The
Córdoba Open
suits
Luciano Darderi
very well .
On the clay of that tournament in 2023 he had achieved his first - and until last week - only victory in the main draw of an
ATP
.
And in that same scenario, yesterday he won his first title on the most important tour in professional tennis.
In an unprecedented final - only the third between two players from the
qualy
since the circuit was created in 1990 - the Italian-Argentine won 6-1 and 6-4 against
Facundo Bagnis
and took the trophy of the first competition of the South American tour of slow courts.
“Winning an ATP title is not something that happens every day.
And achieving it at 21 years old is very nice,” Darderi celebrated.
“I still have a lot to learn and grow.
We are working to be a little better every day.
I hope this is the first title of many.”
The consecration, in what was his first final at this level, not only allowed him to inaugurate his personal record.
It also led him to break an important barrier: because from today he will be the new member of the top 100. He will be located on the 76th step, after making a jump of 60 places.
After Bagnis' backhand return went long and sealed his victory, and after the greeting at the net with the man from Rosario (who at 33 was also looking for his first title), Darderi went straight to look for his father, Gino .
And with him she merged in an emotional embrace.
Thanks to him, a former player and teacher who became his coach, Luciano discovered tennis.
And also thanks to his support, he got to the place he is today.
Remember the name: @lucianodarderi_#CordobaOpen pic.twitter.com/WcKPbjONBA
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 11, 2024
“I am very grateful for my dad.
We have been working hard with him for many years to achieve this.
There is a lot of effort and sacrifice behind it.
Any tennis player knows that it is like that.
That is why this victory is very special,” said the new champion.
And he took a few seconds to recognize the enormous tournament his rival had: “The final was very difficult, especially because of the nerves.
I want to congratulate Facu.
Being in an ATP final at 33 years old is incredible.”
Born in Villa Gesell in 2002, at the age of 14 he made a decision that changed his life and career.
Taking advantage of the fact that he had Italian nationality, and also motivated by the support offered by the tennis federation of that country (which he did not have in Argentina), he changed his flag and began playing with the green, white and red.
After a good career as a junior - he reached eight in the world in that category - he began his professional career and last year, after passing the Córdoba qualifying, he won his first ATP match in the debut of the main draw against the Frenchman
Hugo Gaston.
.
A moment he'll never forget 🏆@lucianodarderi_ #CordobaOpen pic.twitter.com/FyZgNEy1cu
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 11, 2024
Still focused on the
Challenger Tour
- in which he has won two titles (Lima and Todi, both in 2023) - he had to wait twelve months to achieve his second victory at the highest level.
And he went again in the Córdoba tournament, where he started in the preliminary phase and advanced with pure power.
He left behind the Chilean
Tomás Barrios Vera
, the Austrian
Sebastian Ofner
, fourth seed, the German
Yannick Hanfmann
, seventh, and
Sebastián Báez
, second and who was defending the crown, to reach the final.
And he ended up becoming the first ATP champion to come from qualifying since 2018. A triumph that Darderi will never forget.