Stefanos Tsitsipas, the world No. 12, suffered a shocking defeat in the Rotterdam Open, falling to Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci in an unexpected upset. Tsitsipas struggled throughout the match, failing to adapt to Bellucci’s powerful left-handed serve and aggressive baseline play.
It’s remarkable how so composed Bellucci was throughout, outplaying his Greek rival by precision shots and relentless pressure. This underdog for Tsitsipas, well renowned for the strongest shots on his racquet, made no mark upon the playing plan of this set.
The loss proved a disappointing opener to the event for Tsitsipas, who had high hopes of reclaiming some early-season momentum going into the week. For his part, victory for Bellucci solidifies a reputation as a giant killer as another big-name opponent falls to be defeated in rounds ahead.
With this breathtaking result, the fans in Rotterdam can look forward to even more high-intensity matches as Bellucci looks to continue his dream run against some of the biggest names in the tournament.
