In a stunning upset at the 2026 Rome Masters, world No. 20 Luciano Darderi clawed his way back from the brink of defeat four times to overcome third-ranked Alexander Zverev 1-6, 7-6(10), 6-0 in the fourth round.
Darderi, who had lost to Zverev in straight sets at the same tournament in 2024, found himself trailing 5-3 in the second set after dropping the first set 6-1. Facing a 5-6 deficit in the tie-break, the Italian saved a match point. He then saved three more match points at 7-8, 8-9 and 9-10 before clinching the tie-break 12-10.
The 24-year-old carried that momentum into the decider, racing through it 6-0 to record his first career win over a Top 10 opponent. He also secured a maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal berth.
“It was a tough match,” Darderi said. “I was not feeling great physically at the start. At 3-5 down in the second set, I thought I was done. But when it got to 4-5, I saw a little light. The tie-break was huge pressure for both of us. I fought through mentally.”
Darderi credited the home crowd for his resilience: “I won because of them. You cannot give up easily here. The fans helped me so much. Reaching the quarterfinals here feels like a dream – the best tournament of my life.”
For Zverev, the two-time Rome champion, letting the match slip was frustrating. “I was a bit tired – physically or maybe just fatigued from playing too much tennis,” he said. “I should have closed it in two sets, but it is what it is. Credit to him – he played incredible tennis in the third. No hard feelings with the Italian fans. I enjoy that atmosphere; they were passionate for their player.”
When asked about facing fellow Italian Jannik Sinner, Zverev said he needs to believe he can beat the world No. 1: “I have to believe. Otherwise we wouldn’t play the match; we’d just hand him the trophy.”
Darderi will face 19-year-old Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar in the quarterfinals. Jodar, who became the youngest Rome quarterfinalist since Novak Djokovic in 2007, defeated American Learner Tien 6-1, 6-4. “I’m super happy,” Jodar said. “I just focused on my game and did my best in every moment.”
Zverev now turns his attention to Roland Garros, where he will try to rediscover the form needed to challenge Sinner.
