By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday, February 5 2025
Mattia Bellucci held his nerve and finished off former champion Daniil Medvedev in Rotterdam for his biggest career win.
Photo Source: Getty
For the first time in tournament history, all eight seeded players advanced into the second round in Rotterdam.
As the second round commenced on Wednesday evening, however, the No. 2 seed, Daniil Medvedev, found himself immediately under the gun against left-handed Italian Mattia Bellucci.
The 23-year-old Italian qualifier, bidding for his biggest career win by far, took the first set 6-3 on the strength of a break in the eighth game.
2023 champion Medvedev, playing in his fourth match of the season after losing in the Australian Open second round, left the court for seven minutes after the opening set and came back with a determined look in his eyes.
The former world No. 1 would eventually rally to force a third set, but he could not avoid the upset, as he fell to Bellucci, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3.
"I really tried to enjoy every minute of it," Bellucci said on court after his victory. "I tried to have fun on court and be myself as much as possible."
The victory marks Bellucci’s first Top-10 win, and drops Medvedev to 2-2 on the season, with both losses coming to largely unheralded left-handed qualifiers.
Three-time AO finalist Medvedev fell to American Learner Tien in the second round at the Australian Open.
It was an entertaining contest that showcased Bellucci's variety and his willingness to win points with unconventional tactics. He was frequently in on serve-and-volley plays, and he hit a number of underarm serves, which were designed to pull Medvedev off of his perch far behind his own baseline on return.
"I hit the serve and volley a bit and hit the underarm serve," Bellucci said. "I wanted to be myself and I saw him far back. I really think it is something I used to move him a little bit from there. I don't want to be disrespectful. "I felt that I had to enjoy every moment of this match. This is a big result so I will enjoy it."
Bellucci had never defeated anyone ranked inside the Top-20 before, but the World No. 83 did not seem awed by the occasion at the onset. He even had a chance to stretch his early lead as he earned a break point which would have given him a 2-1 lead in the second set. Moments later it was erased, and Medvedev proceeded to take the upper hand, lashing a forehand winner to break for 3-1 in set two.
There was no quit in Bellucci on this day, however. He battled hard and converted his fourth break point of the seventh game to get back on serve at 3-4, doing so with a crafty drop shot followed by a passing shot that Medvedev couldn’t volley.
There were other tense moments. Medvedev had a set point with Bellucci serving at 4-5, but he couldn’t capture it. Then Bellucci, who led 5-2 in the second-set tiebreak at one point, let his grip slip. Medvedev saved a match point on serve at 5-6, and took the next two points to force a third set.
With the more experienced Medvedev having saved the match point it looked as if he might be ready to conduct a victory march, but Bellucci had other ideas.
Going after his shots, the lefty saved four break points in the third game of the set, and took his opportunity to break Medvedev in the eighth game, for 5-3.
Moments later, after a hold to love, the Italian was splayed out on his back in euphoria, celebrating a hard-earned win over the World No.7 – a moment he’ll never forget!
In other action on Wednesday in Rotterdam home favorite Tallon Griekspoor edged Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, while Italy’s Andrea Vavassori advanced when Felix Auger-Aliassime was forced to retire after two sets due to a toe injury.
Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan took out Jan-Lennard Struff, 6-3,4-6,7-6 and seventh-seeded Frenchman Arthur Fils defeated his compatriot Constant Lestienne, 6-7,6-2,6-1.