Alexander Zverev was looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat in Madrid, when he returned to action in Rome.
World number two, Zverev, lost to Francisco Cerundolo, 5-7, 3-6, in the fourth round of the 2025 Madrid Open.
The defeat saw Zverev slip to 0-3 in the head-to-head with Cerundolo, as he continues to struggle against the Argentinian star.
Returning to competition at the Italian Open, Zverev produced a commanding display against Cerundolo’s countryman, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, booking his place in the third round with a 6-2, 6-1 win.
The story of the day came after the match, however, when Zverev expressed his disappointment with a reporter after he asked him a ‘stupid question’.
Alexander Zverev said he’ll leave it up to reporters to ask ‘stupid questions’ after Rome win
After the German’s 6-2, 6-1 win over Ugo Carabelli, a reporter spoke to Zverev during the on-court interview.
“You’ve had a couple of early exits in the Masters this year, so how nice is it to get one under your belt here?” the reporter asked.
Zverev was unimpressed with the question, reminding the reporter of his recent victory in Munich.
“I mean, I did, but I won a tournament two weeks ago,” he said.
