This Monday when the ATP tennis rankings had been up to date there was a brand new title on the high of the listing. Alexander Zverev has capped one of the best yr of his life by ascending to world No 1 for the primary time, on the conclusion of a season during which the 29-year-old lastly ended his grand slam drought with two titles. It has been a superb yr for one among tennis’s most constant athletes, who has been a fixture in and across the high 10 since 2017.
On paper, the German’s story is one among overcome adversity, of the extraordinary issue of managing kind 1 diabetes with life as an elite athlete and never letting well being situations inhibit one’s sporting goals. He overcame a debilitating ankle harm sustained within the French Open semi-finals in 2022, which left him needing to be helped off courtroom in a wheelchair.
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Then there are the notorious slam finals, the whole and utter implosions from two-sets-to-love up and two-sets-to-one up towards Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz respectively on the US Open 2020 and Roland-Garros 2024. He overcame that psychological turmoil too, lastly breaking his duck on the French Open this yr.
However Zverev’s ascent to the highest of the game in some ways feels arduous to have a good time. The feelgood story summarised above, of resilience and self-discipline, is all true. But, if true, different tales about his historical past and character might make it ring hole to many observers uncomfortable along with his continued presence within the sport in any respect.
He has been accused by two former companions of home abuse, allegations which Zverev adamantly denies. Olga Sharypova made allegations of bodily and emotional abuse towards him in interviews with Racquet journal in 2020 and Slate in 2021, however didn’t deliver a courtroom motion, insisting she solely wished to share her story and to encourage ladies in comparable conditions to return ahead.
Zverev settled out of courtroom with one other ex-partner, Brenda Patea, in 2024, after he had beforehand been issued a penalty order – which happens underneath German legislation the place the proof for one facet is taken into account compelling and a trial deemed pointless – and fined. The courtroom was clear in its assertion after the 2024 settlement: “The choice will not be a verdict and it’s not a call about guilt or innocence.”
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Zverev has since inaccurately claimed it proved his innocence. He has not been convicted. There was no verdict in any respect, leaving him in a limbo state, a gray house with no legally definitive final result however the place the harrowing particulars of the accusations can’t be forgotten by those that have learn them. He’s clearly not the primary sportsman to be on this place and nor will he be the final. That doesn’t detract from the severity of what he has been accused of and the shortcoming of many tennis viewers to, in good conscience, assist him.
Zverev ends the yr a two-time main champion (Getty)
If we’re to place apart that big moral and ethical quandary, there are different components to Zverev’s behaviour which rankle, together with a disqualification on the Mexico Open in 2022 after he violently and repeatedly smashed his racquet into the umpire’s chair and swore on the official.
There are incidents of gamesmanship on courtroom, which have put him at odds with fellow gamers, the two-and-a-half hours’ price of ball-bouncing earlier than every second serve – in response to Sky Sports activities – at this US Open and its impact of grinding his opponents down. It is not technically towards the principles as there are not any guidelines in any respect governing the time taken earlier than second serves – however within the “gents’s sport”, dominated as a lot as it’s by unstated conventions of etiquette, it feels distinctly out of order.
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That clearly would not make a participant ineligible for the highest rating within the sport; it’s not selected vibes, nor ought to it’s. However the tennis itself which has introduced him there was hardly inspiring or befitting the rating both. Zverev’s file towards top-10 gamers this yr stands at three wins and 9 losses as of the time of writing; his solely victory in two years and 14 matches towards the trio of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner got here when the Serb retired of their Australian Open semi-final in January 2025.
Most importantly, his victory has are available in a yr when Alcaraz and Sinner, the standard-bearers of the boys’s tour, have each missed big chunks with harm – and are nonetheless on track to stay within the high three regardless of that, such is their superiority when match.
Zverev overcame Cobolli in 5 units in Paris this summer time (Getty)
When Andy Murray was year-end world No 1 in 2016, he had reached probably the most finals and gained probably the most titles of anybody on tour; this yr Sinner holds each these accolades, not Zverev, regardless of solely taking part in for six months. Djokovic’s astonishing 2015 season noticed him win 11 tournaments together with three majors, the ATP Finals, and 6 Masters titles. Zverev’s tally, with one Masters event nonetheless to play in 2026, stands at two titles and one extra Masters remaining – when he misplaced to Sinner.
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He has taken his possibilities on the largest tournaments and largely been constant throughout the remaining, however he beat solely two top-10 gamers in his total grand slam marketing campaign – an ailing Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon and first-time finalist Ben Shelton within the New York showpiece.
His first main title got here towards one other first-time finalist in Flavio Cobolli at Roland-Garros, a match which it’s not uncharitable to name one of many worst grand slam finals of all time, on condition that each gamers appeared decided to lose it on account of nerves till Cobolli ran out of steam fully and Zverev may calm down. The truth that he finally received over the road after repeated, crushing disappointments is exceptional – however it was primarily handed to him.
So the glory of turning into world No 1 feels in some ways a hole triumph. That won’t matter to Zverev or his staff, in fact. Because the adage goes, you possibly can solely beat what’s in entrance of you. However to many observers this complete yr, and that world No 1 rating, might be accompanied by a small however highly effective asterisk.
