Francisco Cerundolo defeated Alexander Zverev, world No. 2, in a career-defining match at the Buenos Aires quarterfinals. This notable victory marks Cerundolo’s first over a Top 2 player. He now aims for his maiden title in Buenos Aires, facing Pedro Martinez in the semifinals.
Francisco Cerundolo achieved the biggest victory of his career by defeating Alexander Zverev, the world No. 2, with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the Buenos Aires quarterfinals. This win marks Cerundolo’s first victory over a Top 2 player and comes after his previous best win against No. 3 Casper Ruud in Barcelona in 2023.
Cerundolo expressed immense happiness, stating, “I’m very happy—it’s probably the best win of my career in terms of ranking.” He emphasized the significance of winning in front of his home crowd, family, and friends, calling it an amazing experience that made him feel incredible.
The match faced delays due to rain, starting late and also being halted. Zverev led the match, serving at 6-3, 2-1 with a break point but Cerundolo turned the tide by winning four consecutive games, dominating the end of the match despite challenging conditions.
Cerundolo noted the struggle with the windy conditions, acknowledging, “It was really tough to play today.” He maintained that both players did not perform well in the initial sets but attributed his win to his resilience and patience, especially in the final set where he played significantly better.
Generating 25 winners against 31 unforced errors, Cerundolo managed a favorable forehand ratio of 21:17. In contrast, Zverev’s statistics were disappointing with only 16 winners against 43 unforced errors, particularly struggling with groundstrokes.
Having reached the semifinals, Cerundolo is now just two wins away from claiming his first title in Buenos Aires. His previous best result was as a finalist in 2021. To reach the final, he will face Pedro Martinez, who recently eliminated Diego Schwartzman from the tournament in Schwartzman’s final match before retirement.
Francisco Cerundolo’s victory over Alexander Zverev is a milestone in his career, marking his first win against a Top 2 player. Despite challenging playing conditions, Cerundolo showcased remarkable tenacity to overcome a significant deficit in the match. With this victory, he advances towards the potential of securing his first title at his home tournament, the Buenos Aires Open, now facing Pedro Martinez in the semifinals.
Original Source: www.tennis.com
