Zverev 'annoyed' in Paris Masters press conference and world No. 1 hits out
Alexander Zverev said he was “annoyed” that he had to justify his new status as the world No. 1, as he lost his first match since reaching the top of the rankings. The German won his first two Grand Slam titles this year at Roland Garros and the US Open, capitalising on periods when Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were sidelined by injuries. Once Sinner ended his 2026 season due to a knee injury, Zverev was all but guaranteed to end the year as the world No. 1. And he secured the top spot with a run to the Vienna Open semi-finals last week.
TL;DR
- Alexander Zverev lost his first match after becoming world No. 1, falling to Lorenzo Musetti at the Paris Masters.
- Zverev stated he was annoyed by the need to justify his No. 1 ranking, believing he deserved his position.
- He attributed the loss to playing a 'bad' match and acknowledged Musetti played well.
- The Paris Masters courts were noted as being very fast, which Zverev struggled with but felt was suitable for indoor play.
- Zverev's rise to No. 1 occurred while rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were dealing with injuries.