Zverev set to become number one – first German since Becker in 1991

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Zverev set to become number one – first German since Becker in 1991.

What makes the leap to the top possible

Alexander Zverev (29) is on the verge of the biggest triumph of his career. After his opening victory at the Masters tournament in Shanghai, the Hamburg native is expected to finish the season as world number one. That would make him the first German since Boris Becker (58) in 1991 to climb the tennis throne – a gap of 35 years.

You know what that means: Becker was 23 at the time when he stood at the very top. Since then, no German player has reached the top of the ATP world rankings. Not Zverev either, although he came close several times in recent years. Now, at 29, he is finally set to make it.

Two sets, one scare

Against Chinese local hero Yibing Wu, Zverev prevailed 6-4 and 7-6 (7-4) – though not without a scare. At 5-5 in the second set, he twisted his left foot slightly and initially remained seated on the court. Only after physiotherapists had treated him was he able to continue the match and decide it in two sets.

What that means in practical terms: Should Zverev continue to collect points in the upcoming matches in Shanghai, the gap to leader Jannik Sinner will melt away. The Italian (25) has already announced the premature end of his season due to injury – he will not collect any more points this year.

Why the official coronation will have to wait

Currently, Zverev sits at number two behind Sinner. As soon as the ATP draws up the next weekly rankings, his name could be at the very top. When exactly he will receive the official number-one honor is, according to RTL, not yet known.

For Zverev, it is more than just a number. Anyone who has once waited three decades for a successor to Becker knows that this number one has been claimed by only a very few players in Germany. Zverev has all but made it – even though the season's coronation is unlikely to be confirmed purely mathematically until the end of the year.