ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 2, 2026

Alexander Zverev

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Sascha, welcome back to Paris. Just tell us your feeling today when you looked at the PIF ATP rankings and you finally saw your name at the top.

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I haven't looked at the rankings yet, but no, it's a special day, for sure. I think Paris has been quite special to me this year, generally. You know, it's a place where I had a lot of up-and-downs, I had a lot of heartbreak, but this year, of course, winning my first Grand Slam here and becoming World No. 1, it's a very special feeling.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Raise your hand for microphones.

Q. Hello, Sascha. Congratulations on being the World No. 1. I wanted to ask like with Stefanos increasing his level and Daniil as well, do you think that generation is finally making a comeback?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I think Daniil has never left. He's had one not-so-good season last year where he finished, what, 9 in the world or 10 in the world? Yeah, I think he's never left.

First of all, he's top 5 again, and I think he's going to stay top 5. So I don't think his level has disappeared anywhere.

I think Stefanos had a little bit more problems, more issues, but I think he can play great tennis, as well.

I think we need to be careful when we say that players have gotten worse or downgraded or something like that, because I think we forgot how good Daniil actually is as a tennis player and what results he can show.

So I have nothing but respect for him, and I think he's going to do great things in tennis also next four, five years.

Q. Congratulations. Now you have both, but what feels better: To be the first racquet of the world or to be a Grand Slam champion?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, it's a different feeling, because in Paris when I won my first Grand Slam, it was different kind of emotions, because I was thinking that I was, first, maybe never going to do it. I had a lot of heartbreaks, a lot of tough moments, I had a lot of losses in the finals. So that was a different kind of feeling. To finally make it, it was the biggest relief that I have ever felt in my career.

But both trophies are individually special and individually different, because winning Grand Slam is the biggest tournament that we can win in tennis. For me, the Olympics is also one of the biggest trophies that you can win.

But this, you have to play the best season for an entire year. It's a completely different feeling, but this feels special, as well.

Q. Now that you're World No. 1 and won two slams, do you still feel there is something more you can prove next year? For instance, beating more frequently the top players, Sinner and Alcaraz?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, for sure. I think I for sure had a great season, and I'm very happy with the season that I have had, winning two Grand Slams, World No. 1, and all that, for sure.

But of course there are so many other things that I still want to achieve and I still have the goals to achieve. And I think it's very important in any sports or any person's life to have certain goals that are set for you, which I definitely do.

I'm looking forward to the top two guys being healthy again, playing fully and competing with them. I look forward to that challenge, as well.

Q. Could you be a bit more specific? I guess you want to beat Jannik and Carlos more often, but what are the other goals?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Well, I think competing with them is not one, but for sure another goal of mine now, I feel like this year was the first time I could play on the grass court in my life (smiling). Before, I didn't know what to do on the grass court. I definitely feel like I can compete for all the four Grand Slams. Of course, hopefully getting a few more would be great for me.

Q. I would like to know how you rate your shape at the moment. I guess you said in Shanghai that you were tired. Last week we were all expecting a final against Carlos, no offense for Alex, of course, but how do you rate your shape tennis-wise and physically-wise?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I feel good. In Shanghai, yes, I was tired. My battery was low. I was done. Then I took one week off, which helped me quite a lot. I didn't play tennis for one week.

I feel good. My energy feels good. I actually felt good in Vienna, as well. I think the conditions were a bit difficult for me, and I think Alex played a phenomenal match against me. Credit to him. He beat me.

Physically I felt fine. Energy-wise I felt fine. And I expect to play good tennis the next couple of weeks as well.

Q. Did you receive a message or congratulations probably from someone special that you didn't expect?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: That I didn't expect? It's a tough one. I think in the tennis world I received a message from everybody, so yeah, I think our tennis family is very close. If somebody achieves something great, I think they always like to congratulate. I always also congratulated everybody.

That I didn't expect... I think some athletes from other sports, some politicians from Germany. Yeah, I received some from those people, as well (smiling).

Q. Did you have time to celebrate your title and your achievement, or everything will be after the Nitto ATP Finals?

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah, that's why I say, it's different than winning Grand Slam, because Grand Slam the week stops and you know that you won, you can celebrate, you can be happy.

But now I feel like every day you continue the work, you know. Vienna was secured that I was World No. 1, but the next day I had to play, and the next day I had to play.

Here also, I have to play after tomorrow, so I'm not going to celebrate too much here.

I think everything will happen after Davis Cup, but I think it's going to be a quiet celebration because I'm going with the whole family, with five kids, to the Maldives. It's going to be a different kind of celebration.