8:19 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 0-0
Cerúndolo won the coin toss and elected to serve. The Argentine opens with a net attack with a backhand longline, but puts the high forehand volley at the edge of the net. Zverev initially stands far behind the line on the return and hits the subsequent backhand return with the frame that sails out of bounds – 15:15.
20:13
Warm-up is underway
After a short break between games, Zverev and Cerúndolo entered the arena in Bologna. The two of them are already getting used to it and we can get started soon. Have fun!
7:55 p.m
Struff loses – Zverev under pressure
Jan-Lennard Struff has just lost 6:7 and 6:7 against Tomas Martin Etcheverry after more than two hours. The German team is now 0-1 behind and Zverev has to beat Cerúndolo to keep Germany’s semi-final hopes alive.
6:40 p.m
Struff and Etcheverry in the first set
It will take a while before the second singles of this quarter-final can start. In an intense duel, Struff and Etcheverry are still in the first round. The German number two has just served her serve to make it 6:6, the tie-break must bring the decision in the first. We’ll be back in time for the start of the second singles.
6:35 p.m
Direct comparison goes to Cerúndolo
The Argentine clay court specialist had a flawless record until August with three wins from three games (all on clay) against Alexander Zverev, but then had to give up at the beginning of the second set in the round of 16 in Toronto. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old knows how to defeat the German number one, but the surface speaks for Zverev.
6:30 p.m
Cerúndolo rather weak in form
Francisco Cerúndolo made his Davis Cup debut just three years ago and has since won seven of his eleven singles for Argentina. The 27-year-old had a rather mixed year on the tour and only reached the final at the home tournament in Buenos Aires (defeat against Fonseca). The right-hander never went beyond the third round of Grand Slams this season. The Argentinian recently competed on the indoor hard court in both Vienna and Paris, but had to withdraw in the round of 16 in each case.
6:20 p.m
Zverev with 15th individual appearance
Nine years ago, Alexander Zverev appeared for the German Davis Cup team for the first time, and he will soon be competing in his 15th singles. So far, the world number three has a positive record of nine wins and five defeats. Most recently, the 28-year-old was in decent form again in the indoor season, reaching the quarter-finals in Vienna and the semi-finals in Paris. In each case it was against the eventual winner Jannik Sinner, who was also able to defeat him in the group phase of the ATP Finals. Zverev still had progress in Turin in his own hands, but lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in two sets.
6:10 p.m
Spain is waiting in the semi-finals
The German team qualified for the finals with a commanding 4-0 away win against Japan, which Alexander Zverev also declared himself ready for after his elimination from the ATP finals at the explicit request of his teammates. The 28-year-old will be representing Germany in the final round of the new format for the first time. The duel starts a little late because Spain and the Czech Republic went into the decisive doubles match, which the Spaniards won and are therefore waiting for the winner of this match in the quarter-finals (Saturday).
6:00 p.m
Welcome to the last Davis Cup quarter-finals and the eleventh duel between Germany and Argentina! The aim is to polish up the DTB selection’s promising record; the German team has only been able to defeat the South Americans three times, but at least in the last meeting in 2019. Jan-Lennard Struff is currently fighting for the first point in the first singles against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, after which Alexander Zverev will meet Francisco Cerúndolo.