Alexander Zverev of Germany will finish the 2023 season as the ATP's world number one, a milestone confirmed on October 12 after Carlos Alcaraz was eliminated in the third round of the Shanghai Masters. This marks Zverev's first time holding the top ranking, concluding a remarkable year in which he won both the French Open in June and the US Open in September.
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“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, according to a statement on the ATP Tour website. He acknowledged the hard work that went into achieving this goal following his recovery from a serious ankle injury sustained during the 2022 French Open semi-final.
At 29 years old, Zverev is set to become the first German male player to end the year ranked at the top, as well as the oldest player to receive the year-end trophy which will be awarded in November. Previously, German players Angelique Kerber and Steffi Graf have both held the title as year-end number one in women's tennis.
Zverev's accomplishment comes as previous top-ranked players, Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz, dealt with injuries that kept them from competing for significant portions of the season. Sinner, who last participated at Wimbledon, announced he would not return this year due to a knee injury, while Alcaraz missed several months with a wrist injury before participating in the US Open.
Standing at 1.98 meters, Zverev has been recognized as a promising player since his youth, coming from a tennis-oriented family with both parents having played at a high level in the former Soviet Union. Despite facing allegations of domestic violence from two former partners, which he denies, an ATP investigation found insufficient evidence to impose any sanctions against him. A separate claim resulted in a penalty from a German court, but that case was dropped following a settlement in June 2024, just hours before Zverev's scheduled French Open semi-final.