Alexander Zverev takes ATP world No. 1 ranking, the first German since Boris Becker

A first at the top of the ranking

The ATP ranking for the week starting 2 November 2026 lists Alexander Zverev as world No. 1 for the first time in his career. The 29-year-old from Hamburg has 9,550 points, 100 more than Jannik Sinner on 9,450, while Carlos Alcaraz is third on 6,100. Sinner has not played since winning Wimbledon in July because of an injury. Novak Djokovic rose one place but still sits 11th, outside the top 10. Zverev becomes the second German to hold the top spot after Boris Becker, and the BBC reports that he is the oldest man in more than 50 years to reach No. 1 for the first time.

Alexander Zverev9,550

Jannik Sinner9,450

Carlos Alcaraz6,100

Alexander Zverev

9550 ATP points

Jannik Sinner

9450 ATP points

Carlos Alcaraz

6100 ATP points

Data from the article text

Two first Grand Slam titles

Zverev won the French Open in May, the first major title of his career, and the US Open in September, also a first at that event. The BBC describes the French Open win as a long-awaited breakthrough after years in which he was often named the best male player never to have won a Grand Slam. Before this season he had already become an Olympic champion and won the season-ending ATP Finals twice. He spent ten days training with Rafael and Toni Nadal in Mallorca in July 2025, and says that period pushed him toward speed, risk and more variety in rallies. Zverev was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of four.

Zverev's assessment and reaction

Zverev rejected the idea that he is the best player in the sport. Speaking after a round-of-16 win in Vienna, he said:

“I would be an idiot to sit here and say I was as good as Jannik Sinner. I wasn't.”

He added that he had been the second-best player while Carlos Alcaraz was injured and unable to play. He attributed his rise to fitness, saying that during his four-week December preparation he spends roughly five to six hours a day on fitness training and one hour on tennis. The German Tennis Federation (DTB) marked the milestone, and its president, Dietloff von Arnim, said:

“Today is a historic day for German tennis. Sascha has earned his place at the top of the world rankings with exceptional perseverance and hard work.”

Von Arnim also said that Zverev is currently the best tennis player in the world and that the DTB is very proud of him.

Sinner, Alcaraz and the points ahead

Sinner holds second place without playing since Wimbledon, and Alcaraz, who missed much of the season through injury, is third with 6,100 points. Sinner won the Paris Masters last year, a tournament he is missing this season, and he also won the ATP Finals and reached the semi-final in Melbourne. Becker held the top spot for a total of twelve weeks in two stretches between January and September 1991. Zverev's first week at No. 1 comes 12,839 days after Becker's last day there, on 8 September 1991.

Off-court allegations and family

The BBC reports that two former partners have accused Zverev of physical abuse, and that the sport has carried out an independent investigation into him. The same report describes him as the new standard-bearer for men's tennis despite those allegations. His father, Alex Sr, has been a near-constant presence in his coaching box, and older brother Mischa has joined him since retiring from playing. The BBC also notes that Zverev once sat as a toddler by the court while Mischa practised with Andy Murray as a junior.