Again and always

Already the third matchup of the year between Darderi and Baez, they just won’t leave each other alone anymore

2/0 Darderi this season, 5/5 on the full H2H but the momentum is clearly on the Italian’s side. Both times they played, it was a mix of power and solidity that got the better of Baez; the Argentine just gets too few free points and gets worked over until he cracks. At the start of the tournament he’s been good, he just knocked out Garin and Tabilo, two locals! Yesterday he played really well.

Darderi is sloppier for the moment, having dropped a set against Navone and one against Pellegrino yesterday. I really don’t know how he dropped a set yesterday given how much he was dominating, then all of a sudden the match flipped before coming back to a kind of logical outcome afterwards. I really like the fact that Darderi is capable of winning a bunch of matches without necessarily being at his top level; it shows his average level of play is constantly rising, as well as his mental strength, whereas when Baez is bad/struggling he doesn’t win much.

I give the edge to Darderi in the match‑up; he makes more of a difference on serve and in open play with his power while containing Baez well, and Baez doesn’t like spending his time defending either. The Argentine wants to be the one dictating on court, but his forehand can let him down. I feel like he just can’t find solutions against Darderi; in the two matches this year I haven’t seen him with the weapons or the game to beat him.