Alexander Zverev wants to be more than just the "third guy" in tennis and is confident of challenging Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for grand slam titles in the future.

Zverev was beaten in the Wimbledon final on Sunday, with Sinner claiming the fifth major honour of his career with a 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 6-4 victory on Centre Court. 

The 29-year-old had never gone beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon before his run to the showpiece match in 2026, following up his French Open triumph last month. 

Prior to his long-awaited grand slam win at Roland-Garros, both Sinner and Alcaraz had won the last nine majors between them, with the latter missing Wimbledon and the French Open after sustaining a wrist injury in Barcelona back in April. 

Sinner's victory against Zverev was his 10th in a row over the new world number two, though the German believes he is close to giving tennis a "Big Three" again.

"There was always this conversation, 'who will be the third guy?'" Zverev said. "I've always been the third guy, but I was just far away from those two.

"But I've always been number three in a way. So if I can get closer to them, it would be great."

Zverev's last victory against Sinner came in the round of 16 at the 2023 US Open, while he last got the better of Alcaraz in a straight-set win at the ATP Finals two years ago. 

But his recent matches against the pair have been close. Alcaraz needed five sets to beat Zverev on his way to the Australian Open title, though seven of his last eight defeats to Sinner have been in straight sets.

"I think I've been pushing those guys. I haven't beaten them this year, but I've pushed them to the limits I'd say," Zverev added.

"Alcaraz in Australia and Jannik maybe here. Even though it was four sets, it was a close four sets. It could've gone five as well. That's the goal."

Sinner's win saw him become the fourth player since the ATP Rankings were published in 1973 to win the men's singles title in Wimbledon as the world number one for consecutive editions after Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. 

He is the second player in the Open Era to claim the men's singles title at Wimbledon after having won his opening match at the event in a five-setter after Bjorn Borg in 1978. 

Zverev believes that Sinner is the best player in the world at the moment, and said that only himself, Alcaraz and 24-time major champion Djokovic are the only players who can challenge him.

"Yeah, I think he's still the best player in the world. I do believe that. I do believe there's only two guys, probably three with Novak [Djokovic], who can challenge him," Zverev said.

"All of us have to work for that goal. I think I've challenged him, but not enough, because I still sit here as the loser of the match.

"But I will continue doing that. The big tournaments are still around the corner."