Alexander Zverev beats Tallon Griekspoor 6–4, 7–5 in Vienna to secure the world No. 1 ranking
Alexander Zverev will become world No. 1 for the first time when the PIF ATP Rankings are released on Monday 2 November 2026, the ATP Tour itself confirmed in its match report on Thursday 29 October, read directly in this run. The 29-year-old German, top seed at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, beat Tallon Griekspoor 6–4, 7–5 in the second round to reach the quarter-finals — the result that seals the top spot. Zverev will be the 30th member of the ATP No. 1 Club and the first German to top the rankings since Boris Becker in 1991, overtaking Jannik Sinner. He said: 'It is very special. To have the feeling to be on the top of the world is amazing.'
Key points
- Final: Alexander Zverev 6–4, 7–5 Tallon Griekspoor, second round of the Erste Bank Open (ATP 500) in Vienna on Thursday 29 October 2026, in 1 hour 35 minutes — from the ATP Tour's own match report, read directly in this run.
- The win seals the world No. 1 ranking: Zverev will top the PIF ATP Rankings released on Monday 2 November 2026, overtaking Jannik Sinner — the ATP's own condition (reach the Vienna quarter-finals) met by this result.
- Zverev, 29, becomes the 30th member of the ATP No. 1 Club and the first German at No. 1 since Boris Becker in 1991, in the year he won his first two majors, at Roland Garros and the US Open (all per the ATP). DW adds he is the second-oldest first-time No. 1 after John Newcombe.
- Match numbers on the ATP's report: 11 aces, 90% of first-serve points won (35/39), season record 64–16; next he faces Arthur Fery in the quarter-finals.
What happened
This result was tracked across three earlier scans on Thursday: BBC Sport first flagged that Zverev would become No. 1 'at the earliest opportunity' (queue #372, 20:25 UTC), AAP's report supplied the 6–4, 7–5 score over Griekspoor (queue #388, 21:30 UTC), and DW confirmed the clinch in full (queue #389, 22:24 UTC) — but publication was held until the ATP Tour's own clinch article could be read directly. That article was read in full in this run, and this brief is published on it.
Zverev had survived a far harder opener in Vienna, saving four match points against Martin Landaluce (per the ATP's earlier reporting carried in queue #388/#389 coverage), before this straight-sets win over Griekspoor, last week's Brussels champion on the ATP's report.
Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedAlexander Zverev beat Tallon Griekspoor 6–4, 7–5 in the second round of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna on Thursday 29 October 2026, in one hour and 35 minutes, to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event.ATP Tour — Zverev defeats Griekspoor in Vienna, set to become World No. 1 (29 Oct 2026) · Sportradar — Alexander Zverev vs Tallon Griekspoor, ATP Vienna Round of 16 result record (29 Oct 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedWith the win, Zverev ensured he will become World No. 1 when the next PIF ATP Rankings are released on Monday 2 November 2026, overtaking Jannik Sinner. He will be the 30th member of the ATP No. 1 Club and the first German player to top the rankings since Boris Becker in 1991.ATP Tour — Zverev defeats Griekspoor in Vienna, set to become World No. 1 (29 Oct 2026) · ATP Tour — What Zverev must do in Vienna to become World No. 1 next Monday (25 Oct 2026) · DW — Germany's Alexander Zverev clinches tennis No. 1 ranking (29 Oct 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedZverev, 29, won his first two major titles this year at Roland Garros and the US Open. In this match he hit 11 aces and won 90 per cent (35 of 39) of his first-serve points, per Infosys ATP Stats, improving to 64–16 on the season and to 10–3 in his head-to-head series with Griekspoor. His quarter-final opponent is Arthur Fery, who beat Lorenzo Musetti 6–4, 5–7, 6–4.ATP Tour — Zverev defeats Griekspoor in Vienna, set to become World No. 1 (29 Oct 2026)