Alexander Zverev has Sinner and Alcaraz in his sights — but insists “everything else will fall into place”
ATP
Alexander Zverev has spent much of 2026 playing himself into a position that few would have predicted at the start of the season. With two Grand Slam titles already secured and the German leading the ATP Race to Turin, the possibility of finishing the year as world No.1 is now firmly part of the conversation.
That was not necessarily how the season was expected to unfold. For much of the previous two years, the fight at the top of men's tennis had been defined by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, with the pair winning the majority of the biggest titles and dominating the Grand Slam picture.
Zverev has changed that dynamic through the consistency of his own season. He won his first major at Roland Garros, followed it with a Wimbledon final and then captured a second Grand Slam title at the US Open, beating Ben Shelton in the final. He then helped Team Europe win the Laver Cup in London, defeating Learner Tien to seal the title.
Now, as the tour moves into the final stretch of the season, Zverev is not looking to make the No.1 battle more complicated than it needs to be. He knows the position he has created for himself, but also understands that the ranking will ultimately be determined by what happens on court over the next several weeks.
Zverev finds himself in the conversation
The German currently leads the Race to Turin by 700 points over Sinner, giving him the advantage in the standings that measure the 2026 season. Sinner, meanwhile, has not competed since Wimbledon because of a knee issue, while Alcaraz has only recently returned after a lengthy absence of his own.
That has left Zverev increasingly central to a race that once appeared likely to revolve around the younger pair. Asked about the significance of being involved, he acknowledged that the storyline itself was different from what most people expected when the season began.
"In the beginning of the season everybody expected that battle to be between Carlos and Jannik, so I'm very pleased that I'm in that conversation, so of course, yeah, there's some of it in my head," Zverev said during the pre-tournament interview at China Open.
Alexander Zverev GER with US Open Trophy after beating Ben Shelton
The 29-year-old has already done much of the work required to put himself in this position. His two Grand Slam victories have been particularly important, but his overall consistency has also kept him ahead in the Race. He has accumulated more tour-level wins than any other player in 2026, giving him a strong foundation heading into the Asian swing and the indoor tournaments that will decide the final standings.
Zverev's position is also helped by the points each player has to defend during the remainder of the season. Sinner has considerably more points to protect than Zverev, meaning the German has a chance to make further progress if he can continue producing deep runs while his rival is absent or unable to match last year's results.
ATP Race 2026
| Name | Points | W-L | W% | |
| 1 | Alexander Zverev | 8,650 | 56-13 | 81,2% |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | 7,950 | 44-3 | 93,6% |
| 3 | Ben Shelton | 4,430 | 39-16 | 70,9% |
| 4 | Carlos Alcaraz | 4,050 | 26-4 | 86,7% |
His focus remains on the next match
For Zverev, however, the numbers are not something he wants to spend too much time calculating. The German has previously spoken about the changes in his mindset after finally winning a Grand Slam, and his approach now is to focus on the part of the equation he can actually influence.
"I think the only thing that I can control is play good tennis, and play well on the court, and try to feel well on the court, try to do everything I can to prepare myself to play good tennis," he said. "Everything else will fall into place and is, yeah, in my control, out of my control, there's certain factors there as well, so, yeah, I'm just gonna try to focus to win the matches that I can."
That approach will be tested immediately in Beijing, where Zverev opens against Cameron Norrie. The German also entered the doubles draw alongside Marcelo Melo, giving him another competitive assignment as he begins the final phase of a season that has already transformed the conversation around his place at the top of the sport.
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The official ATP rankings still have Sinner at No.1, with Zverev second and Alcaraz third. But the year-end race is now a different picture, and Zverev has spent enough of 2026 at the front of that race to know that the possibility is no longer theoretical.
He does not need to predict how the battle will unfold. With several major tournaments still ahead, his task is considerably simpler: keep winning and let the ranking take care of itself.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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