ATP player admits he barely knew how to win a point when he played against Carlos Alcaraz this year 

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Carlos Alcaraz won 71 matches this year, picking up eight titles and finishing the season as world number one.

The Spanish star was dominant on the ATP Tour, winning two Grand Slams to take his major tally to six.

He only lost nine matches all year, suffering defeats against Novak Djokovic (1), Jiri Lehecka (1), Jack Draper (1), David Goffin (1), Holger Rune (1), Taylor Fritz (1), Cameron Norrie (1), and Jannik Sinner (2).

Others failed to provide such a challenge to the six-time Grand Slam champion, with many losing to Alcaraz in straight sets.

One such player has now recalled his experience playing against Alcaraz at the US Open during an interview with ‘Spazio Tennis‘.

Mattia Bellucci admits he didn’t know what to do when playing Carlos Alcaraz

Italy’s Mattia Bellucci drew the short straw in New York, as he took on Alcaraz in the second round of the US Open.

The gulf in quality was evident from the first point to the last, as Alcaraz secured the win in three sets, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3.

Bellucci’s dream of reaching the third round was shattered in just 1 hour, 36 minutes, as he was taught a lesson on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Carlos [Alcaraz] and Jannik [Sinner] are impressive on TV, but playing against them on court is much worse,” he said.

“There wasn’t a single aspect where I felt on par with Alcaraz.

“I didn’t know how to win points, how to stay in the game. Against other ‘big’ players, I felt closer tennis-wise, but against Alcaraz I thought ‘I don’t know what to do’.

“In those days, he was playing fantastic tennis.”

Bellucci has shared the court with some of the best players ever, including the 24-time Grand Slam winner, Novak Djokovic.

“Unlike other big names, when you’re on court with ‘Nole’ there’s a much higher level of demand,” he said.

“He demands a very high level of precision from himself and his team, and if things don’t go well, he gets annoyed.

“I tried to make the training useful for him, but the pressure was so much. In terms of emotion and intensity, it was a training session that made me better, stronger.

“Reaching that level of demand against the greatest of all time… I never thought I’d find myself in such a situation.”

Bellucci has played/practiced with two of the best players in the world, but how well did he perform on the ATP Tour in 2025?

Mattia Bellucci’s 2025 season round-up

The Italian made headlines earlier this year at the Rotterdam Open in the Netherlands.

Advancing to the main draw via qualifying, Bellucci picked up two of the biggest wins of his professional career.

Bellucci defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev en route to the semifinals, where he lost to Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

He reached a new career-high ranking thanks to his efforts in the Netherlands, but has since fallen to 74th.

Mattia Bellucci’s ATP Ranking

The 24-year-old also enjoyed the best Grand Slam campaign of his professional career, winning three matches, up from one in 2024.

Mattia Bellucci at Grand Slams in 2025

• 2025 Australian Open – Mattia Bellucci lost in Q2 to Terence Atmane
• 2025 French Open – Mattia Bellucci lost in 1R to Jack Draper
• 2025 Wimbledon – Mattia Bellucci lost in 3R to Cameron Norrie
• 2025 US Open – Mattia Bellucci lost in 2R to Carlos Alcaraz

Bellucci picked up his fourth Challenger Tour title this year aswell, as he looks well placed to make another jump up the rankings in 2026.

Only time will tell how the Italian will get on in the new year, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.