The Argentine upped his 2025 record to 23-9, adding to his 1000-level quarterfinal showings at Indian Wells and Miami. By knocking out Zverev, Cerundolo has already matched his Top 10-win total from 2024 with four. Of significance, his first Top 10 scalp last year came against Zverev in this very round of Madrid.
“I was saying it in Spanish before, I’m seeing that the draw is wide open, I think, not this one, but every one,” Cerundolo shared in his press conference.
“The draws are super tough also, every match is a war, and you have to play good tennis to beat anyone.”
Miami Open champion Jakub Mensik awaits in the last eight. The Czech earlier became the fifth male teenager to make the last eight here when he eased past Alexander Bublik, 6-3, 6-2.
As Zverev heads into Rome to prepare for his Internazionali BNL d’Italia title defense, the past few months will ultimately go down as a golden opportunity lost to summit the top of the rankings. With Jannik Sinner—the rival who beat him in January’s Australian Open final—sitting out to serve a three-month suspension stemming from his case agreement with WADA and now due to return next week, Zverev went 13-7 across six events. Five of those wins came at last week’s BMW Open.
