Zverev clinches world No. 1 for the first time, overtaking Sinner after Vienna win over Griekspoor

Alexander Zverev will be the world No. 1 for the first time in his career when the ATP rankings are updated on Monday 2 November, after beating Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5 in the last 16 of the Vienna Open on Thursday, Business Recorder reported. He finished the match with an ace.

The win guarantees he passes Jannik Sinner at the top. Zverev becomes:

• the 30th man to be world No. 1 since the rankings began in 1973, and
• only the second German man to reach No. 1, after Boris Becker in 1991.

"Very special," Zverev said of the moment, calling the feeling of being on top of the world "amazing".

A long road to the top

Zverev has spent years near the top of the men's game without ever holding the No. 1 spot, so Thursday's straight-sets win in Vienna settles a long chase. Earlier this month he was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters semi-finals by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (our report), so the Vienna points arrived at the right moment.

Elsewhere in Vienna

Carlos Alcaraz also went through on Thursday, beating Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 7-6(11) after saving four set points in the tie-break.

Watching from Pakistan

Vienna is four hours behind Pakistan since Europe moved its clocks back on 25 October, so a 2pm match in Vienna starts at 6pm PKT and a 7pm evening session at 11pm PKT. Zverev's next match in the tournament is his quarter-final; the order of play is on the ATP Tour website.

The change at the top also matters for seedings at the remaining events of the season: as No. 1, Zverev would be top seed wherever he and Sinner both enter.

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