SANTIAGO/WASHINGTON, February 26, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
As the seventh edition of the BCI Seguros Chile Open has unfolded this week in the capital city of Santiago, among a field dominated by Argentine and Chilean clay-court specialists, it has been an Italian born in Argentina, who has stood out by focusing on his own path: Luciano Darderi.
The 24-year-old Darderi, born in Villa Gesell, a popular seaside resort city located on the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina, idolized Roger Federer as a youngster but was inspired by Argentine great Juan Martin del Potro. His father, Luis Enrique Darderi, a former tennis player, who coaches him now that he’s a professional, taught him how to play at age four.
Growing up in Argentina, it’s little surprise that Darderi’s favorite surface would be clay, which he has excelled upon. How he came to represent Italy is due to a combination several things: Darderi’s Italian ancestry, a family move to Europe at a young age, and the financial support of the Italian Tennis Federation. Darderi is fluent in Spanish, Italian and English languages.
La cara de un tipo que pasó a la final del IEB+ Argentina Open el día de su cumpleaños pic.twitter.com/qwljI0CYZe
— IEB+ Argentina Open (@iebmasargopen) February 14, 2026
A former Top-10 junior, Darderi began the 2024 season ranked 128th, then broke into the Top 100 in February 2024, and reached the Top 50 in May 2024. By the end of last year, Darderi was ranked No. 25 and he achieved a career-high ranking earlier this month of World No. 21 after his run to the Buenos Aires final.
Last year, Darderi won three of his four career ATP Tour titles – all on clay – at Marrakech, Bastad and Umag.
With his 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over 77th-ranked Mariano Navone of Argentina on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinal round of this ATP 250 event on the Tour’s Golden Swing through South America, Darderi continues his powerful and physical, in-form run on clay. He’s 13-2 on the red-dirt surface since last July (18-2 including Challenger level events), only losing to top seed Francisco Cerundolo in the Buenos Aires final two weeks ago and to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the first round at Rio de Janeiro last week.
Darderi said he values the importance of competing on the Tour’s Golden Swing, in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago. “I think it is important because I play better on clay.
“It’s my third time playing here. It was a little different playing at night. … It was difficult because there is a little bit of altitude here,” Darderi said during his on-court interview after defeating Navone. “It’s different conditions, but I’m very happy to take the win.”
QF bound in Chile @Lucianodarderi_ gets past Navone 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. @chile_open | #ChileOpen pic.twitter.com/TqSX3r5zqX
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 26, 2026
Darderi’s victory over Navone, in which he won 73 percent (37 of 51) of his first-serve points and converted five of 12 break-point opportunities, boosted him into his 13th career ATP Tour quarterfinal – and the third last eight of this season, after Auckland and Buenos Aires. On Friday, Darderi will face fellow Italian Andrea Pellegrino, a qualifier ranked 137th, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-6 (2), 6-7 (2), 6-3 victory over No. 82 Francisco Comesana of Argentina.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Darderi owns the second-most wins on clay (45) behind Francisco Cerundolo (47), whom he could face again in Sunday’s final.
Gracias ♥️
Nos vemos el año que viene @iebmasargopen pic.twitter.com/rxUpPwc1IZ
— Luciano Darderi (@Lucianodarderi_) February 16, 2026
Earlier this month, prior to the Argentina Open, Darderi was asked to explain his decision to emigrate from Argentina to Italy as a child. “If I hadn’t gone to Italy when I was 10-12 years old, I wouldn’t have the ranking I have today,” he said.
“Thanks to the support, the tournaments, playing with people from Europe since I was a child … If you look at the best in Argentina, from under 10 to under 16, they compete against the same two or three people. People have no idea when they criticize. I focus on my own path.”
As Darderi (8-4 in 2026) continues to focus on his own career path, it seems every time his level rises more it’s reflected in his improved ranking. “My goal is to be Top 20 in the short term,” he said recently in Buenos Aires, “and also soon to break into the Top 10.”
Wednesday’s Chile Open results
Thursday’s Chile Open order of play
By the numbers
Germany’s 81st-ranked Yannick Hanfmann reached the quarterfinal round in Santiago for the third time after defeating No. 4 seed Camilo Ugo Carabelli of Argentina, ranked 59th, 6-4, 6-3, on Wednesday. He will face 107th-ranked lucky loser Vilius Gaubas of Lithuania, who rallied to beat qualifier Dino Prizmic of Croatia, ranked No. 120, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.
“Quotable …”
“It was a very tough match. A great battle. I want to say thanks to my friends who came to support me. Without them, it was very tough. Their support is something amazing.”
– Andrea Pellegrino of Italy, 137th-ranked qualifier, during his on-court interview, after advanced to his first ATP Tour quarterfinal with a 7-6 (3), 6-7 (2), 6-3 victory over No. 82 Francisco Comesana of Argentina on Wednesday.
