At 29 years and six months, Germany's Alexander Zverev will become world number one for the first time in his career when the ATP rankings are updated on 2 November. He secured the top spot by beating Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in the second round of the Vienna Open to reach the quarter-finals. He will be the 30th player in history to top the rankings since 1973, and the second German man to do so after the legendary Boris Becker, who first reached number one on 28 January 1991. Zverev replaces Italy's Jannik Sinner, who had led the rankings since 13 April.
The hard work has paid off. "[It is] very special. To have the feeling to be on the top of the world is amazing," Zverev said. "It's different than winning a tournament, winning a title, but it's such a special feeling to know that the number one is going to be next to your name when the new rankings come out." He is the second-oldest first-time number one in history, after Australia's John Newcombe, who was 30 when he reached the summit in 1974. This season, Zverev won his first Grand Slam title at the French Open, followed it with victory at the US Open, reached the Wimbledon final and has a 64-16 win-loss record.
