US Open champ Zverev to become tennis world No 1

Men's tennis will crown Alexander Zverev as the new world No 1 on Monday, after Carlos Alcaraz lost his third-round match in Shanghai. The 29-year-old German, who finished the season as world No 2, secured the title after Alcaraz's defeat. Zverev's career-first ranking comes after his victories at the French Open and US Open, marking the first Grand Slam title of his career.

The achievement is particularly significant as he overcame a career-threatening ankle injury in 2022 and is the oldest player to claim the top ranking. Zverev will become the first German male player to finish the season as world No 1, and the oldest to do so at his first trophy presentation in November. This season stands out as both Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, the previous top-ranked players, missed months of competition due to injuries.

Sinner, who currently holds the world No 1 spot, missed Wimbledon and the remainder of the season due to a knee injury, while Alcaraz was sidelined for months with a wrist injury from April until the US Open. Zverev, known for his height of 6-foot-6 (1.98m), has been destined for greatness from a young age, with both parents having played tennis at a high level in the former Soviet Union.

Despite allegations of domestic violence from two former partners, Zverev has denied the claims, and the ATP Tour investigated one claim with insufficient evidence to punish him. Another case led to a German court penalty, which was later dropped after a settlement in June 2024.