Bellucci Enjoying Best Week Of His Life In Rotterdam

Mattia Bellucci
Mattia Bellucci (photo: Brigitte Urban)

ROTTERDAM/WASHINGTON, February 7, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Qualifier Mattia Bellucci understands he’s playing against amazing opponents this week at the ATP 500 ABN Amro Open in Rotterdam. Thus, every day has been a big challenge for the 23-year-old from Busto Arsizio, a city in the Italian region of Lombardy located 35 kilometers north of Milan.

While his ranking of No. 92 in the world may not suggest he’s a sure thing to beat Top-20 opponents on a regular basis, this week arguably has been the best week of his tennis life.

Two days after stunning World No. 7 and second seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, for his first Top-10 triumph to earn a quarterfinal spot in the year’s first European ATP 500 – and just the second tour-level last eight berth in his nascent career – the lefty Bellucci did it again. On Friday afternoon, Bellucci took out the World No. 12 and sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, 6-4, 6-2, in 85 minutes to earn his first trip to an ATP Tour semifinal. The Italian’s dream run in the Netherlands has continued into the weekend.

“Maybe I can play two or three matches, but then I really have to keep the energy up. But I’m definitely looking forward to any new step,” Bellucci said during his on-court interview with ATP Media, after securing back-to-back Top-20 wins. He’s strung together three straight main-draw wins in Rotterdam, a week after reaching the round of 16 in Montpellier, France.

“To be honest, at the beginning I felt that I was not enjoying it as much as against Medvedev,” Bellucci added after his win over Tsitsipas. “So, I really had to do something to then make that change. But I was feeling that I was playing great tennis, and that is maybe what brought me up.”

Bellucci fought off a pair of break points to hold for 4-all in the first set, then broke the Greek star’s serve in the next game. He took advantage of three unforced errors by Tsitsipas, who would commit 28 in all during the quarterfinal match. Serving for the set, he held off a break point and served it out.

Then, in the second set, Bellucci won five straight games from 0-1, serving out a love hold to win it on his second match-point opportunity. He finished with 22 winners to 17 unforced errors, saved all four break points he faced, converted three of 10 break points, and outpointed Tsitsipas 65-50.

“I really enjoyed every moment of it, also the end of the first set even if I was a little bit against the odds,” said Bellucci, who has strung together five straight wins in Rotterdam (two in qualifying and three in the main draw). “Also, when I was serving for the first set, I was a little bit heavy on my legs, but definitely I was enjoying it and that’s what I’m really trying to do every match here. It’s working, so I’ll be doing it also tomorrow.”

Thanks to his dream run in Rotterdam, Bellucci has risen to No. 68 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Next, he will face the current World No. 8 and last year’s runner-up Alex de Minaur of Australia in Saturday’s semifinal round.

“I think I did big work, also during matches, with my coach,” Bellucci said. “I was really speaking about it and he said that sometimes I was a little bit thoughtful on court, and he wanted me to be a little bit more free. So I think I’m doing it pretty well, and it’s working.”

De Minaur reaches back-to-back Rotterdam quarterfinals

On Thursday, de Minaur joined Roger Federer (2001-05) as the only men to reach the Rotterdam quarterfinals in four consecutive years. On Friday, he became the third man to record 10 wins this season joining Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada and Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka.

De Minaur defeated 93rd-ranked lucky loser Daniel Altmaier of Germany, 6-1, 6-4, in an hour and 27 minutes. The third seed converted four of eight break-point chances and outpointed Altmaier 67-47.

“It felt like a battle with the opponent, the conditions, a little bit of everything,” de Minaur said in his post-match interview with ATP Media. “I’m happy I managed to get up for it and play some good tennis, and dig very deep when I needed to.”

The win was de Minaur’s 33rd ATP 500 victory since the start of the 2023 season, tying him with Jannik Sinner for first, and it advanced the Aussie into his 26th career ATP Tour semifinal. He’s also 29-1 against players ranked outside of the Top 30 since last May.

Alcaraz reaches first semifinal of the season

World No. 3 and top seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reached his first ATP Tour semifinal of the season with an easy 70-minute, 6-2, 6-1 victory over fellow Spaniard Pedro Martinez, ranked 44th.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz extended his winning streak against countrymen to 12 straight in this match-up of Spanish No. 1 and No. 2 singles players. He’s now the fourth Spanish semifinalist in Rotterdam tournament history, after his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, in 2004, Rafael Nadal in 2009 and Pablo Carreño Busta in 2020.

Alcaraz struck 29 winners, including seven aces, won 91 percent of his first-serve points, and converted five of 10 break points. He outpointed Martinez 60-33.

“I played really good tennis today, a really high level. And I have done the right things again,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview with ATP Media. “I was really focused before the match, on my things, on my own tennis. I tried to put everything in today. Being aggressive, pushing him to the limit every point. I think I did the perfect match and I am happy to keep improving every day. Hopefully in the semifinals I will be even better.”

In Saturday’s semifinal round, Alcaraz continues his chase after his first ATP Tour title since Beijing last October. He will face World No. 21 and eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, who rallied to defeat 2021 Rotterdam champion and current World No. 10 Andrey Rublev of Russia, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, in two hours and 24 minutes. Hurkacz hit 40 winners and outpointed Rublev 113-95.

Around the Rotterdam Ahoy

Doubles No. 1 seeds Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia advanced to Saturday’s semifinal with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Hugo Nys of Monaco and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France in an hour and 36 minutes. The winners combined to serve three aces, converted three of four break points. They were outpointed by their opponents 66-65.

In the other Friday doubles quarterfinal, No. 3 seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori eased past qualifiers Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner of Germany, 7-6 (3), 6-3, in one hour and 29 minutes. The winners converted two of give break points and outpointed the German duo 68-57.

In Saturday’s semifinals, Arevalo and Pavic will play Sander Gille of Belgium and Jan Zielinski of Poland, while Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain will face Bolelli and Vavassori.

Friday’s Rotterdam results

Saturday’s Rotterdam order of play

By the numbers

Pedro Martinez of Spain came into his quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz 1-10 versus Top-10 players (0-6 vs. Top 5), looking for the biggest win of his career. He was attempting to advance to his sixth ATP Tour semifinal – first off clay and second above ATP 250.

“Quotable …”

“You just improvise a little bit and it happens. Getting the win is really important, but I’m here to entertain the people, make them happy and enjoy watching my matches. I’m not looking to do it in every match, but if it comes, it’s really good.”

– World No. 3 and top seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, during his on-court interview with ATP Media on Thursday, describing an around-the-back shot he made during his second-round victory over Andrea Vavassori of Italy.

 

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