Alexander Zverev Clinches Year-End No. 1 Ranking After Alcaraz's Shanghai Masters Exit

Shanghai, Oct 12: Alexander Zverev is set to cap a break out year 2026 as the No.1 ranked player. The 29-year-old - who won his first two Grand Slam titles - clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking on Monday (October 12).

Zverev - who was also helped by a season-ending injury to Jannik Sinner - will become the oldest player to achieve the year-end honor for the first time, the ATP Tour announced. He is currently ranked No. 2 but will overtake No. 1 Sinner before the season ends next month.

Zverev became assured of finishing No. 1 when No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz was beaten by Zizou Bergs in Shanghai. Zverev won the French Open and U.S. Open titles this year and also reached the Australian Open semifinals and the Wimbledon final. Before this year, his best Grand Slam results were three finals.

"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," Zverev said. "So much work and effort have been put into achieving this goal, especially after coming back from the ankle injury," Zverev added, referring to when he severely twisted his right ankle during a 2022 French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal and was pushed away in a wheelchair.

Zverev is next due to play Alexander Bublik in the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday (October 13). Sinner, who hasn't played since beating Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July, announced last week that he is sitting out the rest of the season due to inflammation in his right knee. In 2024, Zverev finished as year-end No. 2 for the first time.

(With Agency Inputs)