Medvedev is playing only his second tournament to the year after kicking off his 2025 season at the Australian Open. Suffering a second-round defeat to Leaner Tien in Melbourne, the 2023 Rotterdam champion arrived in search of his first ATP title anywhere in nearly two years.
After navigating his emotions and an in-form Wawrinka to begin the week, Medvedev found himself on the backfoot once again against Bellucci, a qualifier taking on the former US Open champion for the first time.
The Italian got off to an impressive start against Medvedev, claiming the lone break of the opening set to put himself in position to score his first career Top 10 victory. He shook off a 1-4 deficit in the second set—and later a set point at 4-5—to force a tiebreaker. Once there, he raced ahead to a 5-2 lead.
Medvedev saved his best tennis for the brink of defeat, reeling off the next three points to level the Sudden Death and save a match point to convert his second set point opportunity.
With the match tied at one set apiece, Bellucci saved six break points in his opening two service games as physical issues began to set in; he called the trainer after holding for a 3-2 lead.
After being treated for an apparent stomach ailment, Bellucci found a new gear to make it over the finish line over a frustrated Medvedev—who tossed his racquet to the sky in anger— to win the final three games of the match and reach the final eight.
