US Open champ Zverev to become tennis world number one
SHANGHAI: Men’s tennis confirmed it will crown a new world number one as Germany’s Alexander Zverev was ensured the year-end honour on Monday after Carlos Alcaraz lost his third-round match in Shanghai.
Shanghai, 8th November - German tennis star Alexander Zverev is set to become the world number one in rankings after Carlos Alcaraz's loss in the third round in Shanghai. The 29-year-old, currently ranked second, clinched his first-ever Grand Slam title at the French Open in June and followed it up with his second title at the US Open in September.
Zverev expressed his joy over the achievement, stating it was a dream come true after overcoming a career-threatening ankle injury that sidelined him in the 2022 French Open semi-final. The German player will be the first male player from his country to finish a season as the top-ranked in the world, and he is also set to be the oldest to lift the trophy, which will be awarded in November.
Zverev's accomplishment is particularly notable in a year where his rivals, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, had to skip significant amounts of competition due to injuries. Sinner, the current top-ranked player, did not compete since Wimbledon due to a knee injury, while Alcaraz was sidelined for months with a wrist injury from April until the US Open.
Despite the challenges, Zverev, who comes from a tennis-playing family, had been destined for the top from an early age. The ATP Tour investigated allegations of domestic violence made against him, but found insufficient evidence to punish him.
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