Luciano Darderi admits mental weakness after defeat in Monte Carlo.

Luciano Darderi, the Italo-Argentine tennis prospect, is going through a difficult moment following a bitter defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters 1000. After a semifinal in Marrakech that promised a rise, the 24-year-old fell in the first round, surprised by the solid Hubert Hurkacz. It has been a disappointing start to the clay season in Europe, raising questions about his mental state and ability to compete at the highest level. However, Darderi does not shy away from taking responsibility in a revealing press conference.

“He is a player who puts a lot of pressure on the serve. Today he played at a very high level, while I started very tense, and that gave him a lot of confidence. At first, it was difficult; then I managed to get into the game, in the second set I was even leading 4-1, 40-0, but I ended up complicating everything. After the break in the third set, he played better than me. That was the decisive moment of the match,” the tennis player analyzed, in a straightforward autopsy of his performance.

Despite the setback, Darderi assures that there is no serious physical issue: “I slightly twisted my knee, but it was nothing serious. That was not the reason for the defeat.” What truly plummeted was his emotional balance, something he acknowledged candidly: “It’s not usual for me to lose control like that, but I felt the game slipping away from me. He serves always above 200 km/h, without rhythm, and if you’re not solid, when he breaks you, it’s very hard to recover.”

The self-criticism is harsh, but the tennis player remains hopeful and determined to bounce back: “I will recover, I need more matches on clay and things will improve. I lost to a good player, not just anyone.” His confidence in his abilities on the surface is evident, even after breaking into the top 20 in the world.

Darderi knows that the biggest challenge lies in experience: “I still lack experience in bigger tournaments, where the anxiety is higher. In Grand Slams, which are best of five sets, I have managed to play well because there is more time to adapt. In these Masters 1000, you have less time, more pressure, and less margin for error.” The young Italian-Argentine must now use these lessons to become a true giant on European clay.

Next week, the opportunity for redemption will come at the ATP 500 in Munich, where Luciano Darderi hopes to show that this defeat is just a setback in his still-promising career. The tennis world will be watching.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.