Luciano Darderi will begin his North American hard-court swing at the ATP 250 event in Los Cabos, Mexico, where he arrives as the No. 2 seed and the only Italian in the main draw.
The 24-year-old from Italy arrives in Baja California Sur fresh off a semifinal appearance at the clay-court event in Estoril, Portugal. His transition to hard courts begins in Mexico, where his seeding rewards a steady climb up the ATP rankings. As the No. 2 seed, Darderi receives a first-round bye and will open his campaign in the second round.
His first opponent will be the winner of the opening match between Czech Dalibor Svrcina and Australian Adam Walton. The path from there could escalate quickly: a potential quarterfinal against big-serving Canadian Denis Shapovalov, followed by a possible semifinal clash with former Indian Wells champion Cameron Norrie, a player who knows how to navigate deep runs on hard courts.
The top half of the draw is anchored by top seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic. The young Czech has been in strong form and will be tested by a section that includes Grigor Dimitrov, Francisco Cerundolo, and promising French talent Moise Kouame.
One of the more captivating subplots in Los Cabos is the return of Bernard Tomic. The Australian, who last played an ATP-level match in October 2024, enters the main draw as a lucky loser. His presence adds an element of unpredictability to the lower half of the bracket.
For Darderi, Los Cabos represents a crucial early opportunity in a demanding stretch that includes the ATP Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati before culminating at the US Open in New York. A deep run here would not only boost his ranking but also provide the confidence needed for the biggest weeks of the North American summer.
Play is already underway at the Cabo del Mar resort, with the final scheduled for Saturday.
Sources
- https://www.tennisitaliano.it/atp-250-los-cabos-il-tabellone-darderi-numero-due-del-seeding-torna-bernard-tomic/
