Lucky loser Luca Nardi received heartfelt support from his girlfriend after a straight-sets defeat to World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz at the Cincinnati Open. Marta Carruozzo, who has been by his side throughout the tournament, shared a warm and encouraging message celebrating the Italian’s Cincinnati run despite the loss.
How Did Lucky Loser Luca Nardi Challenge Carlos Alcaraz in Cincinnati?
The 22-year-old Nardi made his main draw debut in Cincinnati this year, and he quickly turned heads with an impressive string of victories after initial disappointment. After losing to Alexander Blockx in the second qualifying round, he replaced Christopher O’Connell in the main draw, who withdrew due to an abdominal injury.
The Italian tennis star made the most of the opportunity. He dispatched Thiago Agustín Tirante, 24th seed Denis Shapovalov, and 16th seed Jakub Menšík (walkover) to secure a place in the Round of 16. His run ended against second seed Alcaraz, who won 6-1, 6-4.
Sealed in style 💫@carlosalcaraz moves past Nardi 6-1 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals at #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/nWnfyuZseh
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 14, 2025
Carruozzo posted a short video showing Nardi walking out of the stadium following his loss to the Spaniard. Alongside the footage, she wrote, “I couldn’t be more proud of you and the incredible tournament you played. After a month of recovery. Sei forte amore mio (you are strong, my love).”
Nardi put up a valiant effort against one of the most feared stars of the modern era.
Alcaraz Produces His Best Tennis of the Tournament To Beat Nardi
Alcaraz advanced to the Cincinnati Open quarterfinals for the third time. The Spaniard raced through the first set in 27 minutes, winning 13 of the first 14 points despite a rain delay. He then rallied from 2-4 down in the second, sealing victory in 80 minutes after taking a challenging eight-deuce game at 4-4, aided by back-to-back Nardi double faults.
“I think this match was the best so far for me in this tournament,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “At the beginning of the tournament, I just really wanted to get better every day, after every practice and every match. I think I’m doing it, which I’m really proud about. I’m just really happy with the way I felt the ball today and the way that I moved.”
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz vs. Andrey Rublev Preview: Head-to-Head and Prediction for Cincinnati Open 2025
Looking ahead, Alcaraz will take on ninth seed Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. This will be their fifth meeting on the ATP Tour, with the Spaniard holding a dominant 3-1 head-to-head record. The winner of this match will advance to the semifinals, where they will face either third seed Alexander Zverev or the victor of fifth seed Ben Shelton and 22nd seed Jiří Lehečka’s fourth-round match.