ATP Asia: Cobolli out in Beijing, Darderi and Berrettini advance in Tokyo

Flavio Cobolli's Asian campaign came to an abrupt halt at the ATP 500 in Beijing. The world number 7 and tournament fourth seed was eliminated in the first round by Russian Roman Safiullin (ATP No. 84) with a decisive 6-3, 6-2 victory in one hour and 25 minutes. The Roman player, fresh from the Laver Cup, was unable to counter the aggressive play of his opponent, who was a semifinalist in Hangzhou.

In Tokyo, however, there is good news for Italian tennis. Luciano Darderi, ranked No. 19, pulled off a feat by defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud, the No. 6 seed and world No. 21, in two sets (7-6, 6-3), avenging his semifinal loss in Rome. Matteo Berrettini also advanced, coming back to defeat Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (1-6, 7-6, 6-4) after a match lasting over two hours.

The 'Asian swing' is a traditional series of ATP tournaments held in the fall, after the US Open, in preparation for the year-end ATP Finals. These events, such as the Beijing and Tokyo '500' tournaments, offer important ranking points and are crucial for tennis players competing to qualify for the Turin finals or to improve their position in the world rankings.

Flavio Cobolli, born in Rome in 2002, experienced a rapid rise in 2026, reaching the world number seven spot, but is now showing signs of fatigue in a long season. Luciano Darderi, a 24-year-old Italian-Argentinian, is solidifying his position among the top 20. Matteo Berrettini, former world number six, is trying to climb back up the rankings after a difficult period. The results of these Asian tournaments are therefore fundamental for their end-of-season goals and for their preparation for the Davis Cup.