Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci admitted he was feeling «happy and a little bit sad» after his career officially came to an end at this week’s Rio Open. Bellucci, 35, chose Rio de Janeiro as the tournament in which he wanted to say goodbye to tennis.
Bellucci, a former world number 21, was granted a wild card into the Rio Open main draw. On Wednesday, Bellucci lost 6-3, 6-2 to Sebastián Báez in the first round of the Rio Open. “It is the right time. I feel happy and also a little sad.
Tennis was in my life for many years, it is not easy to stop playing, but I have enjoyed it a lot. Now my feelings note the years and the sacrifices I have made. It’s time to do something else, to experience something new. I want to try to pass on my experience, train players, have a place here in Brazil to teach.
It’s a beautiful moment of transition, of change in my life,» Bellucci said after the game, for break point.
Bellucci fought hard but couldn’t bother Baez
For Bellucci, Rio de Janeiro was his first tournament of the 2023 season.
Baez, ranked 35th in the world, entered the match as the heavy favorite to beat Bellucci. Baez started the match strongly, earning the first break of the match in the second game to open up an early 2-0 lead. In the third game, Bellucci had his first break points of the match, but Baez saved two break chances to take a 3–0 lead.
Bellucci saved two set points in the eighth game to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Báez served for the opening set in the following game. After losing the first set, Bellucci served the first game of the second set. Baez then claimed back-to-back breaks and won the next five games to take a 5-1 lead.
Bellucci saved two match points in game seven to cut the deficit to 5-2, before Baez served for the match in the next game.
