Alexander Zverev confirmed as ATP year-end No. 1: Details here
What's the story
Alexander Zverev has been confirmed as the ATP year-end No. 1 for the first time in his career. The confirmation came after Carlos Alcaraz's shock third-round exit at the Shanghai Masters, where he lost to unseeded Zizou Bergs in straight sets. The outcome was further solidified by Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
Milestone
First German to achieve this feat
Zverev, who has been in the year-end Top 10 for eight seasons and in the top five for five of those, is also the first German to finish a season as ATP year-end No. 1.
At 29 years and 217 days old, he is the oldest player to achieve this feat for the first time since Andre Agassi in 1999 (29 years, 214 days).
Response
'A dream come true'
Reacting to the news, Zverev said, "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."
He added that "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."
Achievements
Two major titles this year
This year has been Zverev's most successful, with two Grand Slam titles under his belt.
He won the French Open in June and the US Open last month after losing three major finals earlier in his career.
Despite these successes, he still has a lot to fight for this season, including winning his eighth Masters 1000 title at the Shanghai Masters and becoming the eighth player to win at least three Nitto ATP Finals titles.
Comeback
Remarkable journey back to the top
Zverev's journey back to the top has been nothing short of remarkable.
After suffering a serious ankle injury in the 2022 French Open semi-finals that kept him out for seven months, he fought his way back into the upper echelons of tennis.
He has been ranked inside the top four continuously since March 2024, even as he acknowledged that his rise was aided by injuries to rivals Alcaraz and Sinner.