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Just one singles match completed Thursday
February 09, 2024
Luciano Darderi celebrates passage to his first ATP Tour quarter-final in Cordoba.Cordoba Open
Luciano Darderi celebrates passage to his first ATP Tour quarter-final in Cordoba.
By ATP Staff
Argentine qualifier Luciano Darderi stunned fourth seed Sebastian Ofner 6-0, 6-3 to charge into his first ATP Tour quarter-final in Cordoba Thursday.

The 21-year-old World No. 124, who is coached by his father, Luciano Enrique, needed just 64 minutes to claim the biggest win of his career against the Austrian, who at No. 38 is just one spot below his career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking.

Darderi jumped all over the second serve of Ofner, who won just six of 22 second serves according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Darderi was the only singles winner Thursday, however, as rain forced the cancellation of all subsequent matches, setting up for a hectic schedule Friday, when many players will have to pull double duty.

In Friday's quarter-finals Darderi awaits the winner of seventh-seeded German Yannick Hanfmann and fellow Argentine qualifier Roman Andres Burruchaga, who upset Diego Schwartzman in the first round.

Italian qualifier Luciano Darderi booked a spot in the Top 100 and a place in his maiden ATP Tour final after winning a rollercoaster third set against second seed Sebastian Baez at the Cordoba Open Saturday night.

Born in Argentina but an Italian national, Darderi came into the tournament with just one ATP Challenger match win on the season, but wll now play for his first ATP Tour title after upsetting the World No. 26 Argentine 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

In Sunday’s final the 21-year-old will face a first tour-level Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with fellow qualifier Facundo Bagnis, who will also seek his maiden tour-level title after defeating countryman Federico Coria 6-3, 7-5.

“Baez is an amazing player and I am very happy for the victory,” Darderi said. “Bagnis and I are both fighters, so it will be a tough match tomorrow. I am going to be ready as I try to win my first title.”

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Darderi appeared to be cruising to victory against Baez at 4-1 in the deciding set but two games later he served back-to-back double faults from 30-all to hand back the break. But another plot twist awaited, as he won four straight points from 30/0 on Baez's serve, clinching the boomerang break with a down-the-line backhand passing shot from deep behind the baseline.

Baez had been on a nine-match clay-court winning streak, dating back to his title run in Kitzbuehel last year.

Darderi began the week as World No. 136, but has jumped inside the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings Top 100 for the first time in his career by reaching the final. He is now at No. 94 and could go as high as No. 76 with a title.

Coming into the tournament at No. 207 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Bagnis is the lowest-ranked player to reach a final since then-No. 255 Alex Molcan reached the Belgrade-2 final in 2021.


The 33-year-old, who saved 10 of 11 break points faced against Coria according to Infosys ATP Stats, reached his lone final in Santiago in 2021. But Bagnis has plenty of experience in finals at other levels, boasting a 17-13 record in 30 ATP Challenger Tour finals during his career. His highest ranking was No. 55 in 2016.

“Today was a real battle. Federico is a real fighter like me. Being in the final here in my country, I’m really happy," Bagnis said.

21-year-old to surge 60 places to World No. 76 in Pepperstone ATP Rankings
February 11, 2024

Luciano Darderi hold aloft his first ATP Tour trophy after triumphing in the Cordoba Open final.
By ATP Staff
Italian qualifier Luciano Darderi capitalised on a nervous and flat performance from home hope Facundo Bagnis to capture his first ATP Tour title in the Cordoba Open final Sunday.

Perhaps overwhelmed by the chance to win his maiden title at age 33, Bagnis won just 12 of the first 47 points of the match as 21-year-old Darderi raced to a 6-1, 2-0 lead in just 34 minutes, silencing Argentine fans in the process.

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In just the third all-qualifier final since the ATP Tour was established in 1990, Darderi took advantage of an error-laced performance from the World No. 207, who has appeared in 30 ATP Challenger Tour finals but just one tour-level final before Sunday, to run out a 6-1, 6-4 winner.

"I feel really good, I can't believe I have won my first ATP title," Darderi said. "Last week I lost in the [second] round of a Challenger.

“To come through from qualifying to win the title with my family here, my dad and my girlfriend, it's so special. And to make a big move in the rankings."

After the match seemed over early in the second set, Bagnis reclaimed the break and eventually led 4-3 before fatigue appeared to play a factor in him surrendering the decisive break in a six-deuce penultimate game of the match.

Darderi, who had just one tour-level match win to his credit before this week, is projected to surge from No. 136 to No. 76 in Monday’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Last week he lost in the second round of the ATP Challenger Tour event in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Born in Argentina but an Italian national, Darderi is coached by his father, Luciano.

The World No. 2 contacted the Cordoba Open champion hours after title run
February 16, 2024
Luciano Darderi is at a career-high No. 76 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.@argentinaopentennis
Luciano Darderi is at a career-high No. 76 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
By ATPTour.com/es Staff
Editor's Note: This story has been translated from ATPTour.com/es.

It’s Sunday, shortly before midnight, and 22-year-old Luciano Darderi just claimed his maiden ATP Tour title at the Cordoba Open as a qualifier. Suddenly, the Argentine-born Italian, No. 76 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings this week, sees two notifications light up his phone.

“On Sunday night I got a notification saying that Carlos Alcaraz had started following me and I had a message from him,” he told ATPTour.com with a smile. The No. 2 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings often played in the same youth tournaments as the Villa Gesell native, but they had never exchanged messages before.

“Although I’ve known him for some time, since I was little, for him to write to me was something I wasn’t expecting, honestly, because he’s such a huge star...”, explained Darderi.

“Phenomenon, congratulations, you’re amazing! Keep it up,” the Spaniard wrote to the Italian via direct messaging on Instagram. As soon as he saw it, Darderi thanked Alcaraz and told him he would see him in Buenos Aires. The Spaniard agreed and concluded the exchange with: “a big hug, enjoy the moment!”

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“I still haven’t bumped into him here because we haven’t had the chance, I played when he practised. But I hope to cross paths with him and say hello. His message showed me how humble he is because he didn’t have to send me anything,” he said.

Of all the texts and congratulations he received, Darderi also highlighted an emotional video from David Nalbandian. “He’s another tennis superstar and one of the best in the history of Argentine tennis,” he exclaimed.

A pivotal match in Darderi's title run was his quarter-final victory in which he defeated World No. 26 Sebastian Baez to mark the highest-ranked win of his career.

“That match proved to me how much mental strength I have, believing that I could win it. It was a really tough match but I stayed strong and managed to take it," Darderi said.

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Darderi was the first to arrive at the Mario Alberto Kempes on Wednesday, before qualifying, and the last to leave on Sunday, trophy in hand. A couple of days later, the Italian celebrated his 22nd birthday and he is now convinced that he has what it takes to thrive on the ATP Tour.

“I really think now that I belong at this level, because of my game and also my ranking,” he said. “But I still need a lot of tournaments and competition. Now I have to play and work a bit more intensely than before in order to give my all at this level,” he said.

“The week in Cordoba will help me sustain the career I have... in order to try and keep improving, plan my events with more peace of mind, and the results will come,” he concluded.

So Darderi’s future promises plenty of new and exciting chapters in a story of a rise that is showing no signs of slowing down.