Rafael Jodar has been a big improver but I think the odds are too short on the teenager here. Luciano Darderi is playing with plenty of confidence in Rome and can keep it going at a big price.
| Rafael Jodar | Luciano Darderi | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Spain | Italy |
| Age | 19 (17 September 2006) | 24 (14 February 2002) |
| Height | 6'3" (1.91m) | 6'0" (1.83m) |
| Plays | Right-Handed | Right-Handed |
| Ranking | 34 | 20 |
| Career High | 34 (May 2026) | 18 (March 2026) |
| ATP Tour Titles | 1 | 5 |
| 2026 ATP Tour Titles | 1 | 1 |
| ATP Rome Best Result | First Appearance | Third Round (2024) |
HTH
This will be the first match between Rafael Jodar and Luciano Darderi.
Jodar Closing in on Top 20
Rafael Jodar is flying up the rankings this year, climbing from 165 to 34 and on the verge of a Top 20 spot. He won his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech and lost in 3 sets to Arthur Fils in the Barcelona semi-finals.
The 19-year-old produced another strong performance in Madrid. He beat Alex de Minaur and Joao Fonseca on his way to the quarter-finals where he lost 6-2 7-6 to Jannik Sinner.
The Spaniard defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 6-4 in his opening match in Rome before a 3 sets victory over Matteo Arnaldi. He gave up only one break point in a 6-1 6-4 victory over Learner Tien to reach the quarters.
Darderi Dreaming Big in Rome
Luciano Darderi won four titles last year, all on clay. He lost the Buenos Aires final in February but bounced back to win the title in Santiago.
The Italian couldn’t win a match in Indian Wells and Miami, but got an easy run to the semi-finals in Marrakech where he lost to Marco Trungelliti. That poor form continued with early exits in Monte Carlo, Munich and Madrid.
The 24-year-old beat Yannick Hanfmann 6-4 6-4 in Rome before coming back to get past Tommy Paul 3-6 6-3 6-2. Darderi produced a remarkable turnaround to overcome Alexander Zverev 1-6 7-6 6-0, saving four match points.