Luciano Darderi excels on clay return in Buenos Aires | ATP tour | Tennis

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Darderi excels upon returning to Buenos Aires’ clay ‘comfort zone’

The second seed could crack the Top 20 by capturing the title in Argentina
February 12, 2026

Five months away from clay was not enough to stop Luciano Darderi from making a typically assured return to the surface on Thursday at the IEB+ Argentina Open.

The second-seeded Italian recorded a 6-1, 6-3 opening round victory against Tomas Barrios Vera at the ATP 250 in Buenos Aires and picked up where he left off on his favorite surface in 2025. Darderi, who won two ATP Tour titles (Bastad, Umag) and an ATP Challenger Crown (Genoa) in his most recent appearances on clay, needed just 82 minutes against Barrios Vera to extend his lead extend. winning streak on the surface up to 15 games.

Brilliant from start to finish 🏁@Lucianodarderi_ powers past Barrios Vera 6-1, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires.@iebmasargopen | #ArgOpen2026 pic.twitter.com/D2x9IUKK5x

— ATP tour (@atptour) February 12, 2026

“It is the first competition on clay after that [five] I have been playing hard for months, but I feel really comfortable here on clay,” said Darderi, who reached the fourth round on the hard court of the Australian Open last month. “Today was a very good match and I felt very good. He started to play better in the second set, but I am very happy to be here again in the quarter-finals.”

Competing at No. 22 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Darderi converted five of the nine break points he earned against Barrios Vera, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The 23-year-old could secure his rise to the Top 20 for the first time if he can capture his fifth ATP Tour title this week. The next player in the Argentine capital will stand in Darderi’s way: Pedro Martinez or home favorite Juan Manuel Cerundolo.