Triumph and injury for Luciano Darderi in Umag

Luciano Darderi, world number 46, after the one in Baastad won his second tournament in two weeks on clay by triumphing in the Croatia Open in Umag. In the final he beat Spanish number 111 Carlos Taberner with a double 6-3.

There is only one break point in the entire first set and it is the one converted by Darderi at 3-2 in his favor to pocket the first partial. The score of the second set in Darderi’s favor is the same as the first but with two breaks, one in the fifth and one in the ninth game.

Unfortunately, however, after match point Darderi collapsed with a problem in his left ankle.To be seriously injured after winning his second consecutive ATP title after the one in Baastad last week, the fourth in his career, would be a terrible mockery indeed.

Darderi is the fourth Italian to triumph in Umag after Fabio Fognini in 2016, Marco Cecchinato in 2018 and Jannik Sinner in 2022, and on Monday he will rise to world number 35.