Archive · 14 Sep 2026
Alexander Zverev Closes In, but Sincaraz Still Sets Standard
Alexander Zverev has had an excellent tennis season.
He won his first two major tournaments, including the French Open and the US Open.
He also reached the Wimbledon final.
These results moved him closer to world No.
1 Jannik Sinner.
However, Sinner missed the US Open because of a knee problem.
Carlos Alcaraz missed two major tournaments because of injuries.
Zverev says he may be the best player right now, but Sinner and Alcaraz are stronger when they are healthy and playing their best.
His future challenge is proving he can regularly beat both younger stars.
Alexander Zverev won his first two Grand Slam titles in the same season after triumphs at Roland Garros and the US Open.
The German reached the Wimbledon final and trails Jannik Sinner by 1,810 ATP ranking points.
Carlos Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon through injury, while Sinner missed the US Open with a knee issue.
Sinner or Alcaraz have won 10 of the 12 Grand Slam tournaments played from 2024 to 2026.
Zverev has lost his last 10 matches against Sinner and four of his last five against Alcaraz.
- Who
- Alexander Zverev, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the central players, with Ben Shelton also mentioned as Zverev’s US Open final opponent.
- What
- Zverev is approaching the top of the ATP rankings after winning his first two Grand Slam titles, but questions remain about whether he can challenge Sinner and Alcaraz when both are healthy.
- When
- The assessment follows Zverev’s US Open victory and covers the 2024-2026 Grand Slam period described in the article.
- Where
- The major events discussed were Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
- Why
- Zverev’s rise is being assessed against Sinner and Alcaraz because injuries affected their participation, while their head-to-head records against him remain strongly favorable.
Zverev’s Current Claim
Sinner and Alcaraz’s Enduring Standard
Who is the best player now?
Zverev’s Current Claim
Zverev’s recent results, including two Grand Slam titles and a Wimbledon final, support the view that he may currently be the leading player.
Sinner and Alcaraz’s Enduring Standard
Zverev himself said Sinner and Alcaraz may still be better when both are healthy and playing at their best.
Impact of injuries
Zverev’s Current Claim
Zverev capitalized on opportunities created when Alcaraz missed tournaments and Sinner missed the US Open.
Sinner and Alcaraz’s Enduring Standard
The results may not fully establish Zverev’s superiority because Alcaraz and Sinner were unavailable or limited at key events.
Head-to-head evidence
Zverev’s Current Claim
Zverev’s serving and baseline game make him a major threat, particularly against left-handed players such as Ben Shelton.
Sinner and Alcaraz’s Enduring Standard
His recent records against the two leading rivals are unfavorable: 10 straight losses to Sinner and four defeats in five matches against Alcaraz.
- Current ranking gap
- Zverev trails Jannik Sinner by 1,810 ATP ranking points.
- Grand Slam achievements
- Zverev won his first two Majors in the same season.
- Other major result
- He reached the Wimbledon final, where he lost to Sinner.
- Sincaraz dominance
- Sinner or Alcaraz won 10 of the 12 Grand Slams played from 2024 to 2026.
- Record against Sinner
- Zverev has lost his last 10 matches against the Italian.
- Record against Alcaraz
- Zverev has lost four of his last five matches against the Spaniard.
- Record against left-handers
- Zverev has an 88-18 overall record against left-handed players and has won 45 of his last 46 matches against them.