Alexander Zverev is not yet part of a new ‘Big Three’ with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, a former ATP Tour star has asserted after the German’s US Open triumph.
World No 2 Zverev downed Ben Shelton in four sets in the final at the 2026 US Open to secure his second Grand Slam title.
Zverev claimed his maiden major at the 2026 French Open, where he defeated Flavio Cobolli in a five-set championship match.
The 29-year-old collected more Slams than any other man in 2026, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner having won the Australian Open and Wimbledon respectively.
Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon this year due to a wrist injury, while a knee issue forced Sinner to withdraw from the US Open.
In both 2024 and 2025, Alcaraz and Sinner each won two of the four Grand Slams. Alcaraz is a seven-time Grand Slam champion, while Sinner has won five majors.
Following the US Open final, former world No 17 Nicolas Escude told Eurosport France that Zverev must win Grand Slams by beating Alcaraz and Sinner to be considered at the same level as the duo.
“He’s not yet part of the Big Three with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner,” said Escude, who is a former Australian Open semi-finalist.
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“He’ll be part of it when he wins Grand Slams by beating them.
“When Novak Djokovic started to compete with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, he truly became part of the Big Three the moment he started beating them.
“That’s not the case for Zverev yet. But the season he just had was incredible.”
In his press conference after his US Open victory, Zverev was asked if he thinks he is currently the best player in the world.
“You have to take everything into consideration,” Zverev replied.
“With Jannik Sinner being injured and Carlos Alcaraz coming back from injury after four months, right now, probably yes. Both of them healthy and both of them at the top of their game, maybe not.
“But if we say right, right now with Jannik being injured and Carlos coming back from injury, maybe. I mean, four, five months ago when both of them were healthy, I wasn’t. I was losing to Jannik all the time. So if everyone is healthy, I think Jannik is still ahead. It’s as simple as that.”
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