“A dream come true”: Zverev ascends to the tennis throne

Shanghai (dpa) - At the very moment when the crowning achievement of his outstanding year of tennis was sealed, Alexander Zverev wasn’t even on court . Following top Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz’s defeat 5:7, 6:7 (4:7) by Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in the third round of the Shanghai Masters, it was clear that Zverev would become the world number one for the first time in the coming weeks. He will be Germany’s first men’s number one after Boris Becker. “It’s a dream come true,” was 29-year-old Zverev’s first reaction, writing on social media.

For years, 2021 Olympic champion Zverev had been pursuing his two biggest goals: to win a Grand Slam tournament and to climb to the number one spot in the world ranking. Now he has made all his dreams come true within the space of just a few months. Following his victories at the French Open and US Open, Germany’s exceptional player is finishing the season as the world number one. 

Talking about Zverev, who is the 30th tennis pro overall to achieve the number one ranking, German tennis legend Boris Becker said in his podcast with Andrea Petkovic: “He has joined a very illustrious group,” adding, “This is not something you get handed on a plate.”

Currently, Jannik Sinner still holds the top spot. However, the South Tyrolean has prematurely ended his season due to persistent knee problems and will not be able to defend the large number of points he earned last year.