Alexander Zverev becomes world No. 1 after Vienna win
The German will take over the ATP top spot when rankings are updated on Monday.
Alexander Zverev will become world number one for the first time after beating Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5 in Vienna. He is the 30th man to hold the top spot since the rankings began in 1973.
Key takeaways
- Alexander Zverev beats Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5 in Vienna
- Zverev becomes world No. 1 on Monday, November 2
- He is the 30th man to hold the ATP top spot since 1973
- He is the second-oldest first-time number one after John Newcombe
- He will be aged 29 years and 196 days when rankings are published
Alexander Zverev will become world number one for the first time after beating Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals of the Vienna Open on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
The 29-year-old German secured the top spot in the ATP rankings with Jannik Sinner absent due to a knee injury.
The new rankings will be published on Monday, November 2, when Zverev dethrones Sinner, who had been number one since April and his title at the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000. Zverev had already clinched the year-end number one spot a few weeks earlier.
Why it matters
Zverev becomes only the 30th man to claim top spot since the ATP rankings were first published in 1973. He will be aged 29 years and 196 days when Monday's new rankings are published, making him the second-oldest first-time number one after Australian John Newcombe.
He is only the second German to hold the top spot, after Boris Becker in 1991.
Zverev has won the French Open and US Open in 2026, making him the fourth man in the Open Era to win his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season.
His first-round win over Martin Landaluce on Tuesday required him to save four match points in a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(11) victory. Against Griekspoor, he broke the Dutchman in the very first game and led one set before the second frame went to 5-5.
Zverev then pounced on Griekspoor's serve to get ahead. The match met an unexpected stoppage when Zverev brought up match point and a smash off his racquet caused part of the electronic board behind Griekspoor to malfunction.
Once the umpire covered the problematic panel with a towel, Zverev sealed his new ranking with an unreturnable serve.
What happens next
Zverev is a German professional tennis player who has won 26 ATP Tour singles titles, including two majors at the 2026 French Open and 2026 US Open, a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, seven ATP 1000 events, and the 2018 and 2021 ATP Finals. His previous career-high ranking was number two in June 2022.
Zverev career figures
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Singles titles | 26 |
Grand Slams | 2 |
Masters 1000 titles | 7 |
ATP Finals | 2 |
Olympic gold | 1 |
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