“I Wasn’t a Great Junior” ATP no.73 Mattia Bellucci
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In this mini episode of The Functional Tennis Podcast, host Fabio Molle sits down with ATP No. 73 Matteo Bellucci during a visit to Rome sponsored by ASICS. Bellucci shares his journey from an unremarkable junior career—playing only Grade 3 and 4 tournaments and balancing school—to breaking into the top 100 at the end of 2024. He reflects on the pivotal shift in motivation that came when he transitioned from juniors to futures, describing how the challenge of competing professionally reignited his passion. Bellucci discusses his current footwear preferences, explaining his switch from ASICS Resolution to the Solution Speed due to its lightweight feel, stability, and performance during sliding on hard courts. He also reveals his shoe rotation strategy—using three pairs simultaneously—and praises ASICS for durability, especially in high-sliding conditions. The conversation touches on the emotional significance of playing in Rome in front of an Italian crowd, a dream tournament for him despite not yet securing a win there. He reflects on his breakthrough result in Rotterdam, where he defeated top players like Tsitsipas and Medvedev, and briefly mentions his past use of a Sabre racket during forehand development, though he no longer uses it due to logistical challenges.
Transitioning from a modest junior career to professional tennis requires a shift in mindset and motivation, often sparked by the real-world challenges of competing on the futures circuit.
ASICS Solution Speed shoes offer superior stability, lightweight performance, and durability—especially important for players who rely heavily on sliding on hard courts.
Using three pairs of shoes simultaneously helps maintain consistency and avoids mid-match wear concerns, particularly on hard courts where sliding is frequent.
Playing in front of a home crowd in Rome is a deeply emotional and motivating experience, even without a win yet, highlighting the importance of personal milestones in a player’s journey.
Breaking into the top 100 can be influenced by timing and protected rankings; Bellucci narrowly missed playing the Australian Open main draw despite qualifying, underscoring the role of luck and structure in the ATP rankings.
Introduction & Madrid Masters Insight
Fabio Molle introduces the episode and shares his positive experience recording practice footage at the Madrid Masters, praising its condensed court layout and accessibility for content creators. He recommends Madrid as a top destination for tennis content, especially compared to Rome’s more spread-out courts.
ASICS Shoe Transition: From Resolution to Solution Speed
“At the beginning I was using the Solution Speed FF3, the previous model and I felt it was very light and it was very good when I was sliding. I think I'm moving very well on the court and sliding for me is quite important especially on hard courts.”
Shoe Rotation & Durability on Tour
Bellucci explains his strategy of rotating three pairs of shoes simultaneously to avoid mid-match wear issues. He praises ASICS for durability, especially in the upper part and laces, noting he’s never had to change shoes mid-match despite heavy sliding.
From Average Junior to Top 100: The Turning Point
“I remember that I was playing my couple of tournaments, junior tournaments, and I remember they were like grade 3 or grade 4. I didn't have a great ranking. And at a certain point... I looked at the schedule of the future events and there were three, four or five events in Italy. And they were quite close to my house. So I said, I'm going to go there and try play.”
“I remember that I was playing my couple of tournaments, junior tournaments, and I remember they were like grade 3 or grade 4. I didn't have a great ranking. And at a certain point... I looked at the schedule of the future events and there were three, four or five events in Italy. And they were quite close to my house. So I said, I'm going to go there and try play.”
“At the beginning I was using the Solution Speed FF3, the previous model and I felt it was very light and it was very good when I was sliding. I think I'm moving very well on the court and sliding for me is quite important especially on hard courts.”
“I didn't play very good at the beginning of the season and then had a great, great result in Rotterdam.”
Host
Guest
Matteo Bellucci
person
ASICS
brand
Fabio Molle
person
Solution Speed
product
Rome
place
Madrid Masters
other
Sabre
product
Resolution
product
Milano
place
Rotterdam
place
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