This time, no excuses!

Darderi has suffered a few avoidable setbacks, but now he’s expected to deliver in Rome and can’t afford to mess up.

It's already been several weeks now that Darderi has been feeling the effects and hasn't been able to put a run together. He gets a few wins here and there but without really being impressive, even if he says he's gradually getting back to his level and seems fairly positive about the coming weeks. He also says that the real target is Rome, and I think he's the kind of player who can elevate himself with a bit of crowd support and also a bit of pressure.

This clay suits him really well. He has time to set his feet and dictate play with his forehand. Last year, he lost to Draper and the year before, he lost to Zverev. Really tough draws. I think once he gets a bit of confidence back, he'll be fully capable of having a big tournament this week.

The trend is rather negative, or at least I'm not optimistic before his first match. I have to admit that this draw doesn't please me at all for him, given that Hanfmann has just played a great match against Hurkacz. The German is capable of anything. He can play disastrous matches or bother top players. He also likes the conditions here in Rome. I really thought the altitude suited him perfectly, which is true. But with the slowness of the courts, he ends up being able to play just as well and he's comfortable in that area. I see in him a player capable of being a formidable dark horse. But there are two things I don't like for him in this match-up. First, the match-up itself, which I don't find great, given that Darderi is going to stop him from dictating the rallies. The Italian is nowhere near as passive as Hurkacz. And the other big factor is obviously the crowd. This match is being played on the BNP Arena court,

The second biggest court of the tournament, around 6 p.m., which promises a pretty crazy and electric atmosphere.