Luciano Darderi Reaches Semi-finals of Grand Prix Hassan II

MAARRAKECH, Morocco — Luciano Darderi advanced to the semi-finals of the Grand Prix Hassan II on Friday, marking his fourth ATP Tour semi-final appearance. The seventh-seeded Italian defeated Czech player Tomáš Macháč with a score of 7-5, 6-2 to secure his spot in the next round.

This victory allows Darderi to extend his winning streak to three matches, his first such achievement since July of last year. With this win, he improved his record on clay courts to an impressive 14-0 against players ranked outside the Top 100.

“I felt great on the court today. I saved some crucial break points and managed to hit my serves well,” Darderi remarked post-match, noting that he saved five of six break points and delivered five aces in ten service games. He broke Macháč’s serve four times out of 14 opportunities.

Looking ahead, Darderi will face Spain’s Albert Ramos Viñolas, the fifth seed, who reached the semi-finals after overcoming fourth seed Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-4. This will mark Darderi’s first encounter against Ramos Viñolas in ATP competition.

Ramos Viñolas, 32, is familiar with the Marrakech event, having won it in 2023 and competed in the final last year. He expressed his excitement about returning to the semi-final stage. “The atmosphere here is always electric, and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said.

The top seed in the tournament, Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, also advanced to the semi-finals after defeating eighth seed Francisco Cerúndolo 6-3, 6-4. This marks Griekspoor’s first clay-court semi-final on the ATP Tour and his ninth overall. “I’m thrilled to be here and ready to compete at my best,” Griekspoor said.

Notably, Majchrzak also made headlines by earning a spot in the semi-finals after defeating third seed Ben Shelton 7-5, 6-4, logging his third Top 50 win. The Polish qualifier celebrated reaching only his second ATP Tour semi-final, the first being in Pune in 2022.

All four matches in the quarter-finals were significant events, making them the inaugural ATP Head2Head meetings for the competitors facing each other. As anticipation builds for the semi-finals, fans look forward to more thrilling matches in this engaging tournament.