Alexander Zverev’s campaign at the Rome Masters came to a shocking end in the round of 16. The 29-year-old German fell to Italian Luciano Darderi in a bizarre match that saw dramatic swings in momentum.
This is a contest Zverev is unlikely to forget anytime soon. The world No. 3 lost 6-1, 6-7 (8-10), 0-6, missing out on his 40th Masters quarterfinal appearance. The defeat is one that will sting Germany’s top tennis player for some time.
After the match, Zverev offered a less-than-convincing explanation for the collapse, complaining about “the worst court” he had “ever played on.” Having played his previous two matches on Campo Centrale, he was assigned to the second main court, the BNP Paribas Arena, for this encounter.
“Juniors, pros, futures, training – I’ve never played on a court in such poor condition. I had a match point, and the ball bounced over my head,” Zverev said. “I should have won the match in two sets. After that, he played fantastically.”
The first set went smoothly for Zverev, who raced to a 5-0 lead as Darderi committed numerous errors. A 6-1 scoreline was straightforward. Just before the set ended, Darderi called for a doctor, appearing unwell and unsteady, seemingly struggling with his fitness. It looked like an easy victory was on the cards for Zverev.
But the 24-year-old Darderi, currently ranked 20th in the world, took in some sugar, gathered himself, and raised his level. Still, he initially posed little threat to Zverev, who carried on confidently.
Leading by a set and a break in the second, Zverev served for the match at 5-3 but suffered a sudden lapse, getting broken unexpectedly. He regrouped to force a tiebreak, where he held four match points. However, Darderi fought back tenaciously, winning 10-8 after a gripping tiebreak.
From there, Zverev inexplicably faded. The third set was a disaster, with errors piling up for the German, who lost 6-0 without a fight. A gift-wrapped victory turned into a baffling defeat – a match Alexander Zverev will certainly not forget quickly.