Starting today, the world number 26 will be writing for us. A first-person account of the life of a professional tennis player, including dreams, anxieties, and unique experiences on and off the court. We begin with the off-season.
In this golden age of Italian tennis, we are fortunate to have several top players alongside the king, Jannik Sinner. Athletes, young men who have a lot to say. Like Luciano Darderi, 23, world number 26: Argentine by birth, but Italian by training. Fresh from his best season, with the best ranking of his career and three ATP titles. We asked him to tell us about his life on the circuit, he accepted, and from today he will be writing his diary for us.
At the Tennis Premier League gala dinner in India, I meet Alekh, the tournament announcer. I compliment him on his shirt, with its typical Nehru collar, and from that moment a friendship is born. On the day of departure, I receive that very shirt as a gift, with a beautiful message. A simple gesture, made by someone who has less financial means than me, but one of enormous generosity. I promise myself that I will bring him a gift next time, as a sign of gratitude. These are situations that stay with you, memories that you carry in your heart forever. And it’s nice to share them in a diary with Sports Predictions readers: a fascinating idea that I jumped at.
For me, the off-season is all about traveling. From Europe to Argentina, where I spend two weeks with my mother and family. Simple days, filled with relaxation and affection, culminating in a charity exhibition in La Plata. Then, it’s time to pack my bags again. An endless flight from Buenos Aires to India, with a stopover in São Paulo, then Dubai, and finally Ahmedabad. Twenty-four hours on a plane, anxious about missing my connection due to the IndiGo pilots’ strike and getting stuck in Dubai. Only at the last moment do I realize that I will be able to leave. Tennis often begins long before you step onto the court. India strikes me immediately. A fascinating and harsh country at the same time: so much poverty, so much misery, but also so much luxury. A world that constantly lives in contradiction with itself. Ahmedabad, the city that hosts me, is immense.
I arrive at nine in the morning, sleep for three hours in my room, then have a quick lunch and immediately head to the court. The Tennis Premier League is an intense experience. The first day of matches begins with breakfast together, Indian music playing in the background and a truly special atmosphere. Morning training: an hour and a half of athletics, two hours of tennis. In the afternoon, the matches. I win the singles and mixed doubles. In the evening, there is dinner with sponsors and organizers: incredible participation, genuine involvement. In India, you can feel the desire for high-level tennis, the desire to grow, to get closer to the big events on the circuit.
Not everything goes smoothly, though. At lunch, I make the classic mistake: chicken tikka masala, very spicy. The result? I end up lying in my room with a terrible stomach ache and a match to play a few hours later against the Frenchman Muller. I can’t stand up. I call my manager, Luca Del Federico, who rushes to bring me some intestinal disinfectant to try to get me back on my feet. I go on court anyway, but I lose. One thing is clear: avoiding spicy food is practically impossible. From that evening onwards, I adopt a strict diet until the end of the tournament: grilled chicken and rice. In the morning, I have a little more choice, with omelets, avocados, and brown bread. Only sealed bottled water. The tournament ends in the semifinals, against the strongest team, which goes on to win the tournament. I leave with the feeling of having experienced something extraordinary. India strikes you with its contrasts, but above all with the generosity of its people. A week full of emotions and images that I know I will never forget. Dhanyavaad India, thank you India.
It is during the return trip that thoughts come to mind. I reflect on the planning for the coming weeks, on the organization, on how best to manage training, tournaments, and travel. Then I finish the first season of the Argentine TV series En el barro on Netflix. Off the court, I’m not a solitary person; I like to be surrounded by friends. You need a little lightheartedness because you can’t just think about tennis. Even if tennis, in the end, always remains there, at the center of everything. I return to Dubai, where I have been living for over a year and where I will stay until the week before Auckland, the first tournament of the season. Here, the real work begins again, the quiet work. Giuliano Basile, assistant coach, and Federico Berruezo, athletic trainer, are joined by physiotherapist Marcello Marini. My father Gino is not here: these days he is looking after my little brother, Vito. I also train with Jannik Sinner. He is a man of few words and a lot of substance. Just training and hard work. The last time was during Roland Garros. Compared to the level of the matches in India, it’s a whole different ball game. The weight of the ball and the continuity of the rally make all the difference. I felt like I was on a spaceship that had left Earth and landed on Mars. Yes, Jannik is a Martian.
These are tests that are extremely useful to me in understanding what I need to do to reach the next level. In the last year, I have entered the top thirty in the world, and my goal for 2026 is to enter the top 20. It’s not an obsession, but a clear direction. I know that tennis is a sport that requires enormous sacrifices, and I am fully aware of that. But I’m not one to back down. If I have to run a marathon every day to be among the best, I’ll do it. If I have to climb a mountain, I’ll climb it. That’s my character. The season is about to begin. Always on the move, always traveling, always ready for new experiences. With only one goal in mind: to bring out the best in myself, every day.
