The Sinalcaraz effect as Alexander Zverev narrowly avoids lowest total for Year End World Number Three

World No.3 Alexander Zverev at a point could've been World No.1 this year due to Jannik Sinner's doping demise but he ends the year as only just below the lowest total ever achieved by a year end number three since the current ranking system was devised.

Zverev is closer to the 1000th ranked player in the ATP than he is in terms of Jannik Sinner in World Number Two as a huge gulf has started to open between Sinalcaraz and the rest of the field.

Top is Carlos Alcaraz as of this week's rankings on 11,050 points. While Sinner is second on 10,000 points. Zverev is all the way back with 4,960 points in third and the 1000th player is Elgin Khoeblal on 15 points. He is 5,040 points behind Sinner but only 4,945 points ahead of the 1,000th player.

But not only that but until the ranking system was updated last year, Zverev would've had the second worst season and even the worst under current ranking guidelines of anyone who is ranked World No.3. No player since Grigor Dimitrov finished with 5,150 points in 2017 has finished lower than Zverev who finishes the year with 5,160 points.

Albeit as was later pointed out, the points system was altered to award more points in 2024. A Grand Slam final prior to 2024 awarded 1,200 points but Zverev earned 1,300 points for his Australian Open final this year making Dimitrov's season actually marginally better if based off current metrics.

Only one title has been won this year by Zverev who sealed the Munich 500 and is the fewest since 2022 when he didn't win any titles. He was in the final this year four times and on all surfaces in the form of the Australian Open which in reality has saved him ranking wise as well as Munich, Stuttgart and Vienna.

It also shows the gulf between the top players now with Djokovic still at the top despite his age, while such players as Fritz, Shelton and De Minaur have flattered in the past but aren't anywhere near the top two and sit further back than Zverev does. Alexander Bublik even who was seen more of a showman has took this year seriously and sits towards the top 10 having won four titles.

Whilst the likes of Rublev, Medvedev and Tsitsipas have dropped off and don't sit in the current conversation, what has been left as a result of a drop even for the likes of Casper Ruud is a bit of a chasm with Zverev being the underlier as despite having the chance to be World No.1 earlier in the year, he now sits furthest back on current metrics in history.