Darderi Into the Quarterfinals in Montreal: Espresso and a Season Record

Luciano Darderi beat Nuno Borges 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 22 minutes in the round of 16 at the Montreal Masters 1000, and mid-match had an espresso brought to him on the bench during a changeover. With the win, the Italian becomes the first player to reach ten quarterfinals on the main tour this season.

The ritual already has history. In May, at the Italian Open, Darderi drank coffee on the bench in the quarterfinal against Rafael Jodar, in a match that finished after 2 a.m., and again in the semifinal against Casper Ruud, down 4-1 at a changeover.

The win over Borges is his 30th of 2026, breaking his personal best of 29 set in 2025. That puts him ahead of Alexander Zverev, stuck on nine quarterfinals this season. Ranked No. 22 as of August 3 and the 19th seed in Canada, Darderi moves up to a virtual No. 20 and reaches his first hard-court Masters 1000 quarterfinal, the second of his career overall, after Rome, where he made the semifinal.

In Montreal he beat Gabriel Diallo, who retired with a left leg injury, then Shang, then Borges in a comeback after dropping the first set in 34 minutes.

"I feel great, I think I'm playing better match after match. Today was a good battle,"

said the 24-year-old, born in Villa Gesell, after the match.

On Monday he faces Brandon Nakashima for a place in the semifinal.