Zverev Reaches Top of ATP Rankings, Fulfilling Prophecy Made by Nadal
The German secured the top spot by winning in Vienna and will overtake Jannik Sinner in next week's official update.
Translated from the Portuguese original by the Panorama newsroom. Read in Portuguese
Summary written by the Panorama newsroom from the sources listed below. Facts are attributed to the original publications.
Alexander Zverev will be the new world number one in tennis. It became mathematically guaranteed on Thursday (29), when he beat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5 in the round of 16 of the ATP 500 in Vienna, according to Folha.
Because the ATP only updates the rankings on Mondays, his name will officially appear ahead of Jannik Sinner's next week. Zverev is the fourth German to reach the top and only the second among men, after Boris Becker in 1991.
The feat fulfills a prophecy by Rafael Nadal, made in 2016, when Zverev, then 19, lost to the Spaniard at Indian Wells after wasting a match point. "Alexander Zverev is going to be number one," Nadal said at the time.
The ATP plans a gala dinner in Turin on the 13th, during the Finals, bringing together all the players who have held the top spot.
Among women, Folha recalls that Steffi Graf and Angelique Kerber had already taken Germany to number one.