on 4,600 points, with US Open finalist Ben Shelton fourth on 4,480.

But with the Spaniard's Shanghai Open exit, Zverev now has an unassailable lead in the Race and cannot be caught until 2027 at the earliest.

On social media, Zverev posted a number of graphics that said '2026 year-end world No 1', including a Bitpanda montage of this new milestone.

ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi added, "Finishing the season as year-end No. 1 is the ultimate achievement in our sport. Congratulations to Sascha, who became just the 20th player to do so.

"For a decade, he has consistently been one of the best players in the world. To finish as year-end No. 1 for the first time aged 29 shows his grit and determination to continue pushing forward."

For now, he will focus on trying to win the Shanghai Masters, where he is into the last 16 to face Alexander Bublik.