Quarter-final is enough: Zverev can become world No. 1 in Vienna
If Alexander Zverev reaches the quarter-finals in Vienna, he will be world No. 1 from 2 November, the ATP says. The top seed opens against Martín Landaluce, while Dimitrov faces Cobolli.
Archive image · Photo: Partynia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Alexander Zverev is on the verge of reaching the top of the men's rankings. If he reaches the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 event in Vienna, the ATP says he is guaranteed to become world No. 1 on 2 November, replacing Jannik Sinner, who has already ended his season and is not playing in Vienna. Zverev would be only the second German at No. 1 after Boris Becker in 1991 and the 30th player overall. According to the ATP, the Roland Garros and US Open champion has already clinched year-end No. 1.
At the Wiener Stadthalle Zverev is the top seed. He opens against Spanish wildcard Martín Landaluce, followed by Tallon Griekspoor or Brandon Nakashima. Second seed Carlos Alcaraz starts against Karen Khachanov. "Real blockbusters meet in the very first rounds," tournament director Herwig Straka said, according to the organisers.
Grigor Dimitrov, playing on a wildcard, also faces a tough task: the Bulgarian opens against fourth seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy. According to Tennis365, main-draw play runs from Monday 26 October to the final on 1 November.