Matteo Berrettini vs Luciano Darderi Prediction Stockholm Open Tennis Picks 10/14/24

Matteo Berrettini is enjoying a spectacular season. And to think that he spent the first three months of the season nursing injuries and only actively made his return in April is quite an achievement. 

Berrettini has competed in 12 ATP tournaments and reached four finals. He has lifted three titles this year all on clay. He hasn't played a lot of hard-court tennis this season because he marked his comeback at a time when clay-court tennis was on the horizon.

Berrettini competed in two hard-court tournaments in Asia but could not progress beyond the second round in both Tokyo and Shanghai. He returns to Europe for the indoor season where historically, he has performed well.

Luciano Darderi enters this match as the higher-ranked player by two spots in 42nd. He is among a handful of Italians who have impressed in his first full season on the ATP Tour. 

Darderi's breakthrough came on South American clay in February, when he won his maiden Tour-level title as a qualifier while competing in Cordoba, Argentina. He has since added a second title in 2024, but that was on the Challenger circuit in his home city of Perugia.

The 22-year-old is 37-15 on clay, but that record pales compared to his one win from 10 matches on hard courts. To make matters worse, Darderi has lost his last six matches on hard courts.

Matteo Berrettini vs Luciano Darderi Head-To-Head

• Berrettini and Darderi have no previous history at this level. This will be their first career meeting.

Matteo Berrettini vs Luciano Darderi Prediction

The surface will make a for big difference in the outcome here. Darderi prefers slower outdoor conditions and plays his best tennis on clay where he can slide and hit with spin. He doesn't move as freely on quicker surfaces and his shots just lack penetration. Berrettini is the complete opposite and smacks the ball with precision. It should be a no brainer on who win this match. Give me the accomplished Berrettini in two sets.