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Italian Open Upset: Darderi Stuns Zverev; Medvedev Cruises to Quarters

Danil Medvedev cruised into the Italian Open quarterfinals with a straight-sets win over Thiago Tirante. Luciano Darderi produced a stunning upset, saving four match points to defeat second seed Alexander Zverev. Darderi reached his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal and recorded his first win over a top-10 opponent. He credited the crowd for his victory, calling it a dream to be in the quarterfinals.

Key Points: Italian Open: Darderi Upsets Zverev, Medvedev Advances

  • Medvedev beats Thiago Tirante 6-3, 6-2
  • Darderi saves four match points to beat Zverev
  • Darderi’s first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal
  • 19-year-old Rafael Jodar also reaches QFs
2 min read

Italian Open: Medvedev reaches quarterfinals; Luciano stuns Zverev

Danil Medvedev reaches Italian Open quarterfinals; Luciano Darderi saves four match points to stun second seed Alexander Zverev in a thrilling upset.

"I won because of the crowd. You cannot give up here. The crowd helped me a lot and it is a dream to be in the quarter-finals. - Luciano Darderi"

Rome, May 13

Russian star Danil Medvedev cruised to the quarterfinals of the ongoing Italian Open on Tuesday night.

Medvedev, currently ranked world number nine, outclassed Thiago Tirante in his round of 16 match by 6-3, 6-2 in a one-sided manner.

On the other hand, Luciano Darderi produced a shocker, saving four match points on his way to a win over second-seed Alexander Zverev.

Luciano was down 3-5 in the second set and then went onto save four match points in the second set tie-break and then won an extremely one-sided final set to spark scenes of jubilation at Rome.

Luciano made it to the quarterfinals of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time and also recorded his first-ever win against a top-10 opponent.

"It was a very tough match," Darderi said as per ATP's official website. "At the start I was not feeling very good physically. At 3-5 in the second set, I was done. I think I had a small chance in the second set when I held for 4-5 and then the tie-break was a lot of pressure for him and me. It is not easy to play here because I am a bit nervous, but it was really nice. It was a good fight mentally from me," he continued.

"I won because of the crowd. You cannot give up here. The crowd helped me a lot and it is a dream to be in the quarter-finals. It is the tournament of my life," he signed off.

The 24-year-old has become the first other than Jannik Sinner to beat Zverev at a Masters 1000 tournament since Shanghai last October and his next round challenge would be Rafael Jodar, who at 19 years of age is the first teenager since Novak Djokovic in 2007 to reach the quarter-finals in Rome.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Honestly, Zverev's inconsistency is frustrating to watch. He has the game to dominate but mentally he cracks under pressure. Luciano deserved the win though—what resilience! And that crowd support... reminds me of how Indian fans rally behind our players in big moments. We need more such upsets to keep tennis exciting.
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Vikram M
Medvedev cruising through while Zverev crashes out—this is why tennis is so unpredictable. Luciano's story is inspiring: from almost losing to creating history. Being Italian, playing at home must have given him wings. Reminds me of our own Paes and Bhupathi's heroics. Hoping to see more Indian players make such breakthroughs soon. 🇮🇳
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Sarah B
Zverev keeps finding ways to lose from winning positions. It's become a pattern. Luciano showed incredible mental strength—saving four match points then running away with the final set 6-1. The kid is only 24 and this is his first Masters quarterfinal. Could be the start of something special. Also, nice to see tennis getting coverage beyond the usual Big 3.
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Rohit P
As someone who follows tennis regularly, I have to say Luciano's win is the story of the tournament so far. But let's be real—Zverev has to sort out his mental game. He's been in the top 10 for years but keeps falling short in big moments. Meanwhile, Medvedev just goes about his business quietly. That's the mark of a true champion. 🏆
J
James A
Luciano Darderi is a name to remember! Saving match points, then winning

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