By Islam El-Sakka
Alexander Zverev has expressed frustration at the scrutiny he has faced since becoming the ATP world number one for the first time, saying he feels compelled to explain why his ascent to the top ranking is legitimate.
Oldest First-Time No. 1 in Over 50 Years
The 29-year-old German became the oldest man in more than five decades to reach the summit of men's tennis for the first time. He secured the ranking after winning his first two Grand Slam titles this year at the French Open and the US Open, and after losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final.
Early Exit at Paris Masters
Zverev's first match as the new world number one ended in a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 defeat to Italy's Lorenzo Musetti at the Paris Masters on Wednesday. After receiving a first-round bye and being presented with the number one trophy on Monday, Zverev described his performance as possibly one of his worst in months.
Record Against Top Players
Despite a 62-8 win-loss record against opponents ranked outside the top 10 this season, Zverev has won only three of 12 matches against top-10 players. He has lost his last 10 meetings with Sinner, who has been sidelined since Wimbledon with a knee injury and dropped to number two, and four of his past five against Carlos Alcaraz, who missed large parts of the season with a wrist injury.
Allegations Resurface
Zverev's rise has also brought renewed attention to previous accusations of physical abuse by two former partners. Zverev has consistently denied the allegations and maintains they are baseless.
