Zverev battles past Cerundolo to reach Munich semis, Shelton fends off Fonseca

[p]The three-time Munich champion won [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cerundolo-f-lWQ3G6gB/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=C29ZMfDl"]5-7, 6-0, 6-2[/a] and will take on Italy's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cobolli-flavio/zDtaCcPe/"]Flavio Cobolli[/a] on Saturday for a place in the final.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a] burst out of the blocks and served for a 5-1 lead in the opening set, but appeared to suddenly lose his rhythm, winning just one more game as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cerundolo-francisco/lWQ3G6gB/"]Cerundolo[/a] powered back to take the opening set.[/p][p]As the second set began, and with the support of the home crowd, the 28-year-old found his form as swiftly as he had lost it, bouncing back to win the final two sets while dropping just two games.[/p][p][b]"Even in the first set when I was up 4-1, he started playing unbelievable. He started returning unbelievable,"[/b] Zverev said.[/p][p][b]"My first-serve percentage was very high, and he started returning a foot in front of the baseline. So there was nothing I could do, to be honest."[/b][/p][p]The German came into Friday's match holding a 4-3 career advantage over the fifth-seeded Cerundolo but had never previously beaten the Argentine in three matches on clay.[/p][p][b]"Definitely happy to get the win today against Francisco, for the first time on clay,"[/b] Zverev said on court after the win.[/p][embed guid="e054877a-5e28-4499-97eb-c526a4a91987" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2045130766493823037" social-type="twitter" /][p]Zverev, whose most recent title came in Munich a year ago, is chasing a record fourth triumph at the tournament, having also won in 2017 and 2018.[/p][p]On the other side of the draw, American second seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shelton-ben/QNuG0Gzb/"]Ben Shelton[/a] overcame Brazilian teenager [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a] to keep hopes of a 2025 Munich final rematch with Zverev alive.[/p][p]Shelton, the world number six, won [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/fonseca-j-tv073LUc/shelton-b-QNuG0Gzb/?mid=Y53pXGO8"]6-3, 3-6, 6-3[/a] and will take on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/molcan-alex/drgiRTl7/"]Alex Molcan[/a] in the semi-finals, with the Slovak continuing his fairytale run at the tournament by beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shapovalov-denis/zXddgn9o/"]Denis Shapovalov[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/molcan-a-drgiRTl7/shapovalov-d-zXddgn9o/?mid=SYBJ0Txg"]6-4, 6-4[/a].[/p][p]Shelton has never won a clay court tournament, having lost in straight sets to Zverev in Munich a year ago.[/p][embed guid="559929ef-7a0f-4abc-b2fc-760657cee80d" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2045162330825130120" social-type="twitter" /][p]Earlier, Cobolli was the first to book a spot in the final four after he defeated Czech [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kopriva-vit/EHGKxKDL/"]Vit Kopriva[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/cobolli-f-zDtaCcPe/kopriva-v-EHGKxKDL/?mid=GbpxA64l"]6-3, 6-2[/a].[/p][p]Playing on his favourite surface, the fourth seed won the opening set and cruised to a 5-1 lead in the second. He missed two match points on Kopriva's serve before finishing it off in the following game.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/tennis/atp-singles/munich/"]Follow the Munich tournament with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]