Although inevitable, Alexander Zverev had squandered plenty of chances to ascend and become the newest world number one in recent weeks.
However, in Vienna, he faced his easiest chance yet.
All he needed to do was win two matches and secure his spot in the quarter-finals, and with last night’s win over Tallon Griekspoor, he did just that.
Alexander Zverev finally became the 30th man in the Open Era to reach the top of the rankings.
How long do you think Alexander Zverev keeps the number one ranking?
He is now guaranteed to be year end number one after Carlos Alcaraz’s shock loss in Shanghai…
Speaking on court afterwards, he naturally cut quite an emotional figure.
Then, chatting with the Vienna Open’s media team in the locker room, he gave a more detailed answer on his emotions.
Alexander Zverev reacts after becoming world number one
He began by simply stating: “It’s a special feeling.”
Earlier in the week, Zverev said how much being world number one would mean to him, and now that it’s a reality, he will get to realise those dreams.
The German continued: “It’s different from winning a single tournament, to maintain a high level of performance throughout the entire year.
“To be successful at something like this, you really have to show good form throughout the entire year just to get there. And, well, it’s a special feeling—especially now, at nearly 30 years old—to be in this position; I’m truly very happy about it.
“This whole year has been something very special—I’ve achieved many of my dreams, I suppose you could say—and now, to be recognised like this is, of course, the cherry on top of the cake.”
Some have argued that, because of his lack of viable competition, the 30-year-old might not have properly earned this title.
Carlos Alcaraz insisted Zverev does deserve to be world number one, in an effort to debunk that theory.
The last five new ATP world number ones
As aforementioned, Zverev is the 30th man in Open Era history to hold this prestigious honour.
Before him, the most recent had been Jannik Sinner, who first reached the position in July 2024, and has since amassed 95 weeks there.
| Player | Year first became No. 1 | Age at first No. 1 | Grand Slam finals played at that point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev 🇩🇪 | 2026 | 29 (29y 6m) | 6 (2 won, 4 lost) |
| Jannik Sinner 🇮🇹 | 2024 | 22 (22y 9m) | 1 (1 won) |
| Carlos Alcaraz 🇪🇸 | 2022 | 19 (19y 4m) | 1 (1 won) |
| Daniil Medvedev | 2022 | 26 (26y 0m) | 4 (1 won, 3 lost) |
| Andy Murray 🇬🇧 | 2016 | 29 (29y 5m) | 11 (3 won, 8 lost) |
| Novak Djokovic 🇷🇸 | 2011 | 24 (24y 1m) | 5 (3 won, 2 lost) |
| Rafael Nadal 🇪🇸 | 2008 | 22 (22y 2m) | 7 (5 won, 2 lost) |
Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man in the Open Era to be ranked world number one, at 19 years, 4 months and 7 days old. He did so after winning the 2022 US Open final, the first of seven majors he has since claimed.
Daniil Medvedev’s rise to the top spot earlier in 2022 actually made history. He became the first man outside of the Big Four to hold the top spot since Andy Roddick in 2004.
In order, Roger Federer became world number one first, then Rafael Nadal, then Novak Djokovic, and later Andy Murray.
