ATP Hong Kong: Lorenzo Sonego smiles, Luciano Darderi does not

Lorenzo Sonego in the round of 16 in Hong Kong

Lorenzo Sonego&#39s 2025 season begins with a smile: engaged in the first round of the ATP tournament in Hong Kong, the Piedmontese tennis player defeated 7-6(4), 6-3 the American Brandon Nakashima, fifteen positions higher than him in the world ranking (the Italian è 53rd, the American 38th), at the end of a match that lasted one hour and 31 minutes.

Opposite, on the other hand, was the fate of the other Italian engaged Monday in the Chinese autonomous region: Luciano Darderi, number 44 ATP, è was in fact defeated by Miomir Kecmanovic, who occupies the number 54 position in the world ranking. The Serbian i è imposed with a double 6-3, in 68 minutes of play.

The names of two Italians appear on the eighth-round list, therefore, at the moment: in addition to Sonego, in fact, there'è also Lorenzo Musetti, who took advantage of a 'bye' to advance directly to the second round. There'è also the possibility of finding a third representative of the tricolor, Francesco Passaro, committed Tuesday against Pedro Martinez in the first round.

The Hong Kong tournament is played annually, on cement, and this year it is held close to the Australian Open: the defending champion of the men’s tournament è Andrey Rublev, who in last year’s final beat Emil Ruusuvuori in two sets, while in the women’s event to hold the title è Diana Shnaider, who defeated Katie Boulter in the final, also after two sets.