For Alexander Zverev, it’s now a matter of when rather than if he will become the new world number one.
It represents a culmination of an impressive run of form from the German, who has reached all of the last three Grand Slam finals, winning two.
He had already been closing in on the pinnacle of the world rankings with these performances, but Jannik Sinner ending his 2026 season confirmed it.
And now, speaking on his Advantage Connors podcast, Jimmy Connors has said whether he feels Zverev deserved it.
Jimmy Connors says he’s happy that Alexander Zverev is world number one
His initial reaction was a positive one: “Good for him!”
Then, recalling Alexander Zverev’s US Open trophy ceremony, which Connors actually handed to him, he added: “I had the pleasure of handing the trophy out to him. And I think I said this in our last pod. You know, I said [to him], What a summer you had! That’s all that needed to be said. He knew it.”
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The eight-time Grand Slam champion concluded by stating whether he felt it was deserved, given it was obviously aided by injuries to Carlos Alcaraz and now Sinner.
Connors added: “From the French to winning the US Open. What a three or four month period he had. You dream of that, and his dream came true.
“I want to say it again. We criticised him. You know, we thought that he should have been that maybe three or four years ago, winning a major, or maybe even more than one.
“But, boy, did he step up, and took advantage of every opportunity that he had, and came through, and played the kind of tennis necessary, and deserves to be number one.”
Zverev has been told he must beat Alcaraz to legitimise being world number one, but Connors clearly feels that he has more than earned it.
How soon can Alexander Zverev become world number one?
Whilst it is certain that he will become number one, it remains to be seen when he will ascend to that position.
After all, whilst it is in his hands, his status as the year-end number one could also be confirmed if either Carlos Alcaraz or Ben Shelton lose at any point during the Shanghai Masters.
Zverev, meanwhile, can secure that title by reaching the semi-finals at worst.
In the coming months, Sinner will lose points from winning the Vienna Open, Paris Masters and ATP Finals.
Only then can Zverev truly become the number one.
