Luciano Darderi – Photo Daniele Combi/MEF Tennis Events
In ten months only one thing has changed: everything. In August Luciano Darderi won the Todi Challenger as world number 250, today he triumphs at the City of Perugia Tennis Internationals | GIMa. Tennis Cup and gets into the Top 40. An overwhelming performance from the class of 2002 who will represent Italy at the Paris Olympic Games, nothing to be done for Sumit Nagal defeated 6-1 6-2. The new ATP number 34, as well as Italy’s number 3, won the third Challenger of his career without leaving a set on the way. Respecting the predictions for the whole week was not a given, but Luciano managed not to disappoint the public’s expectations. The ninth edition of the ATP Challenger 125 tournament organized by MEF Tennis Events at the Tennis Club Perugia ended with the first victory of an Italian, after Edoardo Lavagno stopped in the final last year.
Darderi: “Children’s cheering? Nice because I had the same dream as them” – After the match point there is a riot of applause for him, Luciano Darderi wins the 2024 edition of the Perugia Challenger. The final against the difficult Sumit Nagal ends with a peremptory 6-1 6-2 for the blue, who gets his hands on the second title of the season after the one at the ATP 250 in Cordoba which pushed him into the Top 100 a few months ago The rise in the rankings has been rapid and from Monday he will be number 34 in the world and number 3 in Italy, putting himself one position ahead of Matteo Arnaldi. “I didn’t expect such a fast final. Sumit is having a good season, fresh from winning a Challenger in Germany and is a tough opponent – “Luli”’s final comment -. I’m happy to be the first Italian to win in Perugia and I’m happy to have done it in front of my family. MEF Tennis Events tournaments are always well organised.” Accompanied by his family on the ride to Todi, everyone in Perugia was really there with Luciano; aided by the proximity of the Umbrian city to his Fano. The coach and father Gino Darderi (honoured on Father’s Day in Argentina), the promising brother Vito, the mother, the girlfriend and many other team and family members. “It all came together: number 3 in Italy and the Olympics. Until a year ago people didn’t know me, now many people cheer for me and children ask me for photos and autographs. I’m happy because they play tennis and have the dream I had.” Darderi is already leaving for Germany, he will open his swing on grass in Halle against the German Struff. Then the ATP 250 in Mallorca and Wimbledon: “The first two weeks will help me get into a rhythm and play Wimbledon at my best. There are many strong players on grass, for me the most important thing will be to stay healthy.”
The joy of Marcello Marchesini – “This club is fantastic. At the time of the first edition, the tournament began quietly, has grown and since last year has really exploded. We were already more than satisfied, but we didn’t think we could reach the peak of these days. This year the Internationals were worth an ATP 250 both for the protagonists on the pitch (Fognini, Darderi, Coric, Passaro, Altmaier, Djere, Nagal and many others) and for the response of the public which gave us three sold out evenings: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.” Marcello Marchesini, president of MEF Tennis Events, couldn’t be happier at the end of the 9th edition of the International Tennis City of Perugia. Tennis has once again conquered the city and is now a highlight of the Umbrian sporting calendar: “We have never seen Perugia like this. There have been nine editions of the Challenger, but ten major tournaments have been played here. In fact, after the pandemic, Sonego won a very high-level event here. Perugia is a special place for me. I am proud of the work of the MEF Tennis Events team, in particular that of my daughters Elena and Federica, who in recent years have worked hard to promote the event in the city”. Once this tournament has been archived, great tennis will return to Umbria in August with the City of Todi Tennis Internationals (12-17 August): “We at MEF have passed the halfway point of our season. After three tournaments in Tenerife, the WTA 125 in Parma and Perugia we are at 5. We still have Todi and Olbia, then we will start again from Tenerife in 2025″.
Result of Sunday 16 June
The final
Luciano Darderi (1/WC) b. Sumit Nagal (6) 6-1 6-2
