Zverev returns in winning fashion, reaches Buenos Aires QFs

Competing for the first time since reaching the Australian Open final, Alexander Zverev returned in style Wednesday at the IEB+ Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. The top seed downed Serbian Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals at the ATP 250.

Zverev was forced to work hard on serve at times, fighting through a four-deuce game at 4-3 in the second set, during which he was initially down a break. Lajovic disrupted the German’s rhythm by taking the ball early, but the German remained the more consistent player in key moments to seal a one-hour, 37-minute victory.

The World No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings improved to 5-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Lajovic.

“I’m happy with my win today,” said Zverev, who won 80 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “Maybe not the best match I’ve played, but it’s great to get your first win on clay court… The Argentines are very passionate, so it’s incredible to see a lot of people out for a first-round match. I’m enjoying myself and hopefully I’ll play a lot more matches here.”

Top seed, top talent 👆@AlexZverev with the improvisation en route to 6-4 6-4 past Lajovic @ArgentinaOpen | #ArgOpen2025 pic.twitter.com/VlmNKkgXpZ

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 12, 2025

The 27-year-old Zverev tallied a 23-6 clay-court record in 2024, including a title run at the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome. He also made the Roland Garros and Hamburg finals. Zverev is competing in South America for the first time since 2014, when he was ranked outside the Top 800 and playing ATP Challenger Tour events.

Up next for Zverev is fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo, who defeated his younger brother Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 6-3 in what was their first Lexus ATP Head2Head series meeting. The sibling’s clash on home soil marked the first ATP Tour match between brothers since, coincidentally, Cerundolo’s quarter-final opponent Zverev defeated Mischa Zverev in 2018 (Washington, D.C).

The 26-year-old Cerundolo won 54 per cent of his second-serve return points, compared to Juan Manuel's 26 per cent. The No. 28 player in the PIF ATP Rankings upset Zverev last year in Madrid and will look to do the same in the Buenos Aires quarters.