Star Metro - Tsitsipas falls to giant-killer Bellucci in Rotterdam

World number 12 Tsitsipas never got to grips with Bellucci's left-handed serve and combination of flat backhands and heavy top-spin forehands, interspersed with well-disguised drop shots.

"At the beginning of the week, I would have never expected this result," said Bellucci, 23, who had never before reached the semi-final of an ATP 500 event.

"I was really enjoying myself on court. Today I think I played even better, technically speaking, against a great opponent but I was in a mindset to fight for every point," said the Italian.

Bellucci, ranked 92 in the world, had already demonstrated his giant-killing prowess by downing second seed Daniil Medvedev in the previous round.

And he proved a real handful for Tsitsipas in the first set, retrieving impressively and surprising the Greek player with heavily sliced drop shots.

After breaking Tsitsipas at 4-4, Bellucci made no mistake serving out the set, saving a break point on the way and sealing the game as his opponent pushed a backhand long.

The sixth-seeded Tsitsipas's struggles continued early in the second set, as Bellucci broke serve and raced into a 3-1 lead, again drawing his opponent out with a clever drop shot.

Tsitsipas was the architect of his own downfall in his next service game, giving up a second break of serve with a double-fault on break point.

He saved a match point at 5-1 down, as he had done in the previous round against local hero Tallon Griekspoor.

But there was no miracle escape this time as Bellucci served out the match to love, taking the acclaim of an appreciative crowd.

Awaiting Bellucci in the semi-final is Australia's Alex de Minaur, last year's runner-up, who wasted no time in swatting aside German lucky loser Daniel Altmaier 6-1, 6-4.

In the top half of the draw, world number three Carlos Alcaraz faces compatriot Pedro Martinez while Russia's Andrey Rublev takes on Hubert Hurkacz from Hungary.

K.Evans--SMC