Italian Luca Nardi Faces Top Seed Carlos Alcaraz in Doha Showdown

DOHA, Qatar — Luca Nardi, the 21-year-old Italian rising star, is set to face off against top seed Carlos Alcaraz in a highly anticipated second-round match at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Wednesday. Nardi hopes to replicate his past success when he scored a stunning upset against then-World No. 1 Novak Djokovic last March in Indian Wells.

“It’s not going to be easy, but I did it once with Novak,” Nardi told ATPTour.com. “Carlos won a tournament last week and is playing better and better. It’s going to be a challenge.” This year has already shown promise for Nardi, who currently stands at World No. 85, following a victory against the same player he defeated before his win over Djokovic.

Despite lacking a regular coach since October 2024, Nardi’s determination remains strong. He is currently in the process of hiring a coach and continues to navigate the challenges on the ATP Tour without one. “I have not had a coach since October, and I’m still looking around for the right one,” Nardi explained. “I play some tournaments alone, but some coaches helped me in the preseason.”

Nardi’s personal interests, including a passionate following of SSC Napoli and a love of motorbiking, offer him a needed outlet during the intense competition. “Everyone rides motorcycles in Pesaro because of Valentino Rossi. It’s something special here,” he noted.

In contrast, Carlos Alcaraz, who recently lifted his first title of the 2025 season, is currently ranked No. 1 and carries significant momentum as he heads into the match against Nardi. Alcaraz praised Nardi’s potential, adding, “His level is really, really high, and his rise has been impressive.”

The match promises to deliver excitement for fans and has drawn widespread media attention. Nardi understands the stakes and maintains a positive outlook, stating, “It will be a really fun match for me, because I also want to test my level. It’s not that often that you play with the best players in the world.”