Alexander Zverev is set to become the ATP Tour’s world No. 1, but a statistical milestone highlights how few titles he won in the year before reaching the top of the rankings. His two titles in that 52-week period match the lowest total recorded by a men’s world No. 1, shared with Carlos Moyà in 1999.
Zverev won Roland Garros and the US Open in 2026. His previous title came at the Munich Open in the summer of 2025. The other players listed with the next-lowest total are Jim Courier, Marcelo Ríos, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Daniil Medvedev, who each won four titles in the 52 weeks before reaching No. 1.
The German’s path to the top has also drawn scrutiny because he went 3-9 against top-10 opponents in 2026. He won Roland Garros without Carlos Alcaraz and the US Open without Jannik Sinner, who had both dealt with injuries during the season.
Zverev has reached two other finals this year, losing to Sinner in Madrid and at Wimbledon. He also made the semifinals at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo. His second-round defeat to Tallon Griekspoor at the Canadian Open was his only early exit at a Masters event, while Miomir Kecmanovic beat him in the second round in Acapulco.
Zverev is scheduled to begin his Paris Masters campaign against Lorenzo Musetti on Wednesday, November 4. The Paris event and the ATP Finals remain opportunities for him to add to his title tally before the end of the season.
Sources: Tennis365.