Carlos Alcaraz may have been a thorn in Alexander Zverev’s side for long. Though, Zverev did defeat Alcaraz once at the Australian Open quarterfinal at the beginning. However, in the remaining season, the Spaniard cost the German two wins, one at the Roland Garros final and the other at the Indian Wells quarterfinal. But there was more to come for Zverev at the Asian swing, as Alcaraz once again denied another glory to him, with his terrific performance.

Alcaraz’s continued success at the China Open has solidified his position in the world rankings. His recent victory over Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals has allowed him to surpass Zverev, who is absent from the tournament. This achievement has also boosted Alcaraz’s standing in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, where he now holds the second position.

While sharing the screenshots of the live rankings, a fan celebrated Alcaraz’s feat with the following caption: “On Monday, Carlos Alcaraz will be world No. 2. With today’s victory, he surpassed Alexander Zverev in both the live ranking and the race to Turin.”

As the reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion and a qualified participant in the Nitto ATP Finals, Alcaraz is currently 2,890 points behind Sinner, the leader in the battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honors.

Though Alcaraz has dominated the 2024 season, but when their overall H2H record is considered, the two players are at level, with 5-5. However, nothing could salvage the recent blow from the Spaniard. He may turn the tables at the year-end tournament, but today it’s Alcaraz’s day. “…Right now, I feel prepared and I feel good. I feel my tennis is back,” said Alcaraz in a post-match conference.

The players may be on the opposite side of the court, but the rivals came together not only at the Laver Cup but also on the issue of scheduling.

Despite heartbreaks on the court, Alexander Zverev shares Carlos Alcaraz’s views on ATP scheduling

“They are going to kill us in some way,” said Carlos Alcaraz during an interview. It’s a rare thing coming from the Spaniard, as he seldom puts anything or anyone in a negative spotlight. However, he is not alone, as Zverev too had similar thoughts. During the Laver Cup press conference, the German criticized the ATP for putting the health of players at risk.

He said, “There is no sport in which so much is played, it cannot continue like this. It puts the health of the players at risk. It is inconceivable that a season begins on December 29 and ends in the second week of November.” Furthermore, the German ace narrated the motive behind the schedule while explaining the plight of players: “For what? It’s all about money here, that’s all the ATP cares about. We players have no decision-making power.”

Despite on-the-court rivalry, which has cost the German a few titles, or journey into the tournament, Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz have something they can agree upon: ATP scheduling. Hopefully, after skipping the Asian swing, Zverev would be ready to claim the ranking.