Alexander Zverev Set to Become World No. 1 in Men's Tennis After Vienna Run

Germany's Alexander Zverev is set to become the new world No. 1 in men's tennis, according to DW. He takes over from Italy's Jannik Sinner, and the change will show when the next rankings are released.

Zverev will be only the second German man to hold the top spot, after Boris Becker. DW reported that Becker got there some 35 years ago.

How Zverev reached the top

DW reported that Zverev secured the ranking by reaching the quarterfinals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna this week. He did not need to win the tournament to move ahead of Sinner.

The 29-year-old said the moment was “very special,” according to DW. He added that rising to No. 1 feels different from winning a title, and that knowing the number will be next to his name when the new list appears is a unique feeling.

A late first for a long-time contender

At 29, Zverev will be the second-oldest player to reach No. 1 for the first time, DW reported. Only Australia's John Newcombe was older, at 30 in 1974.

DW described Zverev's career as long defined by near misses at the Grand Slams. He often finished close to the biggest titles but fell short, facing strong competition from Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.

That changed in 2026, according to DW, when he won two Grand Slam titles, at the French Open and the US Open. DW also noted that he is known for consistency. He became just the ninth man to reach at least the semifinals at all four major tournaments in the same season.

Zverev, who was born in Hamburg, also won an Olympic gold medal in 2021, DW reported.

Where the German milestone fits

DW noted that German tennis has produced few world No. 1 players. Among German women, only Steffi Graf and Angelique Kerber have held the top spot in the WTA rankings. With Zverev's rise, Becker is no longer the only German man to have done so.

Why it matters for tennis fans

For followers of the men's tour, the change at the top ends a stretch in which Sinner held the No. 1 spot. It also puts a different player at the head of the sport after a season in which Zverev won two of the four major titles. DW's account says he moved up on the strength of those results and his deep runs at the other majors.

For viewers in the U.S. and the U.K., the ranking is a snapshot of the sport's current order. Tournaments and broadcasters typically use it to describe the leading players. In Zverev's case, it also settles a long-running question about whether he could convert years of contention into a title at the biggest events and a place at the top of the list.

The ranking will be official once the new list is published, as Zverev himself noted in his comments.

Around Prague, based on reporting by DW.com