Thomaz Bellucci facts for kids
Bellucci at the 2016 Ecuador Open Quito Final
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| Country (sports) |  Brazil |
|---|---|
| Residence | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Born | 30 December 1987 Tietê, Brazil |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Turned pro | 2005 |
| Retired | 22 February 2023 |
| Plays | Left-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Germán López Thiago Alves |
| Prize money | $ 5,384,637 |
| Official website | thomazbellucci.com.br |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 200–218 (47.85% in Grand Slam and ATP Tour main draw matches, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Highest ranking | No. 21 (26 July 2010) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016) |
| French Open | 4R (2010) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2010) |
| US Open | 3R (2015) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | QF (2016) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 63–83 |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Highest ranking | No. 70 (15 July 2013) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2013) |
| French Open | 1R (2015, 2016, 2017) |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2015) |
| US Open | 3R (2016) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 2R (2016) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| French Open | SF (2011) |
Thomaz Cocchiarali Bellucci, born on December 30, 1987, in Tietê, Brazil, is a former professional tennis player. He was once ranked as high as World No. 21 in July 2010.
Thomaz started strong in 2008, winning many matches on the ATP Challenger Tour. This helped him enter the top 100 tennis players when he was just 20. He won four main ATP Tour titles. These include the Swiss Open in 2009 and 2012, the Movistar Open in 2010, and the Geneva Open in 2015. He also reached the quarterfinals at the 2016 Olympics. And he made it to the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters in 2011.
Playing Style
Thomaz's tennis style uses a strong topspin on his forehand. This helps him control the game. He doesn't hit many aces, but his serve has great spin. This makes opponents move off the court. Then he can attack early in the point.
His two-handed backhand is very quick. It is flatter than his forehand. This lets him hit the ball earlier. He can hit winning shots with his backhand. Thomaz often played on clay courts. These are common in South America and Europe.
Career Highlights
Early Career (2005-2007)
Thomaz Bellucci started his professional career in 2005. By January 2005, he was ranked No. 15 in junior tennis. He quickly improved his ranking in 2007. He started the year at No. 582 and finished at No. 202.
Breaking into the Top (2008)
In 2008, Thomaz continued to rise. He won his first ATP match in Buenos Aires. He beat a higher-ranked player, Werner Eschauer. The next week, he won his first Challenger title in Santiago, Chile. This boosted his ranking to No. 145.
In April, he had an amazing winning streak. He won Challengers in Florianópolis, Tunis, and Rabat. These wins helped him enter the top 100 for the first time. He reached No. 75 in the world. He played in his first French Open and Wimbledon. He even won a match at Wimbledon.
First ATP Title (2009)
In 2009, Thomaz reached his first ATP Tour final. This was at the Brasil Open. He beat a former world No. 1 player, Juan Carlos Ferrero. But he lost in the final match.
In August, he won his first ATP title. This was at the Swiss Open in Gstaad. He beat several strong players. He was ranked No. 119 at the time. After this win, his ranking jumped to No. 66. Later that year, he reached a hard-court semifinal. He also won another Challenger title in São Paulo. This pushed him into the Top 40 players.
French Open Success (2010)
Thomaz started 2010 well. He reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane. In February, he won his second ATP title. This was at the Movistar Open in Chile. He beat the defending champion, Fernando González.
At the 2010 French Open, Thomaz played very well. He reached the fourth round. He beat the 14th seed, Ivan Ljubičić. He then lost to the world No. 2, Rafael Nadal. He also reached the third round at Wimbledon.
Big Wins and Semifinals (2011)
In 2011, Thomaz had a big win. He beat a top ten player for the first time. This was Fernando Verdasco at the Abierto Mexicano.
He played even better at the Madrid Open. He beat World Number 4 Andy Murray. This was his first win against a top 5 player. The next day, he beat World Number 7 Tomáš Berdych. This sent him to his first Masters 1000 semifinal. He lost to Novak Djokovic, who was undefeated that season. This was a great achievement for Thomaz.
More Titles (2012)
In 2012, Thomaz reached the fourth round at Indian Wells. He beat a seeded player, Jürgen Melzer. He also beat fifth-seeded David Ferrer at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
He won his third career title in July. This was his second trophy at the Gstaad Open. He beat Janko Tipsarević in the final. In October, he reached his first hard-court final. This was at the Kremlin Cup.
Doubles Success (2013)
At the 2013 Australian Open, Thomaz had a good run in doubles. He reached the quarterfinals with his partner Benoît Paire. In Davis Cup play, he had a big win. He upset John Isner in a five-set match. He also won a Challenger title in Montevideo.
Davis Cup Hero (2014)
In 2014, Thomaz helped Brazil win a historic Davis Cup match. He came back from two sets down to win against Pablo Andújar. Then he won another match against Roberto Bautista Agut. This secured Brazil's spot in the 2015 World Group. The crowd cheered for him. He finished the year back in the top 100.
Fourth ATP Title (2015)
In May 2015, Thomaz won his fourth ATP title. This was at the Geneva Open. He beat several players on his way to the trophy. This win brought him back into the Top 40 players. He also reached the third round at the US Open.
Olympic Quarterfinals (2016)
In February 2016, Thomaz was a runner-up at the Ecuador Open. In May, he played against Novak Djokovic. He won the first set 6-0 in just 24 minutes. Djokovic, the world No. 1, then won the match.
At the Rio Olympics, Thomaz reached the quarterfinals in singles. He lost to Rafael Nadal. He also reached the second round in doubles.
Finals and Retirement (2017-2023)
In April 2017, Thomaz reached his eighth singles final. This was at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships. He lost a close match to Steve Johnson.
In January 2018, Thomaz was suspended for five months. This was due to a positive test for a banned substance.
In February 2019, he was a runner-up in doubles. This was at the Rio Open. He played with his partner Rogério Dutra Silva.
Thomaz Bellucci announced his retirement from tennis on January 12, 2023. His last tournament was the Rio Open.
Wins Over Top 10 Players
Thomaz Bellucci had some impressive wins against top-ranked players during his career. He beat six players who were ranked in the top 10 at the time.
- In 2011, he beat Fernando Verdasco (ranked 9th), Andy Murray (ranked 4th), and Tomáš Berdych (ranked 7th).
- In 2012, he beat David Ferrer (ranked 6th) and Janko Tipsarević (ranked 8th).
- In 2017, he beat Kei Nishikori (ranked 5th).
Images for kids
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Thomaz Bellucci at the 2012 Open de Nice Côte d'Azur
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Bellucci at 2012 US Open
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Bellucci at 2014 Wimbledon qualifying
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See also
In Spanish: Thomaz Bellucci para niños
