From rising to prominence as a young tennis player to putting on an exciting match at Indian Wells, Luca Nardi’s matchup with Novak Djokovic has drawn notice. But in the aftermath of his incredible triumph against the 24-time Grand Slam champion, focus quickly turns to the enigmatic 20-year-old Italian player who abruptly ended Djokovic’s Indian Wells campaign.

With the tennis community in disarray following the seasoned Serbian titan’s stunning fall, the burning question on every fan’s mind is: Who is this young Italian player? Let’s take a look at Nardi’s tennis life, which has now become the talk of the town.

Learn about Luca Nardi, the guy who just beat his idol Novak Djokovic

The 20-year-old tennis phenom overcame great obstacles on his path to victory, and defeating the player ranked #1 in the world was no easy task. The road to Indian Wells for Luca Nardi was an endurance test in and of itself. After losing to 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion David Goffin in the final qualifying round, he was almost certain not to make the main draw.

But destiny had other plans, and Nardi emerged victorious through the fortunate loser method. And to make matters worse, the player he replaced, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, was seeded higher, so he had a bye into the second round. Subsequently, everyone now knows him as the player who defeated the 36-year-old tennis legend and created a hurdle in his way during his Indian Wells comeback, nearly five years later.

One of the biggest moments in Nardi’s tennis career came at the 2020 European Open when he made his ATP main draw debut. He competed in the singles competition and lost to Marcos Giron after a closely fought match that lasted three sets. However, in 2022, he won a four-challenge title and achieved his first ATP victory. With his debut in the Rome Masters 2022, Nardi moved up to the professional ranks, when he was granted a wildcard into the elite division of the sport.

At the ATP 500 2022 Astana Open, he showed off his perseverance by making it through the qualifying rounds and beating top seed David Goffin to earn a berth in the main draw. Followed by being ranked 123rd with the Indian Wells Walk, he has been continuously defeating a lot of top-ranked tennis players, including the world number one.

Not only that, before facing the 24-time Grand Slam champion, he also opened up about how it’s a big thing for him, as he is someone who has always admired the Serb.

“I have a picture of him in my room” – When Nardi shared his excitement of facing Djokovic 

Before facing Djokovic, in an interview with ATP Tour.com, the Italian Rising Sensation opened up about how he has come a long way in terms of facing the 36-year-old on the court. He stated, “I think it’s one of the best experiences that a guy can live, especially for someone young like me. I have a picture of him in my room, so you can understand. You can imagine for me how this can be very exciting. For sure it’s going to be a great experience.” 

The 20-year-old has grown up watching countless matches, Djokovic has played over time on the tennis court. Along with that, he also stated the one match that he still remembers, when the Serb faced Roger Federer, in the 2019 Wimbledon final, in which he saved two championship points on his way to winning the title.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on the 20-year-old rising tennis player? Do let us know in the comment section below.

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