Quentin Halys Falls in His Opening Match at Madrid

Facing Luciano Darderi in the first round of Madrid, Quentin Halys was defeated with a score of 6-4, 6-4. This marked his first clay-court match of the season.

Despite hitting more winners than his opponent, the Frenchman failed to gain the upper hand against the Italian, committing 22 unforced errors. Converting only one of three break points, the Bondy native suffered his ninth defeat of the season after 1 hour and 12 minutes of play.

This season, the world No. 52 had previously reached the second round in Miami, where he was narrowly defeated by Musetti in a three-set battle (3-6, 7-6, 7-5). Earlier in the year, he made it to the semifinals in Dubai against Auger-Aliassime, exiting after another hard-fought match (5-7, 6-4, 6-3).

Meanwhile, Darderi advances to the second round to face Tiafoe. If he wins, he could potentially meet another French player next—either Humbert or Muller. In 2024, Darderi notably claimed the title in Marrakech.