Luciano Darderi celebrates his first career victory on grass at ATP level beating the Spaniard Pedro Martinez. In his debut in Mallorca the Italian got rid of the Iberian in two sets, 7-5 7-5, after two hours of play. Great day of service for the number 5 seed who hit 11 aces to win 76% of points when serving first serve. However, it was not an easy match for the Italian who conceded twelve break points, saving ten, while Martinez had thirteen break points, who saved nine.
[5] L. Darderi b. P. Martinez 7-5 7-5
FIRST WEEK – Darderi’s start is uncertain, after the first three games the blue has already canceled four break points from an attacking Martinez. The inertia of the match changes in the fourth game when Luciano finds a great game in response, earning four break points. The Spaniard plays them in the worst way possible committing a double fault which costs him the break (3-1). Darderi, however, gets distracted in the following game, being caught off guard by Martinez who breaks him against him. In the eighth game Luciano has two break chances but Martinez comes out well, leading his opponent to make an error. The set is decided in the twelfth game when the Spaniard’s backhand crashes onto the tape; break and set for Darderi who closes 7-5 in 58′
SECOND SET – In the second half Darderi is a sentence when the first ball enters him (20/21 points won, 95%). In the fourth game there are two break points for Luciano but some errors in response preclude him from breaking. In the seventh game Martinez raises the engine speed, attacking the blue in response: they score two break points. Luciano clings to the serve and after saving a third break chance he takes home the game (4-3). In the ninth game, however, the blue gives way, the first ball missesand the Spaniard takes advantage of it.
Here Darderi’s character comes out who finds the counter break on the third ball useful with a great response, it’s a draw again. The same return game is repeated in the twelfth gamethe one in which Luciano finds the break in the bracket. The blue thus closes with a double 7-5. In the next round he will face the winner of the match between the Austrian Sebastian Ofner and Spanish Jaume Munar.
