Alexander Zverev confirmed as ATP year-end No. 1 after Carlos Alcaraz crashes out of Shanghai Masters

Alexander Zverev is guaranteed to finish 2026 as the year-end No. 1 in the ATP rankings. It will be the first time in his career that he ends a calendar year as the world's top-ranked player.

The outcome became increasingly likely after Jannik Sinner withdrew from the remainder of the season while undergoing treatment for a knee injury. Zverev's year-end No. 1 status was confirmed on Monday after Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock third-round exit at the Shanghai Masters, losing to unseeded Zizou Bergs in straight sets.

Zverev had previously finished inside the year-end Top 10 eight times, including five seasons in which he ranked among the top five.

He has also become the first German player to finish a season as ATP year-end No. 1. At 29 years and 217 days, he is the oldest player to achieve the feat for the first time, surpassing Andre Agassi, who was 29 years and 214 days old when he accomplished it in 1999.

“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. “So much work and effort have been put into achieving this goal, especially after coming back from the ankle injury. I look forward to finishing the season in style.”

A season to remember

It has been the most successful season of Zverev's career, highlighted by his two Grand Slam titles. He began the year without a major title to his name but has since won Roland Garros and the US Open, putting himself in a strong position to secure the year-end No. 1 honour.

Earlier in the season, he reached the Australian Open semi-finals in January, where he lost to Alcaraz in a five-hour, 27-minute thriller. He followed that with semi-final appearances at the first three Masters 1000 events of the season -- Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo -- before reaching the Madrid Open final, where he lost to Sinner. He also reached the Wimbledon final, losing to the Italian in four sets.

Zverev still has plenty to play for in the remainder of the season. Having reached the fourth round at the Shanghai Masters, he is aiming to win his eighth Masters 1000 title. He will also seek to become the eighth player to win at least three Nitto ATP Finals titles.