Zverev, the unexpected number one

When almost no one was expecting it, when it seemed that his best time had passed, it came to him Alexander Zverev an unthinkable 2026, with victory in two Grand Slam tournaments, the only ones so far in his career, and the official consideration as number one in the world.

He second German in history to reach the top of the ATP rankings after the legendary Boris Becker, in January 1991, as of this Monday he is the thirtieth player to settle in number one, from where he dismounts to Italian Jannik Sinner.

This belongs Hamburg player, 29 years old, who mathematically secured this position last Thursday, after reach the quarterfinals of the Vienna tournament, and which appears formally on top this Monday, when they are made classifications public, to that intermediate generation that was in the shadow of the Big Three and that was surpassed with determination by the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

It gave the feeling that there was no space on the stage now for that promising litter of which he is a part Alexander Zverev together with the Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, the austrian Dominic Thiem the canadian Denis Shapovalov the greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, the australian Alex de Minaur, leading players, great hopes of that family considered over time as a lost generation.

It has gone beyond that norm Zverev when I least expected it. It arrived in 2026 with 24 titles in his history, but none in a Grand Slam. Three failed finals in major events up to that point. Latest, the final of the Australian Open in 2025, beaten by Sinner, Roland Garros 2024, surpassed by Carlos Alcaraz, and the US Open of 2020, defeated by Thiem.

He olympic gold conquered in the Tokyo Olympics and the ATP Finals trophies, Masters tournament that brings together the eight best of each year, in 2018 and 2021 were his great achievements in a great career with seven Masters 1000 tournament titles but without the great recognition, of those that make Any athlete will go down in history with a Grand Slam.

It has not been a easy tour for the German, who has had to adapt to setbacks. Who has had to get up after any fall, to assume that he couldn’t afford to sit at the same table as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal either Roger Federer whom he could beat at any specific moment, in any match, but not prolong that state of excellence of three of the best players in history, dominators absolutes from the most glorious era of tennis.

“It’s something very special. Feeling like I’m on top of the world is incredible. It is different from win a tournament or a title, but it is a very special feeling know that the number one will be next to your name when they are published the new classifications”.

Gone are the injuries, the disappointments and those frustrations that conditioned his career and that led to him being labeled a loser. That painful, serious illness in the Roland Garros semifinals in 2022, when I had the pulse with him Rafael Nadal himself at the top, when the German showed off on the track his best performances, his best level, until he sprained his right ankle, he cried in pain, in the Philippe Chatrier and he was away from the competition for more than six months.

Was Zverev for a long time a prince without a kingdom. But in this 2026 he stopped being that tennis player, for many, the best in history without a Grand Slam.

The wrist injury to Carlos Alcaraz, which kept him out of the circuit for almost half a season, and the subsequent Jannik Sinner, of drops during the last months of the course, with all the successes to defend, They opened their eyes and the German door, who didn’t waste his moment.

finished with him Zverev hex that stayed at doors of the final at the Australian Open, the first of the year, eliminated in a dramatic duel by the Alcaraz himself, in five sets, and finally, he achieved in Paris, at Roland Garros, his first big one. Sinner had fallen, victim of a physical crisis, in his first match, against the Argentine Juan Manuel Cerúndolo. He Spanish It was no longer in competition. He german, since months ago second in the world, He did not waste the opportunity. Without them he was the best. And so he showed it. HE proclaimed champion on the clay of Paris. It was his first major, the success that broke the curse.

He first German tennis player to win Roland Garros in the Open Era won in the final Italian Flavio Cobolli in five sets. Afterwards, he reached the Wimbledon final, but fell with Sinner. With Italian in force, Zverev It was in the shade. But after London, The transalpine got off in the middle of the journey. Knee injury. and the Hamburg player He took advantage of his moment. To achieve another great and assault number one.

It was in New York, with Alcaraz eliminated in the semifinals, before the American Ben Shelton. It was his second Grand Slam and the top within reach.

He thirtieth player of the history in reaching number one in the ATP ranking, which moored last Thursday, with the quarterfinals in Vienna, as soon as he closed his victory against the Dutch Tallon Griekspoor, arrived on time at date with legends.

He second player oldest to get assault the top of the ranking for the first time, At 29 years and six months, only surpassed by the Australian John Newcombe, with 30 in 1974, andclimb to the top of the podium four years after becoming number two for the first time.

Take Sinner’s place, which has remained at the top since last April, and will end there in 2026. He second german in achieving the number one in the world, after Boris Becker In 1991, he already sat at the table of the greats. Outstanding student of his generation, of that lost litter, will be one of the five active tennis players who will hit the slopes with the number one achievement ever. Beside Sinner, Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and the Russian Daniil Medvedev contemporary who once reached the top, in February 2022, holder of a Grand Slam, in the United States, a year earlier.