A straight-sets upset in Shanghai did the math for Zverev. When Zizou Bergs beat Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6(4) in the third round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Monday, Alcaraz dropped out of range in the year-end race.

That result, with Sinner already out of the equation through injury, locked in Zverev as the first German to finish an ATP season at world No. 1. The ranking becomes official when the ATP publishes its final 2026 standings on November 23.

The company he keeps is thin. Among active players, only Novak Djokovic (eight), Alcaraz (two) and Sinner (one) have ever finished a year on top. Zverev is the 30th man to do it since the ATP began computerized rankings in the early 1970s.

‘He can only beat the opponents he has to face’

That it was Sinner’s absence that cleared the path has fueled a sour counter-narrative, and that is what Becker set out to shut down on his Becker Petkovic podcast.

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“He can’t help that, so that’s not his fault, he can only beat the opponents he has to face on the court and he did that better than anyone else,” Becker said.

“And when you win two Grand Slams and reach a Wimbledon final, you have more than earned it.”

“I say that is total nonsense. He fights, he plays, he works and he is now rightfully and highly deservedly the new world No. 1.”

Zverev, 29, lifted his first two Grand Slam trophies in 2026 at Roland Garros and the US Open and reached the Wimbledon final, where Sinner beat him in four sets. Sinner has not played since, sidelined by a right-knee injury. Alcaraz’s season was also broken up by long absences earlier in the year.

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Becker, himself a former world No. 1 and the only other German to reach the top of the rankings, framed Zverev’s year as a slog rather than a windfall.

“Congratulations to Sascha Zverev. He has entered a very illustrious circle, let’s say, a very special club, the club of 30, the 30th No 1 in the world since the early 70s.”

“He has literally earned it through his own hard work. He really found his game through fighting for it.”

60 wins, and nobody near him

The numbers back the defense. Zverev leads the tour with 60 match wins this season; no other player has reached 45. He has won the opening set in 63 of 75 matches and converted 88.9% of those into victories.

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“It’s been a fantastic season for me winning in Paris and New York and knowing that I will finish the year on top of the rankings is just a dream come true,” Zverev said after the Shanghai result confirmed his position.

Zverev’s name will stand alone at the top of the ATP rankings table published on November 23.

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