Alexander Zverev labelled ’embarrassing’ after what he did against Rafael Jodar at the ATP Finals
Alexander Zverev celebrated his world No 1 status during his entrance in his first match at the ATP Finals against Rafael Jodar.
Zverev earned the ATP Tour’s top spot at the Vienna Open and he has already been confirmed to end the 2026 season as the year-end world No 1.
The German entered the Inalpi Arena in Turin with both a Golden bag and a jacket which had number one etched on the back of it to mark the occasion.
It has not gone down with fans, who have heavily criticised Zverev for milking his new position on top of the ATP Tour rankings.
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“And he wonders why most Tennis fans HATE him,” said one fan on X, while another said: “He really thinks he’s that guy. It’s almost embarrassing.”
“I’m sorry but this guy has zero aura,” claimed another disgruntled spectator.
Others thought the combination of the jacket and the golden bag was simply too much.
“The golden bag could’ve been funny on it’s own in a self aware and deprecating way,” said one fan, before adding: “But the combo with the jacket? That’s not a self aware gag.”
Zverev is not the first player to mark his world No 1 status with new gear, as the likes of Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz have also celebrated reaching the top spot of the ATP Tour in similar ways.
Alcaraz came under some criticism for wearing apparal that stated ‘Youngest ever to win the 4 of them’ following his Australian Open win at the beginning of the year.
Many fans suggested it was re-writing history, as Steffi Graf managed the feat at a younger age than Alcaraz and the Spaniard is, in fact, only the youngest male player to achieve the Career Grand Slam.
Zverev has now suffered a similar backlash, although he has not done anything factually incorrect.
The German will be hoping the backlash does not put him off his game as he looks to win the ATP Finals for the third time in his career, after his victories in 2018 and 2021.
He has been drawn in the same group as Rafael Jodar, Ben Shelton, and Arthur Fils, with the top two earning a place in the knockout stages.
The top two of that group will meet the top two of the opposite group, which features Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Frances Tiafoe, and Flavio Cobolli.
Zverev and Alcaraz are the overwhelming favourites to meet in the final of the year-end competition at the 2026 event, with Alcaraz looking to win the tournament for the first time in his career.
