Zverev to finish 2026 as world No. 1 — first German to achieve it
Alcaraz's Shanghai exit and Sinner's knee injury confirmed Zverev, 29, as the first German to finish a season at ATP No. 1.
Alexander Zverev will finish the 2026 season as the world No. 1 for the first time in his career, a milestone secured after a dramatic turn of events at the Shanghai Masters on October 12, 2026.
Carlos Alcaraz, who still had a mathematical chance to overtake Zverev in the year-end rankings, was knocked out in the tournament's third round by Belgium's Zizou Bergs. Alcaraz lost the match 5:7 and 6:7 in the tie-break of the second set, eliminating his bid to surpass Zverev.
How the race was decided
Alcaraz's third-round exit removed the Spaniard from contention. The picture became even clearer after Italy's Jannik Sinner was also taken out of the race when he ended his season early because of a knee injury.
With those results confirmed, 29-year-old Zverev cannot be caught in the ATP year-end standings and will become the first German tennis player in history to close a season as the world No. 1.
The achievement crowns years in which Zverev has consistently ranked among the sport's leading names, though until now he had not finished a season at the very top of the rankings.
Photo: US Open\/Fejsbuk
