And now?

What is Darderi going to do this week, is he physically and mentally ready to keep going or is he going to ease off a bit?

He’s going to remember his week in Rome for a long time, but his legs will also remember it in the short term, given that he was completely spent in his loss to Ruud in the last round. He had nothing left, and beyond the physical aspect, he burned through a lot of nervous energy all week in a tournament that really mattered to him, where we saw him cry several times after his wins. He gave everything he had, mentally and physically. Seeing him do anything noteworthy this week in Hamburg would be quite a feat.

He needs to get motivated again, have properly recovered physically, and go back into battle in a tricky tournament, where it’s a bit cooler and he won’t have the support of the crowd. It’s a real challenge. Maybe he’ll get through a few rounds thanks to his recent confidence and good momentum, but I don’t see him lasting very long this week.

On the other side of the net, there’ll be a tough opponent to face, a good Argentine who makes you play long rallies and doesn’t make errors — I’m talking about Burruchaga. The Argentine has lost a bit of speed since his big week in Houston. He hasn’t really produced any standout performances on European clay since then, but he’s maintained a decent level. He’s a solid clay-court player you need to find a way to outmaneuver.

Darderi beat him soundly in their only meeting in 2023, but a lot has changed since then. Obviously, the Italian has improved, but so has the Argentine, and he’s the one who’ll be the fresher of the two in this match. For me, it all depends a bit on Darderi, because at his best level, and with fresh legs, he’s the better player. On the other hand, in the current conditions, I’m a bit afraid he might run out of energy and mental fight if the match turns into a real battle. The worst-case scenario would be him losing the first set in a tight fashion, something like 7–5 or 7–6, and then finding himself with his back against the wall.