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Luca Nardi showed off on the ATP Challenger Tour at the start of the season. The young Italian talent has won two tournaments expressing a very high level tennis: the first in Forlì and the second in Lugano. Victories that allowed him to push himself up to 198th position in the ATP ranking.
Nardi, this week, participated in the pre-qualifiers organized by the FIT to grant the remaining wild cards in view of the next edition of the Italian Open in Rome. The 18-year-old from Pesaro lost in the quarter-finals to Matteo Arnaldi, but then beat Marco Cecchinato to secure a place in the qualifying tournament.
A qualification that could allow him to experience one of the greatest emotions of his young career. Nardi's dream is to remove the pass for the main draw of the Masters 1000 in Rome and face Rafael Nadal.
Luca Nardi: "I'd like to challenge him in Rome"
Nardi explained to the Italian newspaer Il Messaggero: "I had already played against Cecchinato, losing a little, so I knew I had a good chance.
Today he retired, and at the end of the match he told me that he had a back problem for a few days. However, I am satisfied with the set we played, I hope to do well on Saturday as well. Playing in Rome is something wonderful, I will try to give some good tennis to everyone who comes to see me!
Who would I like to face? I say Rafa, it gives me the feeling of the supreme player. Seeing him play in Rome when I was little sent me strong emotions. To face it here would be wonderful." Nardi finally focused on the pressure that an event of this magnitude can entail: "I'm absolutely calm.
Sure, a bit of pressure comes but I am very calm. I try to always be focused on my goals, then who knows what the future holds for me. Entering the main draw of the Rome tournament is everyone's dream, I hope so but I don't expect it."
