Alexander Zverev joins Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic & Dominic Thiem in list of longest active runs with at least 1 title a year
On Saturday, Alexander Zverev defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-6 to lift the Abierto Mexicano Telcel Open trophy in Acapulco, Mexico. The win marked the 14th singles title of Zverev's decorated career.
The German's feat also means he has now won at least one ATP Tour singles title for six consecutive years, which puts him in an exclusive list among active players.
Alexander Zverev's first tour title came at the St. Petersburg Open in 2016. He then won five tournaments in 2017, and four in the following year, to firmly establish himself among the sport's elite.
Alexander Zverev had a bit of a dip in 2019 and 2020, winning just one and two titles (all 250 level) respectively. But he seems back to his best in 2021, reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and now triumphing in Acapulco.
Alexander Zverev's win ties him with World No. 4 Dominic Thiem, who has also won at least one ATP title for six consecutive years. Both players trail Rafael Nadal (17 consecutive years) and Novak Djokovic (16 consecutive years) in the list.
Alexander Zverev has a long way to go before he can match Rafael Nadal's run (dating back to 2004) or Novak Djokovic's (dating back to 2006)
Rafael Nadal leads the streak for the longest consecutive active runs of at least one ATP title a year, which is particularly impressive given his long history of injury breaks.
Nadal claimed his first ATP title way back in 2004 at Sopot, Poland. The Spaniard won his 86th and most recent title at Roland Garros in 2020, which extended his own record at the tournament to a staggering 13 trophies.
If Nadal wins a title in 2021, his streak will be extended to 18 seasons.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is chasing Rafael Nadal in this stat too. Djokovic has won at least one ATP singles title for 16 consecutive years, including 2021.
The Serb won his first title in 2006 at Amersfoort, Netherlands. And this year's Australian Open marked his 82nd career singles title.
US Open champion Dominic Thiem, who is tied with Zverev for winning an ATP title in six consecutive seasons, lifted his first title at Nice, France in 2015. Thiem's 17th and most recent singles title came at the 2020 US Open last September.
For those wondering about Roger Federer, the 39-year-old had won at least one ATP singles title for 15 years in a row, starting with his first title at Milan in 2001. That streak came to an end in 2016, the year that Federer took the second half of the season off due to knee surgery.