8:44 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 3:4
Cerúndolo changes his return position and now tries to block close to the baseline. That fails at first, the forehand slice turn and the subsequent frame forehand return sail out of bounds – 30:0.
8:43 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 3:4
This time the edge of the net doesn’t play for Zverev, the backhand return bounces perfectly for Cerúndolo, who completes the forehand longline winner from the T-line. This gives the Argentine the ball that he can use. Zverev can no longer return a good backhand cross from the 27-year-old.
20:42
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:4
Cerúndolo is not consistent enough with the overhead ball from the T-line and puts it at the edge of the net. From there he jumps pleasantly long for Zverev, who completes it with a forehand longline passing ball. Then the German delivers his backhand return a little too long – 30:30.
20:41
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:4
Zverev’s backhand return bounces back from the edge of the net to his side. This is followed by a forehand unforced error from Cerúndolo who sets the forehand inside-in a little too long – 15:15.
8:40 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:4
With a combination of serve to the outside and forehand longline, Zverev forces Cerúndolo’s backhand error and brings his service through.
8:39 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:3
Zverev continues to serve well and comes to the next service winner with a serve through the middle. Then the 28-year-old has to serve on the second serve and hits a forehand cross slightly inaccurately so that it rushes out of bounds. Two game balls remain.
8:37 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:3
Zverev moves outwards on the serve and completes the winner with a backhand drive volley. With the service through the middle, the Hamburger then provoked Cerúndolo’s forehand return error to make it 30-0.
8:36 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:3
Zverev counters an outward serve with a long forehand return to the feet of Cerúndolo, who then bends his forehand longline to the side. The German number one uses her first breakball.
8:34 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:2
Cerúndolo has to serve over the second serve before the first longer baseline rally occurs. The Argentine remains solid with his forehand, forcing Zverev’s backhand error. The German does better in the next rally when a backhand slice from his opponent sails into the net. There are the first two break chances of the game.
8:33 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:2
Long baseline rallies are still rare. This time the backhand-cross duel goes to Zverev, who then produces a forehand unforced error and scores 0:30 for the first time when the Argentine serves.
8:32 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:2
The next good serve to the outside and service winner brings Zverev three game balls. The 28-year-old equalized with the next ace through the middle.
8:30 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:1
Zverev chooses the middle of the attacking ball and is successful, Cerúndolo’s backhand rushes into the net. With his first ace to the outside, Zverev makes it 30-0.
20:29
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 2:1
With a strong angle on the serve to the outside, Cerúndolo forces Zverev’s forehand return error and gets the cue ball. The next Zverev return doesn’t make it into the field either, Cerúndolo puts himself in front again.
20:28
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 1:1
A forehand unforced error from Cerúndolo earns Zverev the next point. Then the German number one shows his best rally and forces the Argentine’s mistake with a quick backhand longline – 30:30.
20:27
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 1:1
With a backhand longline counterattack from the defense, Cerúndolo caught Zverev whose forehand couldn’t make it over the net. The Argentine made it 30-0 with a serve to the outside and a service winner.
8:25 p.m
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 1:1
Zverev advances to the outside of the net with the backhand slice cross after the serve, Cerúndolo’s backhand longline passing ball narrowly misses the line. So Zverev has three game balls and immediately uses number one. The German is at the net again, Cerúndolo’s backhand lob is clearly too long.
20:24
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 1:0
Zverev starts his first service game with a service winner by serving to the body. The following forehand return from Cerúndolo also rushes out – 30:0.
20:23
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 1:0
Zverev gets into the rally well with the long backhand return and forces Cerúndolo’s mistake with the longline forehand. With a second serve into the body, the Argentine provokes Zverev’s backhand return error and gets his service through at the start.
20:22
Francisco Cerundolo – Alexander Zverev 0-0
With his first ace through the middle, Cerúndolo makes it 30:15 and gets two game balls because Zverev’s backhand longline lands sideways out of bounds.
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.