Zverev becomes deserved world number one - but sense of discomfort remains

Before this year, Alexander Zverev was, for many, the best male player never to have won a Grand Slam.

He will end 2026 as a two-time major champion and deserved world number one.

The 29-year-old has become the oldest man in more than 50 years to become world number one for the first time, with victories at the French Open and US Open providing the springboard.

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged four, his overdue Grand Slam breakthrough was a reward for persistence and intense hard work.

However, the new standard-bearer for men's tennis has been accused of physical abuse by two former partners, and been the subject of a major independent investigation by the sport.

How 10 days with Nadal changed on-court approach

At the start of this year, Zverev was already an Olympic champion, two-time winner of the season-ending ATP Finals and a former world number two who had appeared in three Grand Slam finals.

The most excruciating of those was the 2020 US Open final, in which he led Dominic Thiem by two sets to love but lost in a fifth-set tie-break after serving two double faults as his opponent began to cramp.

The inability to play with the same freedom and attacking intent that is often on show in big matches on the ATP Tour had become a perennial problem.

This year would be different, he promised himself. He would hit the ball with more speed, take greater risk and employ more variety in rallies.

The impetus stemmed from the 10 days he spent with Rafael and Toni Nadal in Mallorca in July 2025.

"I wanted to see and then hear a new vision of what tennis in their mind looks like - and how my tennis, in their mind, looks like," Zverev explained.

"Rafa, for example, played against me for 10 years. So now, as a spectator and also as an opponent, he can probably give you the best advice anybody can, because he knows what it's like to be on the court with me."

There were still moments of extreme anxiety, including cramping in June's French Open final against Flavio Cobolli.

But this time Zverev made no mistake in the deciding set, winning it 6-1 to claim his long-awaited first major trophy.

Zverev's on-court success is a family affair. His father, Alex Sr, has been a near-constant presence in the coaching box, while older brother Mischa has joined him since his retirement from playing.

That particular relationship has come full circle, as Zverev was once a toddler sitting by the side of the court as Mischa practised with Andy Murray as a junior.

Zverev has said his relationship with his father works so well as they spend "zero time together" off court.

"The big difference with my parents is that they never forced me to do anything," Zverev once recalled.

"They wanted me to play different sports so they didn't have to coach me. They always told me 'why don't you play football, or field hockey?' as that was the sport I loved.

"They are very smart. They've been through it. They've been tennis players themselves."

Not only is Zverev now the French and US Open champion, but he was also runner-up at Wimbledon, where he played his best tennis of the year.

He was aggressive and daring in a four-set defeat by Jannik Sinner on Centre Court, and will need to take a leaf out of the same book in future meetings with both the Italian and Carlos Alcaraz.

The German has lost 10 matches in a row to Sinner, and if he and Alcaraz are fit for the start of next season, Zverev's challenge will be to make 2027 a three-way rivalry for the major titles.

A polarising world number one

Zverev has previously been the subject of serious allegations.

In October 2020, his ex-partner Olga Sharypova accused him of physical violence and controlling behaviour.

Zverev maintained his innocence from the start and described the allegations as baseless.

There were no legal proceedings, but the ATP Tour opened a major investigation that was carried out by third-party investigators.

It found "insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse".

"Based on a lack of reliable evidence and eyewitness reports, in addition to conflicting statements by Sharypova, Zverev and other interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse," the ATP said in January 2023.

A director of safeguarding was subsequently appointed, and this year a new safeguarding programme was launched to introduce a "clear, global framework for preventing and responding to abuse, including cases of harassment, bullying, domestic violence and other forms of misconduct".