World number two Alexander Zverev is debuting on the South American clay in 2025.
The German star boldly decided to skip tournaments such as the Rotterdam Open and Qatar Open, instead favoring a trip to South America for the clay ‘golden swing.’
Zverev lost to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open final, 3-6, 6-7, 3-6, in January as he fell to his third Major final defeat.
Looking to bounce back, Zverev traveled to Buenos Aires for the Argentina Open, where he took on Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.
Zverev beat Lajovic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, as he advanced to the quarter-finals without too much trouble.
Determined to keep improving, Zverev was spotted doing something after the match that left several fans impressed.
Alexander Zverev spotted training after winning his first-round match at the Argentina Open
Footage emerged on social media of the 27-year-old training just a few short hours after beating Lajovic in Buenos Aires.
“Alexander Zverev, the world number two, training at ten at night after having won in his debut at the Argentina Open,” the post said.
One fan was quick to praise the German star for his work ethic.
“Such dedication, he deserves a Grand Slam,” they said.
Another fan gave their thoughts on Zverev’s training, as they predicted his schedule over the coming months.
“I have no doubt that he is preparing for Roland Garros,” they said.
“It is his goal, and I would not be surprised if he does not play in one of the two Masters on clay that are coming up.”
Zverev spent just over 1 hour 30 minutes on the court during his win over Lajovic, as he made light work of the world number 81.
| Player | Aces | Double faults | 1st Serve % | 1st Serve points won % | 2nd Serve points won % | Break points conversion % |
| Alexander Zverev | 6 | 4 | 71 | 80 | 39 | 43 |
| Dusan Lajovic | 4 | 2 | 75 | 64 | 35 | 25 |
The German will likely look to improve on his second serve when he next takes to the court in Buenos Aires, having won just 39% of his points behind it against Lajovic.
Alexander Zverev set for tough Argentina Open quarter-final clash with Francisco Cerundolo
Next up for Zverev in Buenos Aires is a tough test against home favorite Francisco Cerundolo, who won his opening two matches without dropping a set.
Cerundolo beat his brother Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round, 6-2, 6-3, to book his place in the quarter-finals.
Cerundolo and Zverev have faced off once before on the ATP Tour, at the 2024 Madrid Open.
It was the Argentine who produced a shock win over the two-time champion, as he came out a 6-3, 6-4 victor.
Cerundolo then took on American star Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals, where he narrowly fell to defeat in three sets.
The 26-year-old has proven his class on clay over recent years, reaching four of his five ATP finals on the surface.
| Tournament | Result | Opponent | Score |
| 2024 Croatia Open | Win | Lorenzo Musetti | 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 |
| 2023 Lyon Open | Loss | Arthur Fils | 3-6, 5-7 |
| 2022 Swedish Open | Win | Sebastian Baez | 7-6, 6-2 |
| 2021 Argentina Open | Loss | Diego Schwartzman | 1-6, 2-6 |
Cerundolo beat Italian star Lorenzo Musetti in the final of the Croatia Open last year, to pick up his third ATP title and his second on clay.
Zverev, Cerundolo, and Musetti are the three remaining seeds left in the 2025 Argentina Open, after several top stars lost in the early rounds.
Second seed Holger Rune fell to defeat against Mariano Navone, bringing an end to his campaign in Buenos Aires on Thursday.
Cerundolo will play Zverev for a place in the semi-finals before Musetti takes on Pedro Martinez on Friday, February 14.
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