Challenger
Darderi goes from facing Alcaraz at US Open to claiming Challenger title
Italian set for a new career-high following past two weeks
September 08, 2025
Al Bello/Getty Images
Luciano Darderi is at a career-high No. 30 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
By ATP Staff
Luciano Darderi added more hardware to his trophy cabinet Sunday, when he won the ATP Challenger Tour event in Genoa, Italy to build upon his already memorable summer.
The Italian, who won back-to-back tour-level titles in Bastad and Umag in July, arrived in Genoa following a third-round run at the US Open, where he fell to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Darderi dropped just one set across five matches in Genoa and raced past countryman Andrea Pellegrino 6-1, 6-3 in the AON Open Challenger Memorial Giorgio Messina final. Darderi is set for his Top 30 debut in the PIF ATP Rankings thanks to his effort in New York followed by his title run on home soil.
The 23-year-old has won three of his four ATP Tour titles this season. He also reached the third round at Wimbledon. Darderi’s triumph in Genoa marks his fourth Challenger crown.
In other Challenger action, Peru’s Ignacio Buse also went from the season’s final major to the winner’s circle. After qualifying for his maiden Slam main-draw appearance at Flushing Meadows, where he fell to Ben Shelton in the opening round, Buse was crowned champion at the LXII Copa Sevilla in Spain.
Buse, 21, beat Argentine Genaro Alberto Olivieri 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the clay-court final. Buse won his first Challenger title in June and is now at a career-high No. 112, approaching his Top 100 debut.
Former World No. 38 Alex Molcan claimed his second consecutive Challenger title at the Istanbul Challenger TED Open. Molcan won the Sofia Challenger two weeks ago as a qualifier and built upon his momentum to win the Istanbul trophy after a 7-6(9), 6-2 final victory against Nicolas Mejia.
The 27-year-old was as low as No. 646 in the PIF ATP Rankings in March, but is now nearing a return to the Top 200 — which he has not been a part of in 16 months.
Briton Billy Harris celebrated a milestone moment by claiming his first Challenger title in Cassis, France. The 30-year-old rallied from a set down in both his semi-final and final matches, escaping Daniil Glinka 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the championship match.
Billy Harris wins his first Challenger title.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/09/08/00/35/harris-cassisch-2025.jpg”>
Billy Harris wins his first Challenger title. Credit: Cassis Open Provence by Cabesto
Harris nearly cracked the Top 100 last September, reaching a career-high No. 101. He held his nerve in his third Challenger final to climb 15 spots to World No. 136.
Italian Giulio Zeppieri did not drop a set all week to win the Road to the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The 23-year-old, broken three times all tournament, defeated Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama 7-6(2), 7-5 in the final, during which Zeppieri hammered 17 aces. The lefty is a three-time Challenger champion.
Marco Trungelliti claimed his second title of the season and fifth overall at the NÖ Open powered by EVN in Tulln, Austria. Like Zeppieri, Trungelliti did not drop a set and was broken just three times for the tournament. The fifth seed downed Czech Andrew Paulson 7-5, 6-1 in the final.
