By Salma El-Sakka
Alexander Zverev will replace Jannik Sinner as the men's ATP world number one on Monday after reaching the quarter-finals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna with a 6-4 7-5 victory over Tallon Griekspoor.
Zverev's path to the top ranking
The 29-year-old German becomes the 30th man to hold the top spot and the second German after Boris Becker in 1991. His rise caps a season in which he won two Grand Slam titles — the French Open and US Open — and compiled a 64-16 match record. Zverev had already secured the year-end number one ranking when Carlos Alcaraz lost in Shanghai on 12 October, but he could not overtake Sinner until 2 November at the earliest.
Breaking the Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly
At the start of 2026, Alcaraz led the rankings with 12,050 points, followed by Sinner on 11,500. The pair had split all eight Grand Slam titles in 2024 and 2025, leaving a massive gap to the rest of the field. Zverev entered the season third with 5,110 points — numerically closer to the 2,221st-ranked player than to the top two. Both of his major triumphs came without facing either rival, and he did not meet a top-10 opponent until defeating Ben Shelton in the US Open final.
Zverev reflects on achievement
"It's been a wait but sometimes you have to wait for the best things in life," Zverev said. "I'm super happy, super thrilled — I have no words for this year." He acknowledged that he might not be considered the world's best player if both Sinner and Alcaraz were healthy and at their peak, but emphasized he has efficiently beaten the opposition placed before him.
Quarterfinal clash with Arthur Fery
Zverev will next face British number one Arthur Fery in the quarter-finals, a rematch of their Wimbledon semi-final. Fery, 24, continued his breakthrough season with a 6-4 5-7 6-4 win over Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, saving a break deficit in the decider and overcoming cramp to secure the biggest victory of his ATP Tour career by ranking.
Other Vienna results
In other last-16 matches, Cameron Norrie fell short against fifth seed Daniil Medvedev, losing 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1) after serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set. Second seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced with a 6-1 7-6 (13-11) win over Nikoloz Basilashvili.
