Alexander Zverev is guaranteed to finish the 2026 season as world number one after Carlos Alcaraz suffered a surprise defeat at the Shanghai Masters.
The German had been chasing the top spot currently held by Jannik Sinner, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the year with a knee injury. Alcaraz remained the only player capable of preventing Zverev from securing the year-end ranking until his third-round defeat on Monday.
Belgium’s Zizou Bergs stunned Alcaraz 7-5 7-6 (7-4) to end the Spaniard’s hopes of catching Zverev in the rankings.
“It’s been a fantastic season for me. Knowing that I will finish the year on top of the rankings is just a dream come true,” Zverev said.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a remarkable season, winning his first Grand Slam title at the French Open in June before adding the US Open crown last month.
His rise to the top has coincided with injury problems for Alcaraz and Sinner, who have dominated the ATP Tour over the previous two seasons.
Despite securing the year-end number one ranking, Zverev cannot officially overtake Sinner in the live rankings until November 2 at the earliest.
He will become the first German to finish a season as the world’s top-ranked male player and the oldest player to achieve the feat for the first time.
Zverev’s achievement marks a significant milestone in a career that has featured both major success and injury setbacks.
He suffered a serious ankle injury during the 2022 French Open semi-finals, which kept him out of action for seven months.
Since returning, he has rebuilt his position among the sport’s elite and has remained inside the world’s top four continuously since March 2024.
