Cerundolo, a three-time ATP Tour titlist, saved a break point in the opening game of the second set and held to halt Zverev’s four-game winning streak.
But unwavering in focus, the third seed held to love in less than 90 seconds and moments later surged to a 2-1 lead by converting a break point that he manufactured with a backhand winner that ended a 20-stroke rally.
Cerundolo had plenty of Argentine support in his quest to become to reach the first South American man to reach an AO singles quarterfinal since countryman Juan Martin del Potro in 2012. The powerful right-hander stood toe-to-toe with Zverev in baseline rallies, but couldn’t find a way through his accomplished opponent’s service games.
In the seventh game, Zverev broke yet again for a 5-2 lead when Cerundolo misfired a backhand.
Though the 18th seed regularly conversed with his coaches’ box containing Pablo Cuevas, the retired Uruguayan player who defeated Zverev in their only encounter in 2017, he couldn’t come up with any solutions to the German’s mastery.
Serving for the set, Zverev contributed a double fault before Cerundolo punched a volley winner to end a 22-stroke rally, earning his first break point of the match as the clock hit the 75-minute mark.
Though he didn’t convert that one, he captured the next when Zverev flubbed a volley into the net, leading to an eruption of cheers from the boisterous Argentinean fans.