Mattia Bellucci: 'Learning is not a straight line' | ATP Tour

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Bellucci: 'Learning is not a straight line'

The Italian discusses the 2024 season

December 04, 2024

Mattia Bellucci lights up the court with an infectious energy and fierce competitive drive. The 23-year-old lefty plays with a lot of energy, throws for the fences and shows a lot of emotion.

The spirited Italian is a joy to watch and this season, he continued his rise by winning his first major draw match at the US Open against former champion Stan Wawrinka and reaching the quarter-finals of his first major in Atlanta. Bellucci climbed 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 victory on Court 17 against Wawrinka in front of a packed New York crowd, and there were setbacks, including when Bellucci dropped two match points in a nearly three-hour match for the Cary Challenger title. Through it all, Bellucci embraces the lessons learned along the way.

“Learning is not a straight line either [I need] to give myself time,” Bellucci told the ATP Challenger Tour press team. “If you put in the right effort and look for something really new during training and try to cheat what you will do in the matches, that's where the results come from. Try to improve yourself.”

A three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, Bellucci advanced by qualifying for three consecutive majors this year: Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. Bellucci drew a tough first-round opponent in each tournament. She showed her best when she pushed Frances Tiafoe to five sets at Roland Garros and did the same at Wimbledon against 14th seed Ben Shelton.

After that, Bellucci's victory came at Flushing Meadows. With the crowd cheering for 2016 champion Wawrinka, Bellucci rose to the occasion and earned an unforgettable win.

“It was definitely a highlight,” Bellucci said. “It was very good. From the beginning of the game, I felt comfortable even though I was playing with Stan on the big court.

“From playing Tiafoe at Roland Garros to playing Shelton at Wimbledon, I felt that the level was coming and that I was doing the right things during practice. Going to the court with the right attitude and fighting for every point was the key.”

What else helped Bellucci to send some important carts and improve in 2024? The Italian didn't let the win-loss column define his success. He focused his mind on the process, believing that consistency and effort would lead to growth.

“Focusing on results doesn't bring results, at least for me,” Bellucci said. “Focus on your performance and what you have to do, not what the outcome of the game is.”