Luciano Darderi's run at the Italian Open ended in more than just a lopsided defeat—it also cost him the respect of tennis fans worldwide. The Italian star was dismantled by Casper Ruud 6-1, 6-1 in Friday's semifinal, but it was his off-court behavior that drew the most heat.
Before the match even began, Darderi was caught on camera snubbing a ball kid who was supposed to walk onto the court with him. Instead of acknowledging the young child, he walked past them as if they were invisible. The incident quickly went viral, with fans accusing Darderi of deliberate rudeness.
“Is this the first time he is walking out with a ballkid? I doubt it so he did it deliberately. He even went wide to avoid walking into the child. Glad he lost and got a double breadstick,” one fan wrote on social media.
Another fan questioned whether Darderi's sunglasses were to blame: “Can he not see with the shades or did he do this deliberately??? He did bump his hand against the kid.”
The backlash didn't stop there. A third fan said, “Darderi needs to take his shades off don’t think he can see. Poor kid.” Others compared his attitude unfavorably to Ruud's, with one declaring, “Casper Ruud the nicest guy on the tour, while Darderi always the biggest jerk with terrible behavior.”
While Darderi's week in Rome did boost his ATP ranking, the controversy has overshadowed his tennis achievements. This kind of behavior isn't new to the sport—recent incidents like the Megan Rapinoe controversy show how quickly athletes can lose public support over perceived disrespect.
Ruud, meanwhile, continues to build momentum ahead of Roland Garros. The three-time Grand Slam finalist looks to be hitting his stride at the perfect time and will aim for his second Masters 1000 title this weekend. Despite both players' strong showings in Rome, oddsmakers rank them outside the top four favorites for the French Open.
Jannik Sinner leads the pack as the overwhelming favorite to win at Roland Garros, followed by Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic. The main draw for the French Open is set to begin on May 24.
For Darderi, the fallout from this incident could linger. As the tennis world debates sportsmanship and respect, his actions serve as a reminder that how you treat others on and off the court matters—especially when it comes to the youngest members of the sport.
