World number one-bound Zverev loses to De Minaur
Alex de Minaur beat Alexander Zverev in the Vienna Open semi-finals, ending Zverev’s first match since he secured the men’s world number one ranking. The result matters for both players: Zverev is still set to replace Jannik Sinner at the top on Monday, while De Minaur has improved his position in the race to qualify for the ATP Finals.
The Australian fifth seed won 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) in a match lasting nearly two and a half hours. After Zverev dominated the second set, neither player created a break point in the decider, which De Minaur settled in a tie-break. He will meet Carlos Alcaraz in the final after the Spaniard beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 7-6 (7-2); Alcaraz has now won 25 consecutive matches at ATP 500 events.
In short
- De Minaur stunned Zverev in a Vienna semi-final.
- Zverev is still set to become world number one on Monday.
- Alcaraz beat Medvedev and will face De Minaur in the final.
Explained simply
The ATP rankings track men’s results across the season, with the world number one holding the top spot. Alexander Zverev is due to take that position from Jannik Sinner on Monday, based on points earned before this tournament.
The ATP Finals is an end-of-season event for the leading players, and the remaining places are decided by their results during the year. Alex de Minaur is competing to qualify, so each tournament can affect his chances. The Vienna Open is an ATP 500 event, a category of tournament below the biggest events on the tour.