Alexander Zverev suffered his first defeat since clinching the men's world number one ranking, falling to Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur in the semi-finals of the Vienna Open. According to BBC Sport, the German top seed lost 4-6 6-1 6-7 (4-7) in a match that lasted two hours and 30 minutes. Zverev will officially replace Jannik Sinner at the summit of the ATP rankings on Monday, but the defeat marked an unexpected stumble in Vienna.
De Minaur's victory represents a significant breakthrough in his season. The 27-year-old Australian has now leapfrogged Spain's Rafael Jodar in the race to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals, securing his position among the year's elite eight players. De Minaur entered Vienna ranked 10th in the ATP Finals race and needed to finish in the top nine because Jannik Sinner's season was over.
The match unfolded in contrasting phases. After losing the opening set, Zverev dominated the second, overpowering De Minaur with aggressive tennis. The deciding set proved tightly contested, with neither player able to manufacture a break point opportunity throughout. De Minaur's composure proved decisive in the resulting tie-break, where he held his nerve to secure the win.
De Minaur's performance came after an impressive run through the tournament. De Minaur saved all six break points he faced against Berrettini in an earlier round, demonstrating the defensive solidity that would prove crucial against the world number one. Before Vienna, de Minaur reached the Beijing final and lost a close Shanghai quarter-final to Zverev, making this victory particularly significant.
De Minaur reflected on his tactical approach following the victory.
Super proud with how I handled the situation. I played on my terms. I was going to go out swinging and playing the right type of tennis, and that's what made the difference today.
Alcaraz advances to face De Minaur
Spanish second seed Carlos Alcaraz secured his place in the final by defeating Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, winning 6-4 7-6 (7-2). The seven-time Grand Slam champion's victory extended his unbeaten run at ATP 500 events to 25 matches, a streak dating back to April 2025 when the 23-year-old last suffered defeat at that level to Holger Rune at the Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz has enjoyed a prolific season, reaching his fifth final of the year. De Minaur will be competing in his fourth final of 2026, with his sole title coming at the Rotterdam Open in February.
What happens next
De Minaur will face Alcaraz in the Vienna Open final, with both players seeking to claim the ATP 500 title.
