Melbourne Park witnessed one of the most bizarre and dramatic finishes to a tennis match on Tuesday, as Italian star Luciano Darderi secured his maiden Australian Open victory before sprinting off the court in a race against time.
A Gruelling Battle in the Melbourne Heat
The 22nd seed, Luciano Darderi, booked his spot in the second round with a hard-fought straight-sets win over Chile's Cristian Garin. The final scoreline of 7-6(5), 7-5, 7-6(3), however, barely hints at the chaos that unfolded. Both players laboured through another scorching day at the season's first Grand Slam, with the physical toll becoming painfully evident in the deciding set.
At a critical 6-5 in the third set, the match took a surreal turn. Both athletes called for medical timeouts simultaneously. Darderi was grappling with severe stomach issues, while Garin was treating debilitating blisters on his foot. The parallel stoppages underscored the brutal conditions and the sheer determination on display.
The Sprint to Victory... and the Exit
After the medical break, Darderi managed to hold his serve, pushing the set into a tiebreaker. He composed himself to clinch the match, but the celebration was anything but conventional. The moment the final point was won, Darderi immediately sprinted to the net for the most perfunctory of handshakes with Garin before bolting towards the exit.
Commentator Mike Cation captured the moment perfectly for stunned viewers, saying, "Sprinting to the net is Luciano Darderi ... in fact, he might be sprinting to shake and leave the court ... he is. Wild scenes for Luciano Darderi, who has left the building." He added, "Stomach cramps and all. And he picks up his first ever Australian Open win and won’t celebrate on court. That was a routine match, until it wasn't. The last half hour was completely bonkers."
The crowd and commentary team were left in bewildered silence as the victor vanished, leaving an empty court in his wake.
A Belated Celebration and Looking Ahead
Thankfully for his fans, the story had a more traditional ending. Darderi did eventually return to the court to acknowledge the supportive Melbourne Park crowd and soak in the significance of his first-ever win at the tournament. The delayed celebration was a testament to his resilience and the extraordinary circumstances of the match.
Darderi now advances to the second round, where he will face either Argentine player Sebastian Baez or big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. In other results on Tuesday, fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego also progressed, defeating Spain's Carlos Taberner in straight sets.
