The retired Spaniard’s video greeting stood out among the tributes that reached Zverev once the ranking became official.
“Hey Sascha, many congrats for this amazing achievement. I know how hard you worked to achieve your dreams. Finally you did it this year, two Grand Slams, now world number one. Many congratulations, super happy for you and all the very best in the future,” Nadal said in a clip shared by the ATP.
Zverev was confirmed as the new world No. 1 after reaching the quarter-finals of the Vienna Open last week. He is the 30th man to hold the top ATP ranking since the computer rankings began in 1973.
Sinner also congratulates his main rival
The player Zverev displaced was equally generous. Sinner, who ended his 2026 season early with a knee injury, recorded his own message for the man he has split much of the sport’s biggest silverware with over the past two years.
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“Huge congrats for an incredible year. Two Grand Slams and now you are number one in the world. The 30th in the history, so congrats to you, to your whole family and the whole team. Enjoy it, and I hope to see you very soon,” Sinner said.
The Italian will not be able to defend his No. 1 ranking in person at the season finale after shutting down his year.
A long climb to the summit at 29
Zverev had long been labelled tennis’s most prominent nearly-man. The 2026 season settled that argument: titles at Roland Garros and the US Open, a Wimbledon final, an Australian Open semi-final and a 64-16 record for the year, according to the ATP.
At 29 years and six months, he is the second-oldest player to reach No. 1 for the first time, behind only John Newcombe. He is also the 21st man to finish an ATP season at the top, a list led by Novak Djokovic’s eight year-end finishes.
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Boris Becker remains the only other German to have held the ranking, having first reached it on 28 January 1991. Zverev is now positioned to pass Becker’s career weeks at No. 1 over the months ahead.
The new No. 1 next heads to the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, which runs from 15 to 22 November at the Inalpi Arena.
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