Bellucci: ‘Learning is not a straight line’
Mattia Bellucci lights up the court with infectious energy and a fierce competitive drive. The 23-year-old lefty plays with bold intensity, swings for the fences and shows a range of emotions.
The kind-spirited Italian is an entertaining player to watch and this season, he continued his rise by winning his first major main-draw match at the US Open against former champion Stan Wawrinka and reaching his maiden tour-level quarter-final in Atlanta. Bellucci ascended to a career-high No. 100 in the PIF ATP Rankings last month and finished the season at No. 103.
There were highs, like that Court 17 win against Wawrinka in front of a packed New York crowd, and there were obstacles, including when Bellucci let slip two championship points in a nearly three-hour Cary Challenger title match. Through it all, Bellucci is embracing the lessons learned along the way.
“Learning is not a straight line and [I need] to give myself time,” Bellucci told the ATP Challenger Tour media team. “When you put the right energy and you really look for something new during practice and try to copy what you’re going to do in the matches, that’s when the results come. Try to improvise.”
[ATP APP]A three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, Bellucci advanced through qualifying at three consecutive majors this year: Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. Bellucci drew a difficult first-round opponent at each tournament. He showed a high level when he pushed Frances Tiafoe to five sets at Roland Garros and did the same at Wimbledon against 14th seed Ben Shelton.
Then, Bellucci’s breakthrough victory came at Flushing Meadows. With the crowd heavily supporting 2016 champion Wawrinka, Bellucci rose to the occasion and earned a memorable win.
“It was definitely the highlight,” Bellucci said. “It was very nice. From the beginning of the match, I felt quite relaxed even though I was playing Stan in a big stadium.
“From playing Tiafoe at Roland Garros to playing Shelton at Wimbledon, I felt like the level was coming and that I was doing the right things during practice. Going on court with the right behavior and fighting for every point was the key.”
What else helped Bellucci post some key wins and improve in 2024? The Italian did not let the win-loss column define his success. He shifted his focus to the process, believing that consistency and effort would lead to growth.
“Focusing on the results is not bringing the results, to me at least,” Bellucci said. “Focus on the performance and what you have to do, not what the result of the match is.”
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