Zverev says reaching world No. 1 feels 'special' after landmark season

Alexander Zverev said on Monday that rising to world number one was a special feeling, as he heads into the Paris Masters as the top seed and guaranteed to finish the year at the top of the rankings.

A long wait for a first major

Zverev had been seen as one of the dominant forces in men's tennis, but a combination of injuries and the rise of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz left the German without a Grand Slam title for a long time. That changed when he won the French Open this year. Now 29, he added the US Open to his trophy haul in September.

Celebrating on home ground of the tour

On Monday, Zverev celebrated on court in Paris with the ATP world number one trophy, marking the peak of a season that has brought him his first two Grand Slam titles.

Different emotions

Zverev described his first major win as a very different experience from his other successes. "When I won my first Grand Slam, it was different kind of emotions... I had a lot of heartbreaks, a lot of tough moments, I had a lot of losses in the finals. So that was a different kind of feeling," he told reporters.

He said finally getting there had brought the biggest relief he had ever felt in his career. He also stressed that both trophies mean something different to him. A Grand Slam, he said, is the biggest tournament a player can win, while reaching the top of the rankings requires playing the best season over an entire year.

"It's a completely different feeling, but this feels special, as well," Zverev said.

Paris opener against Musetti

Zverev will begin his Paris Masters campaign on Wednesday against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. He has lost three of his five previous matches against the Italian.