Erste Bank Open 2026

Zverev Wins and Will Be No. 1 in Tennis Starting Monday

Alexander Zverev(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

This can certainly be considered a “double success”: At the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, Alexander Zverev not only advanced to the quarterfinals of the Stadthalle tournament with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, but also secured the No. 1 spot in the world rankings!

On Monday, Zverev will become the 30th player in ATP history—and the second German after Boris Becker 35 years ago—to top the world rankings. Becker held the top spot for twelve weeks back then; Zverev is set to hold the position for longer.

Good chances to boost his points total at the ATP Finals
While the injured Jannik Sinner will continue to lose points, Zverev still has a good chance to significantly boost his points total both next week at the ATP 1000 tournament in Paris and then at the ATP Finals. In Paris, he has a semifinal to defend; in Turin in 2025, he had only one victory (200 points) in the preliminary round.

“For anyone who doesn’t quite understand why I’m celebrating so much after just the second round: I’ve become the world No. 1,” the 29-year-old German told the 9,800 fans—perhaps slightly underestimating the audience’s level of knowledge. “It’s an incredibly special feeling to be standing here on the court right now, knowing that on Monday, when the new world rankings come out, I’ll be the new world No. 1,” said an emotional Zverev, who had just watched a video highlights reel of his greatest moments while standing next to an oversized number one.

Zverev: “One of the best feelings in the world”
“It’s oneofthebestfeelingsin the world, but I couldn’t have done any of this without the people who are in my box right now,” Zverev said, addressing, among others, his longtime coach and father, Alexander Zverev Sr. “We’ve been on the tour for 13 years and we’ve been through it all together; I’ve had more or less the same team since the beginning of my career. This achievement isn’t mine alone.”

Vienna’s Special Place in Zverev’s Heart
Zverev practically made a little declaration of love to the Viennese crowd. “It’s even more special to celebrate here in Vienna because it’s a German-speaking region. It’s a stadium… it’s one of my absolute favorite stadiums because I always feel like I have 100 percent support here. It’s always packed, always an incredible atmosphere—thank you so much for making this day so special,” said Zverev with tears in his eyes.

Reward for a Formidable Season
This year, Zverev not only celebrated his long-awaited first Grand Slam title at the French Open. He reached the final at Wimbledon for the first time and then went on to win the U.S. Open title in New York.

And his run can continue in Vienna as well: His next opponent in Friday’s quarterfinal (not before 5:30 p.m.) is, surprisingly, Britain’s Arthur Fery, who defeated Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 at the Marx Hall.