Luciano Darderi apologizes after massive backlash over ignoring child mascot before Casper Ruud semifinal clash at Italian Open

Luciano Darderi (via Getty)

Luciano Darderi faced criticism from tennis fans after an awkward incident before his semifinal match at the Italian Open against Casper Ruud. The Italian player appeared to walk past a child mascot during the pre-match ceremony without acknowledging her. This quickly sparked backlash on social media. Many fans felt the moment looked disrespectful. Many even criticized Darderi online after clips of the incident spread widely. The 24-year-old later addressed the controversy through an Instagram story. He apologized for the misunderstanding. Darderi explained that he was fully focused and nervous before one of the biggest matches of his career, which caused the unintentional mistake. Despite the criticism, the Italian still enjoyed a breakthrough tournament in Rome, reaching the semifinals of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time and boosting his ranking ahead of the French Open.

Luciano Darderi opens up on child mascot incident after social media criticism

The uncomfortable moment happened as Luciano Darderi walked onto the court wearing sunglasses before his semifinal clash. The child mascot assigned to accompany him appeared to be left behind as the Italian continued toward the court entrance. Tennis fans quickly reacted online, with many accusing the player of ignoring the child during an important moment. Soon after the backlash intensified, Darderi released a public apology. The Italian explained that the incident was never intentional and happened because of the pressure and concentration he felt before the major semifinal. He said he deeply respects fans and everyone connected to the sport and regretted how the situation appeared publicly. Darderi’s difficult day continued on the court as Ruud dominated the semifinal with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 victory in a rain-affected match lasting just over an hour. However, the defeat did not overshadow the Italian’s impressive campaign in Rome. Known mainly for his strength on clay courts, Darderi has given several memorable performances during the tournament. He fought back from a set down to defeat Tommy Paul in the third round before stunning Alexander Zverev after saving four match points. He then defeated Rafael Jódar in the quarterfinals to continue his dream run. The strong performance in Rome is expected to move Darderi up to World No. 16 when the new rankings are released. It will become the highest ranking of his career so far. The Italian now turns his attention to the Hamburg Open before preparing for the French Open later this month.

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