Tennis: Alexander Zverev to replace Jannik Sinner as ATP world number one after beating Tallon Girekspoor in Vienna
BBC • • sports
Key Points:
- Alexander Zverev will become the men's world number one for the first time after reaching the quarter-finals in Vienna, officially rising to the top on Monday following his win over Tallon Griekspoor.
- Zverev, 29, is the second German to achieve this ranking after Boris Becker in 1991, capping a standout year that included two Grand Slam titles and a 64-16 match record.
- The rise to number one was facilitated by injuries to dominant players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have shared all eight Grand Slam titles in 2024 and 2025 between them.
- Despite acknowledging that he might not be the best player if his rivals were fully fit, Zverev capitalized on his opportunities and secured the year-end number one ranking early in October.
- Zverev will next face British number one Arthur Fery in the Vienna quarter-finals, with Fery having recently recorded a significant win over former top-five player Lorenzo Musetti.
