Toronto Masters: Zverev Sets Up Popyrin Clash As Cerundolo Withdraws Midway Through Fixture
Alexander Zverev moved into the quarterfinal of the ATP Toronto Masters with a triumph over Francisco Cerundolo on Sunday as the latter was forced to withdraw due to an injury.
Zverev secured a 6-4, 1-0 victory as Cerundolo pulled out following an abdominal injury, and the German is in line to take on holder Alexei Popyrin in his upcoming test.
Australia's Popyrin secured his ninth consecutive win in Canada by defeating ninth seed Holger Rune 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. The 26th-ranked Australian benefited from nearly 40 unforced errors made by his Danish opponent, who has occasionally received advice from Andre Agassi.
Looking ahead to facing Popyrin, Zverev mentioned he would return to the practice court after his shortened victory but first paid tribute to Cerundolo.
'He's an incredible player, and we share a close personal relationship," Zverev said of Cerundolo. 'I know about abdominal injuries.
'You can't serve or accelerate on the forehand. He had tears in his eyes when he had to quit. He didn't want to disappoint the crowd.
'But they can last from a few days to a few months. I respect him – he beat me three times before tonight."
Zverev, the 2017 champion, will be playing his fifth quarter-final in seven Canadian appearances. Earlier, Popyrin saved a break point with his sixth ace against Rune while serving for victory in the final game, finishing with a lob winner that left Rune flat-footed.
'This win means a lot," said Popyrin. 'I started the week not high on confidence but knew my game was there.
'I just let go of the pressure and it worked out for me," added Popyrin, who said dropping the first set was frustrating.
'I told myself to keep going and managed to play aggressively on the next break point that I got. From then on I felt much more comfortable."
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First Published:
August 03, 2025, 09:12 IST
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