Alexander Zverev Secures Year-End World No 1 After Alcaraz Shanghai Exit
Alexander Zverev has been confirmed as the ATP year-end world No 1 after Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of the Shanghai Masters. The German did not even have to win a match to seal it. Alcaraz’s shock defeat did the job for him.
Zverev, 29, becomes the first German man to finish a season as the world’s top-ranked player, capping a breakthrough year in which he won the French Open and the US Open.
Bergs stuns Alcaraz in Shanghai
World No 39 Zizou Bergs beat second seed Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6(4) in the third round, breaking the Spaniard three times in the biggest win of his career.
Alcaraz arrived with real momentum after defending his Japan Open title in Tokyo, but made 28 unforced errors to 16 winners and never forced a third set.
“This is something that has been very tough for me,” Bergs said. “To have this moment is a little bit of a relief.”
How Zverev secured year-end world No 1
Alcaraz’s exit closed the last remaining mathematical door in the Race to Turin. Zverev led the ATP Race by 900 points, and with neither Jannik Sinner nor Alcaraz able to catch him, his lead became unassailable.
Zverev described the achievement as “a dream come true” in a statement on the ATP website. “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 said.
“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.”
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi congratulated him, noting Zverev becomes only the 20th player to finish a year at No 1. The trophy will be presented in November.
A breakthrough season, four years in the making
The French Open in June was his first Grand Slam title, followed by the US Open in September. At 6ft 6in, Zverev was marked for the top early; both parents played tennis at a high level in the former Soviet Union.
The road was not smooth. He suffered a career-threatening ankle injury in the 2022 French Open semi-final and needed a long rebuild. Monday’s confirmation completes that comeback.
Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Steffi Graf have both finished years as the women’s world No 1, but no German man had done it before.
An injury-hit year for his rivals
Zverev’s rise came in a season when his two main rivals barely played. Sinner, the current No 1, has not competed since Wimbledon, where he beat Zverev in the final. He announced last week that his season was over because of a knee injury.
Alcaraz missed months with a wrist injury between April and the US Open before winning in Tokyo.
Zverev has strenuously denied domestic violence allegations by two former partners. The ATP found insufficient evidence in one investigated claim; a German court’s 2023 penalty order in another was dropped after a June 2024 settlement.
What comes next
Zverev is still alive in Shanghai, where he beat Alexander Bublik to reach the quarter-finals earlier in the week. He can now chase the title without the ranking pressure hanging over him.
The women’s game is serving up its own drama this week. Iga Swiatek battled past Magdalena Frech to reach the Wuhan Open round of 16, while Pakistan’s own Maaz Sadaqat climbed 187 places in the ICC T20I rankings after his Sri Lanka heroics.
FAQ
Who is the year-end world No 1 in men’s tennis for 2026?
Alexander Zverev, confirmed after Carlos Alcaraz’s third-round defeat in Shanghai.
How did Zverev become year-end No 1?
Alcaraz’s defeat to Bergs made Zverev’s ATP Race lead unassailable, with Sinner also out for the season.
Is Zverev the first German to be year-end world No 1?
He is the first German man to finish a season as world No 1. Steffi Graf and Angelique Kerber achieved it on the women’s side.
Which Grand Slams did Zverev win in 2026?
Zverev won the French Open in June, his first major title, and the US Open in September.
Why is Jannik Sinner not playing?
Sinner has not competed since Wimbledon because of a knee injury and announced last week that his season was over.
