8 ATP players have more top 10 wins than world No. 1 Zverev

Alexander Zverev called his first match as the men’s world No. 1 his “worst” in months after a 7-5(5), 6-2 defeat to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti at the Paris Masters.

The German, who reached the top of the ATP rankings after winning his first two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and US Open this year, crashed out in the second round.

“It was one of my worst performances in recent months,” Zverev said after the match, according to The Independent.

The loss came just days after he secured the year-end world No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career.

But his rise to the top has been met with skepticism.

Zverev became the first year-end world No. 1 without a Masters 1000 title in that year, according to The Independent.

His record against top-10 opponents in 2026 is 3-9.

Eight ATP Tour players ranked below him have more top-10 wins this season, according to Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner leads with 10 top-10 wins, more than triple Zverev’s total, despite missing half the season due to injury.

Carlos Alcaraz has six top-10 wins despite missing four and a half months of action.

Novak Djokovic also has six top-10 wins in only 31 matches this season.

Arthur Fils and Frances Tiafoe each have five.

Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, and Brandon Nakashima each have four.

Nakashima is ranked outside the top 15 of the ATP Tour rankings.

Musetti’s season has been derailed by several injuries, yet he still has one more top-10 win than Zverev.

“It’s a huge win for me,” Musetti said after knocking out Zverev in Paris, per Tennis Tonic.

Zverev’s only top-10 victories this year came against Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Alex de Minaur.

Six of his nine losses to top-10 players were against Alcaraz and Sinner.

The German has expressed frustration at feeling forced to justify his position as world No. 1.

“I was annoyed,” Zverev said, according to multiple reports, including The Independent and Tennishead.

He argued that he is the first world No. 1 in history who has had to justify his ascension to the top of the world rankings.

Zverev suggested the constant questioning was unfair and that he “deserved” to be where he is, per Tennishead.

But fans have pointed to his poor top-10 record as a reason to doubt his No. 1 status.

“Alexander Zverev Has No One to Blame but Himself,” read one headline from AOL.com, summarizing fan reaction after his Paris Masters exit.

His girlfriend’s social media post about his No. 1 ranking also aged poorly after the loss, according to the New York Post and Yahoo Sports.

Zverev’s rise to the top came during an injury-hit year for rivals Sinner and Alcaraz.

Sinner missed several months with a hip issue.

Alcaraz was sidelined for four and a half months with an ankle injury.