Vienna, 30 October (H.S.): Germany's tennis star Alexander Zverev has secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Vienna Open and, in the process, ensured that he will become the world's top-ranked men's player for the first time in his career.

Zverev defeated Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5 in their round-of-16 encounter on Thursday, sealing his place in the last eight and confirming his historic ascent to the summit of the ATP rankings.

In the rankings to be released on Monday, November 2, the 29-year-old German will overtake Italy's Jannik Sinner to become the new world No. 1.

Zverev, who has enjoyed an outstanding season after winning the French Open and the US Open titles, will become only the second German man to reach the top of the world rankings, following Boris Becker, who achieved the feat in 1991. He will also become the 30th player to occupy the No. 1 position since the ATP rankings were introduced in 1973.

The German delivered a commanding performance against Griekspoor, winning in straight sets. He sealed the victory with an ace, prompting a special on-court ceremony to celebrate his achievement. Members of his team and former Austrian world No. 1 Thomas Muster were also present on the occasion.

Speaking after the match, Zverev described reaching the pinnacle of men's tennis as an exceptionally special feeling, saying the achievement was different from winning a tournament title. He added that seeing his name alongside the No. 1 ranking when the new standings are published would be an unforgettable experience.

Zverev also acknowledged that injuries to Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz had played a part in his rise to the top. Sinner decided to bring his season to an early close in October to recover from a knee injury.

Meanwhile, world No. 3 Alcaraz continued his campaign in Vienna, defeating Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 7-6 (11) on Thursday to advance to the quarter-finals.

Zverev had come close to becoming world No. 1 in 2022 during the French Open, but his hopes were derailed when he sustained ligament damage in his ankle during his semi-final clash against Rafael Nadal. The injury forced him to miss the remainder of that season.

Reflecting on the long journey to the top, Zverev said he had waited a considerable time for the achievement but believed that some of life's finest moments were worth waiting for. Expressing gratitude for what he described as an exceptional year, he said he was delighted and thrilled to have reached the milestone.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar