Alexander Zverev will compete in his 33rd Masters 1000 quarter-final in Toronto. The top seed led Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 1-0 when the Argentine retired due to abdominal issues.
Thus, the German defeated the Argentine for the first time in four encounters, although he did not like the outcome. After the match, Alexander praised his opponent and a good friend, calling him an incredible player and person.
After the ninth game of the opening set, Zverev came to Cerundolo and exchange a couple of words, advising his rival to listen to his body instead of continuing and risking much more serious injury.
Francisco continued for two more games before ending his campaign in the worst possible way. Cerundolo broke in the fourth game of the duel and forged a 3-1 advantage.
However, he suffered a break in the next one and asked for a medical timeout. They served well in the next three games and locked the result at 4-4. Alexander clinched another break in game nine and held at 15 at 5-4 to wrap up the opener.
World no. 3 provided another break at the beginning of the second set before his rival retired. Zverev will face Alexei Popyrin in the quarter-final.
"Franciscois an incredible player and an incredible person. I have a very close relationship with him. I saw he was extremely upset after the ninth game of the first set. With an abdominal injury, you can not serve or accelerate with your forehand.
There's not much you can do. I saw he almost had tears in his eyes, and I wanted to talk with him. He said he wanted to continue because of the crowd, and I told him that sometimes we have to take care for ourselves.
Abdominal injury could last a couple of days, but it could only bother you for months. I definitely do not want to see him out for a few months. I wish to see him on the court as soon as possible.
He is enjoying an incredible season, and I have so much respect for him. He beat me three times in the past, and I do not have a single bad word for him"
