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Térence Atmane earned the right to breathe a little easier in Almaty. The Frenchman saw off Mattia Bellucci in the second round of the Kazakh ATP 250 on Thursday, after a match lasting nearly three hours and featuring three tiebreaks. Beaten in the opening set, he prevailed 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 to reach the quarter-finals.
The result owed as much to resilience as to the quality of the tennis on display. Bellucci arrived on a six-match winning streak and never stopped pushing Atmane to his limits. Neither player managed to establish a lasting lead, so all three sets were decided in the narrow corridor of tiebreaks.
The result owed as much to resilience as to the quality of the tennis on display.
Bellucci strikes first
Mattia Bellucci won the first set 7-6, taking the tiebreak 7 points to 4. The Italian confirmed his recent momentum and remained solid in the moments when the match could have opened up. Térence Atmane, meanwhile, never lost his grip, even when the match hinged on just a few exchanges.
The Frenchman responded in the second set. This time, he dominated the tiebreak 7 points to 2, restoring the balance after a set in which there had been no margin at all. That reaction changed the temperature of the match: Bellucci was no longer simply defending his lead; he had to embark on a full third battle.
The ability to stay engaged after losing a set is valuable on tour. In Almaty, Atmane did not need a perfect match; he needed to remain precise when serving, returning and patience became more important than spectacular shots.
Three tiebreaks, no escape
The third set extended the same scenario. The two men returned to the tiebreak, the third of the day, and Atmane won it 7 points to 5. The scoreline reflects the intensity of the contest: 6-7, 7-6, 7-6. No artificial surge, simply a match in which each set was decided by a handful of points.
Bellucci may have regrets after winning the first tiebreak and holding the pace for so long. His performance was by no means a collapse: he pushed the Frenchman to the limit and confirmed the level that had enabled him to string together victories before Almaty.
For Atmane, the main thing lies elsewhere. He is back in an ATP quarter-final, having had to overcome a tenacious opponent. In a tournament of this category, this kind of victory can matter as much as the ranking: it confirms the ability to win when a match refuses to become simple.
A quarter-final to prepare for without getting carried away
The Frenchman will now have to recover quickly. A match lasting nearly three hours leaves its mark, especially when it is played almost entirely under pressure. But it also provides a mental benchmark: Atmane came through three tight set finishes and won the last two.
In Almaty, his run continues with a place in the quarter-finals. The next match will show whether this victory was a courageous interlude or the starting point of a more ambitious week. For now, the Frenchman has above all done what the draw required: found a way through, even when it looked nothing like a motorway.