Three racket throws, no warning: Luciano Darderi survives controversy to reach Estoril semi-finals

Saturday, 25 July 2026 at 06:30

Luciano Darderi booked his place in the Estoril Open semi-finals on Friday, but his comeback victory over home favourite Jaime Faria came with plenty of controversy. The Italian repeatedly vented his frustration by throwing his racket during the second set, yet never received a code violation from the chair umpire.

The incident quickly sparked debate as Darderi escaped any warning despite three separate racket throws while trailing in the match. Instead of seeing his frustration punished, the Italian was allowed to continue before producing a remarkable turnaround to defeat Faria 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 after two hours and 26 minutes.

The outbursts all came during the second set, when Darderi looked on the verge of elimination. At one stage he trailed 2-6, 1-3 before eventually finding a way back into the contest, recovering from another difficult position later in the set to completely shift the momentum.

Rather than allowing his emotions to derail his afternoon, the Italian recovered spectacularly. From 2-5 down in the second set, Darderi reeled off five consecutive games before winning 11 of the next 13 overall, sealing one of his most impressive comeback victories of the season.

Three racket throws go unpunished

The first incident came with Darderi trailing 2-6, 1-3 and holding a break point. After failing to reach a drop shot from Faria, the Italian launched his racket in frustration. Moments later, following a forehand winner from the Portuguese, he threw it again.

A third outburst arrived only minutes later. Still fighting to stay alive at 2-4 and holding another opportunity to break back, Darderi missed a crosscourt backhand before once again slamming his racket to the ground.

Despite the repeated displays of frustration, the chair umpire chose not to issue a warning or any further code violation, allowing the match to continue without disciplinary action.

Darderi's three racket throws in set 2 occur without a warning
by u/Large_banana_hammock in tennis

Darderi turns frustration into another clay-court statement

Whatever frustration Darderi showed ultimately fuelled an impressive comeback. The Italian completely changed the rhythm of the match after falling 2-5 behind in the second set, overwhelming Faria with his heavy baseline game to secure another important clay-court victory.

The result continues an outstanding run on the surface for the 23-year-old, who arrived in Portugal fresh off a runner-up finish at the Swedish Open. Earlier this season, Darderi lifted the Chile Open title and also finished runner-up in Buenos Aires, underlining his consistency on clay throughout 2026.

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The victory also boosts him to world No. 23 in the live ATP Rankings, strengthening his position as Italy's fourth-highest ranked player behind Jannik Sinner, Flavio Cobolli and Lorenzo Musetti.

Darderi had already defeated Pedro Martínez and Jaime Faria this week and will now face fourth seed Alexander Blockx for a place in the Estoril final. He is chasing a fourth ATP final of the season and the eighth of his career, having already won five titles — all of them on clay.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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