Zverev could be number 1 in the ATP rankings on October 19
Sinner's withdrawal in Beijing leaves Zverev in a privileged position to end the year as world number 1, although he could reach that position much sooner.
Alexander Zverev has before him the great opportunity of his life. The German tennis player has earned the right to be in an optimal situation to taste the sweetness of being number 1 in the ATP ranking, something he could achieve very soon. The injury of Jannik Sinner is accelerating the process, and the German could be very close to finishing the year in that position.
This 2026 should be remembered in the history of tennis as the great year of Alexander Zverev. Regardless of what happens from now until the end of the season, the German can be considered a key player of this period by having won two Grand Slam titles, but even more so if he manages to finish the season as the number 1 in the world.
Zverev has many chances to finish 2026 as the number 1 in the world
His chances have increased following the news of Sinner’s withdrawal from the Beijing tournament, and if the Italian also withdraws from the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, it is very likely that Sascha will have the honor of closing the year at the top of the rankings. However, the shift could happen much sooner.
Indeed, Zverev could reach the top of the ATP ranking as soon as Monday, October 19. How is this possible? Quite simply, a series of scenarios would need to occur that do not seem far-fetched at the moment. The first and foremost is that Sinner would need to withdraw from the Shanghai tournament as well, which would be logical considering he still feels uncertain about his knee and that returning to compete after months away from the courts in a Masters 1000 is not the most prudent decision.
Moreover, the Italian has the Six Kings Slam on his schedule, an exhibition event where he could test his knee in a much more cautious manner, making a smooth transition and thus preparing for the final tournaments of the season.
If Sinner does not play in Shanghai, Zverev will depend on himself to be number 1 in the ATP ranking
If that were to be confirmed, Alexander Zverev would depend on himself to leave the Asian tour as the best tennis player in the world. It is true that he would have no margin for error as he would need to be champion in both the ATP 500 Beijing 2026 and the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026. This would not be easy, but it shouldn’t create unnecessary stress for Sascha.
It feels like the number 1 in the world will drop like ripe fruit into the hands of Alexander Zverev if he can maintain his competitive level, and Jannik Sinner confirms his absence in Shanghai. To reinforce this, there's no better way than to take a look at the ATP Race, where the German already leads San Candido’s player by 700 points, potentially widening that gap in this Asian tour to almost unreachable levels for Sinner in the last tournaments of the year.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Zverev podría ser número 1 del ranking ATP el próximo 19 de octubre