„Your place is in the ATP series,” said Cem Ilekl after Sunday’s Vilnius Open by kevin. final. The Turkish qualifier had kind words for his opponent. They were directed to none other than Mattia Bellucci, the 21-year-old Italian who became the champion of the first Challenger event in Lithuania.
And in fact, the talent of the Italian, who played in the Futures Series back in June, has not gone unnoticed in Lithuania. In both the semi-finals and the final, the applause of the almost packed SEB Arena was mostly directed toward the extravagant youngster.
„It felt like playing at home. Such support, so many people gathered… I don’t even know what to say. It was a great pleasure to play in Vilnius and I promise to come back here again”, smiled Bellucci as he carefully placed the winner’s cup on the ground.
In the first set, the talented Italian had no chance against his opponent and was crushed 1:6. However, in the second set, Bellucci managed to rally back into the match, although Ilkel had two consecutive break point opportunities at 2:2.
„It was very difficult to get going. He was playing much better than me at the start, I was somewhere else mentally. I didn’t receive nor serve good, I was very passive. It was very difficult to focus.”
„Before the second set, I told myself that I have to try to give 100 percent. When you’re tired, even though you go into the match with the intention to give your all, you just can’t. Somehow I managed to put the rest of my energy into the right frame of mind. I think that’s what helped me win.”
In the third set, Bellucci came even closer to defeat. Up 5-3 and 40:30, Ilkel could have closed out the match with one accurate serve, but instead of making the shot, the Turkish player committed a double fault. Sensing his chance, the Italian was on his opponent’s heels and miraculously got back into the match.
With the support of the Lithuanian crowd, Bellucci then won three more games in a row to win his second consecutive Challenger tournament.
„When he won my serve, I appeared in a difficult situation, but the events of the second set changed everything for me. Then I said to myself that I have to dig deep no matter the situation. That change of mindset in the second set allowed me to keep going in the third when I was a point away from losing.”
Tennis is an expensive sport. Only players in the top 100 in the world can make a decent living. Unless you are among the chosen few, it is impossible to expect financial prosperity.
For this reason, tennis players rely heavily on their families at the start of their careers. Either you need parents who can invest heavily in their children, or, in the case of Bellucci, a father or mother who is a coach.
„Yes, it helped a lot. I don’t come from a family that could afford to spend a lot of money on my career, so from the age of four until last year, my father was my coach. Only when I reached a certain level could I afford to hire another coach.”
Still, Bellucci knew that he would only be able to lead a normal life once he had broken into the Top 100. That’s why, last December, he set himself the goal of reaching the top 100 in the next four to five years. If he hadn’t, the 21-year-old Italian would have given up being a professional tennis player.
However, after winning the French and Lithuanian Challengers, Bellucci is now not far away from his goal. The talented Italian jumped to 156th place in the ATP rankings on Monday.
„I got here much faster than I expected. Of course, I don’t feel stable here yet. I still have a lot of work to do. I’ve only played in a few Challenger tournaments so far. Just because I have won two doesn’t mean I will win every single one.”
„But at the same time, I feel that I’m getting stronger with every game. It helps a lot to know that it’s not always about the game, but also about the psychology. Today’s game is a great proof of that.”
Although only 178 cm tall, Bellucci has produced the most aces at the Vilnius Open, and the southpaw’s backhand in the final not only saved his life multiple times but also drowned the SEB Arena in seas of applause. His only flaw was his shots with a dominant hand.”
„Yes, I was passive today with my forehand. But it happens to me. My coaches and I have been working very hard on this element since the beginning of the year. I think it’s getting better every day, but I have to agree that the forehand is my biggest weakness.”
„I wasn’t happy with my receiving in this tournament either. In past tournaments, it hasn’t bothered me, but in Vilnius, it caught my own attention. We will take that into account.”
In the #NextGenATP race, Bellucci is ranked 15th overall in ATP ranking points earned, although the category is led by such talents as Carlos Alcaraz, Yannick Sinner, Holger Rune, and others.
„I was even higher at the beginning of the year because the Futures tournaments start earlier than the ATP series. But seriously, it’s a great honor to be among this group of players. But like I said, I still have a lot of work to do to feel confident in this place. Two Challenger wins mean very little.”
When asked about his goals for next season, the modest Bellucci replied that he doesn’t really have any, because so far the goals he has set for himself are not going as he had planned.
„Oh, I don’t even know. At the beginning of the year, I told myself that my goal was to finish the season among the Top 450 players. I did it. I don’t know my goals for next year at the moment. We will have to see. Of course, we will try to qualify for the Grand Slam main events, but it will be very difficult.”
Bellucci will definitely be going to the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. However, he will have to start from the qualifiers.
„A few weeks ago I thought it was impossible because it just seemed at the time that I wouldn’t get the right amount of points by the end of the season. But I managed to do it. I think I’m getting better on the hard surface, but Grand Slams are a different beast. But I will definitely go to Australia. „
Despite playing 12 games in two weeks, Bellucci is not taking a break. This week, the 21-year-old will play in his last tournament of the season, the Challenger in Italy.
„I told myself that if I didn’t win in Vilnius, I would definitely go to Ortisei. But even though I won, I still feel that I have to play. I know I will put a lot of stress on my body, but this will be my last tournament this year. Then I will have a few weeks off, after which I will start preparing for the new season.”
When asked what he plans to improve in the off-season, Bellucci again highlighted his weak point.
“Forehand. Always the forehand.”