“It’s a load of rubbish. Absolute crap.” That was Greg Rusedski’s verdict on his Off Court podcast when the former world No. 4 was asked whether Alexander Zverev’s first two majors should carry an asterisk because the men who have run the sport for the last two years were not there to meet him in the business end.
Zverev beat Flavio Cobolli in a five-set French Open final and Ben Shelton in four sets at the US Open to end a 0-3 record in Grand Slam finals.
He is also set to end 2026 as world No. 1 after Sinner shared a video confirming he would not play again this season, handing the German a straight run at the top ranking.
‘You don’t fluke a Slam’
The debate exists because the top of the men’s game spent most of the year away from the biggest courts. Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist injury that kept him off the tour from April through August. Sinner broke down physically in the second round at Roland Garros and sat out the US Open with a knee problem. Djokovic played, but did not win.
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Rusedski pushed back on the framing with a historical comparison.
“When [Rafael] Nadal and [Roger] Federer win Slams and they don’t beat top 10 players, nobody’s talking about it.”
“Stop talking about this: ‘Oh, there’s no Sinner. There’s no Alcaraz. There’s no Djokovic. There’s no this, there’s no that.’”
He then went at the “lucky” label head on.
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“This is a guy who has been dedicated to this sport since he was a youngster.”
“You win a Slam, you deserve it. Not only did he win one, he won two this year.”
“You’ve got to win seven matches. You don’t fluke a Slam.”
The numbers behind the argument
The case for the “lucky” reading is uncomfortable. Zverev went 2-8 against top 10 opponents in 2026, and across his two title runs the only top 10 player he had to see off was Shelton in the US Open final. Prior to this year, Sinner and Alcaraz had won nine consecutive majors between them.
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Rusedski’s reply was that top players have always benefited from draws that open up, and that Zverev had earned the right to be the man standing when it mattered.
“Well-earned, well-deserved. You work hard, you persevere, you get your goals and nothing but credit to Sascha Zverev for what he’s achieved.”
Rusedski was already defending him at the Laver Cup
A week before, Rusedski was already playing defence when Zverev lost to Alex de Minaur at the Laver Cup at the O2 Arena.
“Let’s not forget it’s his first tournament after the Davis Cup as well as winning the US Open, so trying to get that transition isn’t easy,” he said on the same podcast.
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“Yeah he got a little bit tight, but give credit to De Minaur, I’m not worried about it whatsoever. The guy’s won two Slams.”
Zverev now faces Yibing Wu in the second round of the Shanghai Masters, the first stop on a path through Vienna, Paris and the ATP Finals that will formally confirm him as the new world No. 1.
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