Rome, 12 Feb. (LaPresse) – Luciano Darderi was eliminated in the first round of the IEB+ Argentina Open (ATP 250 on clay, prize money 688,985 dollars) in Buenos Aires at the Lawn Tennis Club, the ‘Cathedral of Argentine tennis’. Number 59 in the world, he lost in his first match 64 64 against the number 5 seed, the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo, number 28 ATP, who will now face his younger brother Juan Manuel for the first time in the major circuit. Darderi, who beat Cerundolo last year in Houston, in the only clay court tournament in North America, seems to be able to take the lead right from the start. In the second game he goes up 15-40, but the Argentine plays the important points better: he ends the match with seven break points saved out of eight and 28 winners to six. At 1-1, the Argentine's momentum paid off and he was the first to break, a break that would prove decisive. Darderi slipped to 2-5, and only managed to break back once, on his seventh chance, in the eighth game, but it was too late. At 5-4, Cerundolo defends his serve well and wins the set after 42 minutes. The match is interrupted for a long time due to rain, but when it resumes the scenario doesn't change. On the contrary, the Argentine's dominance becomes even clearer. Darderi loses his serve again in the third game and in the fifth game he misses three chances to break twice. Cerundolo saved the only ball of the counter-break at 2-3 30-40 and closed out the second match point. ‘When it rains a lot it's never easy – the Argentine explained after the match – We arrived at the club at 11 in the morning and finished at 11 at night. Sometimes you have to stop, warm up, rest, relax but always be ready to go back in. I think I did it well’.
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