By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis

Alexander Zverev was honored as new world No. 1 with an on-court celebration in Paris this week.

Today, Lorenzo Musetti crashed the German’s party with purpose and precision toppling the top-ranked Zverev 7-6(5), 6-2 at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The 29-year-old Zverev is the fifth man in Open Era history to lose his first match as new world No. 1.

Afterward, Zverev said he’s not stressed out occupying the top spot but shared one “annoying” aspect of life at the top of tennis. Zverev said defending his position publicly as a worthy world No. 1 is annoying.

The 30th man to occupy ATP world No. 1 said his predecessors at the peak of the sport didn’t have the same scrutiny he has endured.

“I was a bit annoyed, to be honest, the last couple of days, because, you know, achieving the World No. 1 status is something that I think every player dreams of,” Zverev told the media in Paris. “But then I feel like I’m the only World No. 1 in tennis history that has to explain why it’s okay for me to be World No. 1, which I
find quite difficult, because I think I deserve to be where I am, even though I lost today.

“I don’t think anybody had to explain themselves as much as I had to do in the last couple of days, which for me, is annoying, to be honest.”