Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci upsets Daniil Medvedev In Rotterdam

The 23-year-old left-hander, ranked a career-high 92nd, triumphed in a thrilling encounter, winning 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, marking his first-ever win against a top 10 player.

"It was an intense three-hour match, and I loved every moment of it," Bellucci shared. "I gave my all out there. I'm exhausted, but very happy with how it went." He also mentioned his decision to incorporate the serve-and-volley tactic, something he isn't usually accustomed to, but it proved successful on the day.

Bellucci showed great resilience in the final set, saving six break points after narrowly missing a match point in the second-set tiebreak against Medvedev, the 2023 Rotterdam champion.

Bellucci, who also made the quarter-finals in Atlanta earlier in 2024, will now face either sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor in his next match, with a semi-final spot on the line.

Medvedev, currently ranked seventh in the world, had beaten Stan Wawrinka in the opening round but has had a tough start to 2025, having exited the second round of the Australian Open last month.

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