"Sinner and Alcaraz are better than Zverev, but they are not number 1"
Patrick Mouratoglou has come to the defense of the German tennis player, emphasizing that the physical factor and his consistency are also something to highlight after the injuries of his two main rivals.
Alexander Zverev is having the best season of his career. In 2026, the German tennis player has added his first two Grand Slams to his record, lifting a huge weight off his shoulders, and he will also be the number 1 in the world in a few days. However, some say that 'Sascha' has achieved all this due to the injuries suffered by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which has generated much debate. The latest to weigh in has been the renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has come to his defense.
Through a video on his Youtube channel, Mouratoglou stated that “Zverev may not be the best player, but he is the number one in the world and he fully deserves it. The first way I assess the situation is that your ranking determines your value. If others get injured, that's bad luck for them. I believe that a player does not only perform on the court, but it also matters to be healthy and take care of their body. For example, Jack Draper is an incredible player, but he cannot maintain this ranking position because he is too injured. So that is part of his story, his career, and in a way, of his value. Your health, your fitness, also influence,” he concluded.
There is no doubt that Zverev has been the most consistent player of the year, and the truth is that whether for this reason or that, he is not a player who gets injured frequently. He plays Grand Slams, Masters 1000, ATP 500, and except for major causes (ankle injury at Roland Garros 2022 against Rafa Nadal), he has never withdrawn from a match nor missed many tournaments due to physical problems. "He is number one because he deserves it. Sinner and Alcaraz are better than him, but they are not number one. He is number one," he explained.
Mouratoglou compares Zverev's case to the rivalry between Djokovic and Nadal
Furthermore, the French coach drew an analogy with other past cases, such as that of Rafa Nadal, of whom many say could have broken all the records if he had not been injured so much. "The same discussions about Nadal keep recurring. 'If Rafa hadn’t been injured, he would have won X Grand Slams'. Yes, but there is no 'if...'. He was injured. There are reasons why he got injured and reasons why others didn't, like Novak Djokovic, who has almost never been injured in his entire career."
In fact, Patrick highlighted the physical aspect of the German player, as everything has a reason. "It is important to recognize his merit because he played two Grand Slams this year, being the top favorite, which was Roland Garros after Sinner lost early and the US Open. Technically, there were 128 players who could win it, and he did. Twice. He also demonstrated a lot of mental strength. He didn’t play well, but he won the tournament, and that is a great quality,” he concluded.
The reality is that in 2027 both Alcaraz and Sinner are expected to return to 100%, so it will be Zverev's great opportunity to prove that he is ready to form that new 'Big Three' that so many people are talking about. Beyond external factors, there has been a significant improvement in the German's game this season, so everything points to the fact that next season will be thrilling and there will be 3 players competing for all the major tournaments on the circuit.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Sinner y Alcaraz son mejores que Zverev, pero no son el número 1"