Vienna Open
Alexander Zverev is three wins away from becoming world No. 1 for the first time. The ATP has confirmed that reaching the semi-finals of the Vienna Open, which starts on Monday 26 October, would take him past Jannik Sinner in the rankings published on 2 November.
It would complete a turnaround that seemed unlikely in the summer. Zverev has spent years as the nearly man of the men’s game: first ranked world No. 2 in June 2022, but without a Grand Slam title until this year. Now he has two majors in 2026, Roland-Garros and the US Open, the year-end No. 1 ranking already secured, and the top spot itself within reach in a city where he has won before.
The Arithmetic
Rankings run on a rolling 52-week basis, so the points a player won at an event a year ago come off when that event comes round again. Sinner, who ended his season on 6 October with inflammation in his right knee, won both Vienna and the Paris Masters in 2025, and those 1,500 points leave his total by 2 November. Zverev has less to lose: 330 for last year’s Vienna final and 400 for his Paris semi-final.
| Sinner | Zverev | |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking points on 19 October | 10,950 | 10,070 |
| 2025 Vienna points coming off | 500 (champion) | 330 (runner-up) |
| 2025 Paris points coming off | 1,000 (champion) | 400 (semi-finalist) |
| Total before Vienna 2026 points are added | 9,450 | 9,340 |
A Vienna semi-final is worth 200 points, which would put Zverev on 9,540, ahead of Sinner. A quarter-final, worth 100, would leave him on 9,440, ten points short. If he falls short in Vienna, the Paris Masters from 31 October gives him another chance a week later.
Year-End No. 1 Is Already His
Whatever happens in Vienna, Zverev will finish the season on top. He clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking on 12 October, when Carlos Alcaraz, the only player who could still catch him, lost to Zizou Bergs in the third round in Shanghai. “Knowing that I will finish the year on top of the rankings is just a dream come true,” he said.
He is the first German to finish a year at No. 1. Boris Becker reached the top in 1991 and held it for 12 weeks, but never ended a season there. Zverev will also be the oldest first-time year-end No. 1, at 29, ahead of Andre Agassi in 1999 and Andy Murray in 2016, and the 20th different man to hold the year-end honour.
The Record Books
Twenty-nine men have been world No. 1 since the ATP rankings began in 1973, most recently Sinner from June 2024. Zverev would be the 30th. At 29 years and 196 days on 2 November, he would also be the second-oldest first-time No. 1, behind John Newcombe, who was 30 when he reached the top in June 1974, and older than Murray was when he reached No. 1 in November 2016.
A Tired Autumn
The doubt is fitness. Zverev lost to Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the China Open, and to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the eventual champion, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals. Afterwards he said he had taken one day off since the US Open. “I’m not a robot, I’m a human being,” he said. “I get tired.”
Why Vienna Suits Him
Vienna has been a good week for him. He won the title in 2021, beating Frances Tiafoe 7-5, 6-4 in the final, and reached the final again last year, when Sinner came from a set down to beat him 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. In 2024 he lost a tight quarter-final to Lorenzo Musetti.
This year’s field is strong. Alcaraz has taken a wildcard, and Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Tiafoe are entered. On the current rankings Zverev would be the top seed and Alcaraz the second, so they could only meet in the final. The seeds are confirmed with the draw. The draw is made before play starts on 26 October, and our Vienna Open 2026 preview has the full field.
How to Watch
The Vienna Open is live on Sky Sports and NOW in the UK. Our guide to watching the Vienna Open has the details.
FAQ
Zverev and World No. 1 FAQs
Can Alexander Zverev become world No. 1 in Vienna?
Yes. The ATP says reaching the semi-finals of the Vienna Open would make him world No. 1 for the first time in the rankings of 2 November 2026.
Has Zverev ever been world No. 1?
No. His highest ranking is No. 2, which he first reached in June 2022. He would be the 30th man to reach No. 1.
Is Zverev the 2026 year-end No. 1?
Yes. He clinched it on 12 October 2026 and will be the first German to finish a year at No. 1.
Why is Jannik Sinner losing the No. 1 ranking?
He ended his season on 6 October with right knee inflammation, so he cannot replace the 1,500 points he won in Vienna and Paris in 2025, which come off his total by 2 November.
When is the Vienna Open 2026?
From 26 October to 1 November at the Wiener Stadthalle, with qualifying on 24 and 25 October.
More Coverage
See Alexander Zverev’s profile and his next match page, the latest ATP rankings and our story on Sinner ending his season. Full coverage of the week sits on our Vienna Open hub, and the rest of the season is on the Paris Masters and ATP Finals hubs.