Appearing on the Open’s Blue Zone broadcast on Saturday after beating Karen Khachanov 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the third round of the tournament, Darderi was left stricken on a sweltering day down under.
The 22-seed’s match had been played on an uncovered outside court in temperatures of at least 36°C, but it was inside where Darderi truly felt the impact of the day. The 23-year-old was hit by severe cramp while being interviewed by host Chris Stubbs and former American star Nicholas Monroe.
Darderi could not help but grab his hamstring while live on television. Conversation abruptly stopped as Darderi could only grimace and clutch his leg.
“Are you OK?” Stubbs asked. “This is the conditions today that we’re facing.
“We might get back to the match just for a moment here … We’ll give Luciano just a moment to regain his composure.”
Once his cramps had subsided, Darderi told Stubbs that it had felt ‘like a dog that bit my hamstring’.
Darderi will hope to avoid such setbacks when he takes to the fourth round against world No.2 Jannik Sinner. His countryman prevailed over Eliot Spizzirri in a match that was interrupted by the intense temperatures on court.
“I was alone. There was no treatment. You cannot have treatment in that time. So I was stretching. I lay down for five minutes, trying to loosen up the muscles,” the 24-year-old said. “It worked really well. Trying to get the body temperature a bit more down. That’s it. There are not many things you can do. Time passed quite fast, but it helped me, for sure.”
Darderi and Sinner face off on Margaret Court Arena on Monday, which holds around 7,500 spectators. It marks the first time in two years Sinner has been required to play on the second show court.
The reigning champion is pleased to be playing against Darderi. “Obviously next match, let’s see what’s coming,” he added.
“[We] practised only once, so it’s not a lot. But very happy, you know, to have at least one Italian for sure in the quarters. Again, in a Grand Slam, it’s great.”