Madrid lover, closing him wants a dream in the Magic Box | ATP Tour

Madrid

Madrid lover, closing him wants a dream in the Magic Box

The German defeats Zverev for the second consecutive year

April 29, 2025

The Manolo Santana stadium seemed to settle at times in the heart of Buenos Aires. With a stands full of albicelest flags, with songs that remembered a Buenos Aires atmosphere, Francisco Cerúndo it won an incredible ticket to the quarterfinals of Mutua Madrid Open. The Argentine defeated the two-time Alexander Zverev champion (7-5, 6-3) for the second consecutive edition, underlining his status as a candidate for everything in the ATP Masters 1000 of the Spanish capital.

“I am very happy because I know he loves playing here,” the South American acknowledged after defeating the main standard head of the painting. “He told me last year when I defeated him here on track 2. He loves the Manolo Santana stadium. It’s my first victory on this court and I feel very happy. Sascha is an incredible player and I have a great relationship with him. I feel a lot of happiness to achieve another victory and return to the quarterfinals.”

A day after the blackout that stopped the tournament dry, closing it was responsible for turning on Madrid with an impeccable force. The Argentine showed his ability to look at you to the great players of the circuit, leaving his balance against Top 10 members of the PIF ATP Rankings throughout his career. A whole path of the rounds that will decide glory in the Magic Box.

“I think I have improved a lot in my regularity, in my ability to continue fighting,” he explained by closing it, convinced of being able to row in matches where the blows do not come out as expected. “If I am not playing well, I manage to continue and trying again and again. I think it is something that I am doing much better this year. I have learned to play badly, to win game and have the ability to add victories without doing my best tennis.”

Recent results coincide with that reading, placing the Argentine among players with more capacity to find solutions on the track. Fran is the player with the most victories about clay of the season (15) and just a triumph separates him from leading the 2025 classification, taken by the Australian Alex de Miñaur and Carlos Alcaraz. A top that could get the throne in the Spanish capital.

“The first year that comes was a disaster, I didn’t like anything.” Last year we went around playing at height, because I had never liked it. Again I am in the quarterfinals but I think doing it better than last year. I’m feeling more comfortable, a little more confident. Winning a game of this hierarchy is very important to me. ”

“Here the ball flies more. I have managed to understand a little better how to be able to control it. I am a player who hits the ball strong, who likes to attack. It was to understand a bit how you play here in height. There are players who play well, who rest better, the serve is more important, … I have been training every day to feel better.”

On a day where great names fell, including the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, three times ATP Masters 1000 champion over clay, closing him kept his feet on the ground before an alleged favoritism in his hands. Far from entering an euphoria, the South American observed with respect the squad in the Magic Fund.

“Today in male tennis is very open, there are many players who play well. There may be some favorite like Sascha, which is the world No. 2,” he explained. “But then there are many players capable of winning great tournaments. Now I will play with Mensik that comes from winning Miami, it is young and very powerful, it takes out like a beast. I do not see myself a favorite in these games, I see myself 50/50. We have a similar ranking. The picture I think is very open, there are some that come with more confidence than others. The level in general is very high among all the players that remain.”

Above all, Fran competes with the feeling of being in a home. A balance on and off the court that promises to launch it in the most important matches that are yet to come.

“It is the tournament in which I feel more wrapped apart from Buenos Aires,” he acknowledged. “I love Madrid. It is special to be able to speak in Spanish for a few days. The food is fantastic. I love the city, I have many friends here. It is a good combination to have quality time out of the track, that helps me to give up better on it.”

In Madrid, where the Albiceleste atmosphere is already permanent, the dream of closing it shines with an increasingly strong force.