To many, the ATP rankings don’t truly reflect who the best men’s tennis players on the planet are, and soon-to-be crowned world number one Alexander Zverev might just be the perfect example for that argument.

It is, of course, a ridiculously difficult feat to get your hands on a Grand Slam title, let alone two in a season, which Zverev has managed in 2026. After spending the majority of his career known as ‘the best player never to win a major’, the German finally captured an elusive Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros, and like London buses, it didn’t take long for his second to come along, which he secured at the US Open.

Though he isn’t officially the highest-ranked player in the world just yet, Zverev’s success will see him rise above current number one Jannik Sinner, who will be out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Alexander Zverev’s chance to silence his critics in Vienna

Zverev is set to make history by becoming the first German ATP number one since Boris Becker in 1991, and the first from his country, man or woman, to be ranked first since Angelique Kerber in 2017. But a large portion of tennis fans are essentially putting an asterisk next to all of Zverev’s achievements this season.

Why is that?

Well, not only is Zverev due to make unwanted history by breaking the record for the fewest titles won in a season by a year-end number one (2), but he has not had to beat either Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz en route to his two majors. In fact, Zverev has not beaten either Sinner or Alcaraz at all this season across six attempts.

Give us one bold prediction for the final months of the 2026 tennis season!

The 29-year-old lost his only meeting with the Spaniard at the Australian Open earlier this year and has come up short in all five of his meetings with the Italian. Across his clashes in 2026 with Sinner, Zverev has taken just one set, which he managed in the Wimbledon final.

Zverev won’t have another opportunity to beat Sinner this year with the five-time major champion sidelined until 2027. But he could be pitted against Alcaraz before the end of the season, and that match could come at the Vienna Open.

Alcaraz recently received a wildcard for the Vienna Open as he ramps up his indoor hard-court preparation ahead of the ATP Finals. Should the two come up against each other at the ATP 500 competition, Zverev will have a golden opportunity to pick up a win over one of the new two and prove he is worthy of being the world number one.

Alexander Zverev’s head-to-head with Carlos Alcaraz

Zverev hasn’t beaten Alcaraz this season, but he has enjoyed plenty of success against him over the years. Until Alcaraz took the lead by winning their Australian Open bout in January, their head-to-head was tied six apiece.

Zverev won three of their first four matches on the ATP Tour, emerging victorious over Alcaraz twice in 2021 and in the quarterfinals of the 2022 French Open. Alcaraz earned consecutive wins over Zverev for the first time in 2023, beating him at the Madrid Open and the US Open.

Four of their last five meetings have all gone the way of Alcaraz, including their first and only Grand Slam final matchup at Roland Garros in 2024.