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Luciano Darderi Survives Late-Night Epic to Reach Italian Open Semi-Finals

Posted : 14 May 2026

Home favourite Luciano Darderi produced a gritty performance to defeat Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-0 in a marathon quarter-final at the Italian Open that lasted over three hours and finished in the early hours of Thursday.

Fresh off a standout win over second seed Alexander Zverev in the previous round, Darderi carried strong momentum into a late-night clash on Campo Centrale, where fans remained despite rain delays pushing the schedule deep into the night.

The match was briefly interrupted in the opening set after smoke from fireworks at the nearby Stadio Olimpico—where the Coppa Italia final between Inter Milan and Lazio was taking place—drifted into the Foro Italico, reducing visibility and affecting electronic line-calling systems.

Once play resumed, Darderi fought back from 2-5 down in the tiebreak to claim a tight opening set in front of the home crowd. However, Jodar responded strongly in the second set, recovering from a slow start to level the match after saving match points and breaking late to force a decider.

The physical and mental strain of the contest eventually showed in the third set, as the 19-year-old Spaniard faded while Darderi raised his level, breaking serve twice to close out a commanding finish.

Speaking after the match, Darderi described the victory as the biggest of his career, highlighting the special atmosphere in Rome and the difficulty of playing such a late and demanding match. He also credited his fighting spirit for helping him push through the long battle.

Darderi will now face Norway’s Casper Ruud in the semi-finals after Ruud defeated Russia’s Karen Khachanov in a three-set encounter earlier in the day.

Ruud’s match also featured a lengthy rain delay that shifted momentum, but the Norwegian regrouped in the final set to secure his place in the last four in Rome for the first time since 2023.

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