Tennis player Alexander Zverev ousted in Madrid Masters 1000's eight-round match.
Headline: Zverev's Madrid Masters Misery Continues as Cerundolo Knocks Him Out Again
April 29, 2025, Madrid
Well, here we go again. World number two and two-time Madrid Masters champ, Alexander Zverev, has stumbled once more in the tournament's round of 16, losing to Francisco Cerundolo for the second year straight. Yep, you heard it right - another defeat on the clay courts of Spain's capital city.
Zverev went down in flames today, falling to Cerundolo - the 21st-ranked ATP player - in a brutal 7-5, 6-3 beatdown. And don't think it took forever, nope, the match wrapped up in just one hour and 30 minutes.
Twice the winner in Madrid (2018 and 2021), Zverev managed to get himself another title in Munich just nine days ago, on his 28th birthday. But, alas, it wasn't enough to prevent him from getting booted early yet again this season. He's now bitten the dust in the second round at Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, and in the fourth round here in Madrid.
After losing the Australian Open final, Zverev's been dealing with some less-than-stellar results. He even missed a prime opportunity to grab the top spot in the ATP rankings when Italian Jannik Sinner was sidelined for his doping suspension. Sinner's absence still echoes as his fellow players keep clinching titles.
Now, Zverev finds himself in second place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, but the pressure's mounting as he prepares to defend his title in Rome. Here's hoping he can gather some wits and bounce back before it's too late.
On a personal note, Cerundolo's been nothing but trouble for Zverev, man. The Argentine has outplayed him on clay a couple of times, including a 2024 Madrid victory and a 2025 Buenos Aires win. Throw in the 0-3 ATP Head2Head record against the man, and it's safe to say Zverev's got work to do if he wants to reverse this losing streak.
"He played better than me today," Zverev confessed, acknowledging the superior play of Cerundolo. "This can happen in sport." Yup, sure can. Still, it's never a good feeling to watch victory slip right through your fingers.
Extra tidbit: The match's turning point came at 6-5 in the first set, where Zverev fumbled in a crucial service game that helped to seal his fate. Might want to work on that, buddy, if you don't want history to repeat itself again next year. Hang in there, Zverev! Hopefully, you can get yourself back in the game before it's too late.
Enrichment Data:- Zverev is yet to win a game against Cerundolo in the ATP Head2Head (0-3).- Cerundolo has repeatedly outperformed Zverev on clay, winning the 2024 Madrid Masters and the 2025 Buenos Aires tournament.- Zverev crashed out in the second round of Monte-Carlo 2025, a loss he described as "unacceptable."- After his Australian Open defeat, Zverev has lost six games in twelve and made early exits at Indian Wells and Miami.- Zverev has said he's "not satisfied" with his performance since his serious Roland Garros ankle injury in 2022.
- Alexander Zverev's disappointing run at Madrid Masters continues as he gets knocked out by Francisco Cerundolo for the second consecutive year.
- Despite winning the title in Munich just nine days ago, Zverev was knocked out in the round of 16 by the 21st-ranked ATP player, Cerundolo.
- The Italian sports tennis scene has been a thorn in Zverev's side, with Cerundolo outplaying him on clay multiple times, including the 2024 Madrid Masters and the 2025 Buenos Aires tournament.
- Zverev's defeat at the hands of Cerundolo marks his third loss against him on clay and leaves him with a 0-3 ATP Head2Head record against the Argentine.
