World No. 2 Alexander Zverev Knocked Out of Madrid Open by Francisco Cerundolo

 World No. 2 Alexander Zverev suffered a shock defeat to Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the round of 16 at the ATP Madrid Open on April 29, 2025, losing 7-5, 6-3 in a match that ended his bid for a third title at the clay-court Masters 1000 event. 

Cerundolo, ranked 21st, secured his third consecutive win over Zverev, capitalizing on the German’s unforced errors to advance to the quarter-finals, where he faces Jakub Mensik. The upset halted Zverev’s seven-match winning streak following his Munich Open title.

Zverev, champion in Madrid in 2018 and 2021, struggled with consistency, committing 28 unforced errors compared to Cerundolo’s 12, per ATP data. The first set went to a decisive 12th game, where Cerundolo converted his second break point to clinch it 7-5. In the second set, Cerundolo broke Zverev in the second game and held serve confidently, saving the only break point he faced to seal the match in 1 hour 38 minutes, per The Times of India. Cerundolo’s aggressive baseline play and 80% first-serve points won outshone Zverev’s 65%, per Opta.

The loss marks Zverev’s second straight Madrid exit to Cerundolo, following a 2024 defeat, and raises questions about his clay-court form ahead of Roland Garros, per Reuters. Cerundolo, one of only two men with three ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final appearances in 2025 alongside Arthur Fils, showcased his growing prowess on clay, per The Times of India. The match, played under Madrid’s retractable roof due to rain, saw Cerundolo dominate rallies, with 15 winners to Zverev’s 10.

The Madrid Open, with a €7.8 million prize purse, continues to deliver surprises, with top seed Taylor Fritz as the highest-ranked player remaining, per Reuters. Mensik, a 19-year-old Czech, advanced after defeating Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-2, becoming the fifth teenager to reach the Madrid quarters. Zverev’s exit shifts focus to his French Open preparations, where he was runner-up in 2024, while Cerundolo’s victory bolsters Argentina’s strong tennis presence, following Juan Martin del Potro’s legacy. The tournament’s quarter-finals promise intense competition, with Cerundolo emerging as a dark horse on the clay.