Tennis aficionados will be rubbing their hands with glee at one particular match ups in store on day seven of the ATP Rome Masters. 2017 Rome champion Alexander Zverev takes on up-and-coming young Italian Luciano Darderi in what should be a brilliant clash in the night session on Centre Court.
Zverev has been flying under the radar in the first third of 2024, accruing a respectable but not awe-inspiring record of 22-9 so far this season. His best results include semi-finals in Melbourne and Miami, plus some United Cup heroics in early January.
The German will fancy his chances of lifting a second trophy here in Rome, however, given the absence of some big names this week. Can he step up a level just in time?
He’ll face a tough challenge in Darderi. The 22-year-old burst onto the scene in emphatic style earlier this year when he came from qualifying to win the Cordoba ATP 250, his maiden title on the ATP Tour.
Since then, he’s continued to excel on clay, climbing his way up the rankings to sit at a career-high of No. 54 this week after semi-final and quarter-final runs in Houston and Santiago.
With this match played in front of a heated Italian crowd late in the evening, expect this one to get spicy. Can Darderi delight his home fans? Read on for our Zverev vs Darderi prediction and betting tips.
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How the Bookies View It: Zverev the Heavy Favourite
Despite Darderi’s clay court success and home court advantage, bookies aren’t giving him much of a shot here. The Italian is at 16/5 to win, compared to Zverev’s odds of 2/9. Set betting puts a Zverev victory in straight sets as the most likely outcome, paying 8/13.
Recent Head-to-Head: Nothing to See Here
This will be the first meeting between Zverev and Darderi on the ATP Tour.
Anything Else Catch the Eye?
Zverev holds an 18-6 record in Rome. The German won the tournament in 2017 and has since made the final and semi-final in subsequent editions. It generally takes a very good player to dispatch Zverev in Rome—of his six losses here, five have been to top-five players. Last year, he lost to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.
The only early loss Zverev has taken in Rome came in 2019, at the hands of an Italian. Matteo Berrettini, ranked No. 33 at the time, defeated Zverev 7-5, 7-5 in the round of 32.
How both players serve could well have a big impact on this match-up. In both of Darderi’s matches so far in Rome, his first serve percentage has been in the mid-50s, with a win rate of the mid-60s. Zverev, on the other hand, was at 65 percent and 80 percent against Aleksandar Vukic.
If Darderi is to be competitive, he’ll need to serve better, and hope Zverev has an off-day.
Zverev vs Darderi Betting Tips & Predictions
The stage is set for this to be a fantastic match-up. Darderi has nothing to lose and will have a well-lubricated Italian crowd behind him. Expect a valiant effort from the world No 54 as Zverev advances.
- Zverev to win 2-1 @ 14/5
- Over 22.5 games @ 6/5
Like these Zverev vs Darderi tips? Head over to our outright winner predictions for the ATP Rome Masters 2024 and see if you agree with our forecast this week.
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