Mattia Bellucci is looking to return to a high level

Mattia Bellucci’s march continues apace as he picked up a pass for the quarterfinals in the “Grand Prix Hassan II” (ATP 250 – prize money 596,035 euros) being played on the clay courts of Marrakech, Morocco.

In the second round, the 23-year-old left-hander from Busto Arsizio, No. 71 in the ranking and eighth favorite in the seeding, defeated Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert, No. 169 ATP, who came from the qualifiers, 62 75 in an hour and 24 minutes of play, centering a place among the top eight for the second time this season (it had already happened in the “500” in Rotterdam when he then advanced to the semifinals). For the Lombard “best ranking” coming up: from Monday he will rise to at least No. 65.

“I am part of the new generation of Italian tennis players in which there are so many talented players with a good ranking – Mattia’s warm words -. In Marrakech I feel good, I knew that today I was facing a difficult player, especially because here the ball bounces so much and he is very strong at the net. I was lucky to start immediately with a break in the first set while the second set was more complicated. This year I played very well in Rotterdam while the rest of the season did not go so well. I am trying to find that level again or get close to it here in Marrakech, which is a city I like very much.”