Belgium’s Zizou Bergs defeats the Spanish star in straight sets, while Jannik Sinner’s injury absence helps Alexander Zverev finish the season at the top of the ATP rankings.
Carlos Alcaraz suffered an unexpected defeat at the Shanghai Masters on Monday, losing to unseeded Belgian player Zizou Bergs in the round of 32. The Spaniard was beaten 7-5, 7-6(4), ending his campaign at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament earlier than anticipated.
The result also confirmed Alexander Zverev as the ATP year-end world number one, marking a significant milestone for the German tennis player.
Alcaraz Struggles Against Bergs
The second-seeded Alcaraz struggled to establish control throughout the two-hour, two-minute encounter. Bergs maintained his composure during the crucial moments and secured victory in straight sets, producing one of the tournament’s notable upsets.
The defeat came shortly after Alcaraz successfully defended his Japan Open title by beating Czech player Jiri Lehecka in the final. However, he was unable to carry that winning momentum into Shanghai, where his inconsistent performance allowed Bergs to take advantage.
Alcaraz had only recently returned to competitive tennis following a wrist injury that kept him away from the court for an extended period. He resumed his season in August at the US Open, where he reached the quarterfinals before continuing his comeback on the Asian swing.
The Spaniard’s exit adds to the list of high-profile departures from this year’s Shanghai Masters. Twenty-four-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and US Open runner-up Ben Shelton were also among the prominent players eliminated from the competition.
Zverev Clinches Year-End World No. 1 Ranking
Alcaraz’s defeat had significant implications for the ATP rankings, confirming Zverev as the first German player to finish a season as the year-end world number one.
The 29-year-old German reached the top position following Jannik Sinner’s prolonged absence from competition. Sinner has been sidelined since defeating Zverev in the Wimbledon final on July 12 because of a knee injury.
The Italian missed the North American hard-court tournaments, including the US Open, and subsequently remained unavailable during the ongoing Asian swing.
Sinner is also expected to miss the European indoor season and the ATP Finals in Turin, where he has won the championship for the past two consecutive editions.
His continued absence has reshaped the race for the season-ending rankings, allowing Zverev to secure the top position as the ATP Tour approaches the final stages of the campaign.