The second best Brazilian tennis player in history says goodbye to his playing career. Winner of four ATP titles, three of them in Gstaad, Thomas Bellucci said goodbye at the age of 35 with his family in the ATP Rio de Janeiro 2023 of this sport that has taught him so much. In an interview with the official ATP website, Thomaz reviews his best and worst moments, as well as anticipating what his next step will be in the professional field.
An injury that could have left him without tennis at the age of 17 and inspiration in Kuerten
“So I had a lot of doubts. I didn’t know if it was best to continue playing tennis. I wanted to have fun doing other things. When Guga won Roland Garros in 1997, I was just a kid. I was nine years old. When I saw him on TV, I said: ‘If he can do it, being Brazilian, I think one day I can also be in the big tournaments. Guga made me think that getting there, although it seemed very difficult, was more of a possibility.
I didn’t want to regret it in the future. I had to keep trying. I thought about recovering and fighting again, but if I didn’t play well in two years, I would retire. That is what I did. At 19 he was in the top 200. That moment taught me perseverance and to always be strong”.
The good and bad of his career
“The best streak of my career was between 2010 and 2011. I played better in the big tournaments. At that time, I thought less, had fewer worries, played freely and didn’t have as much pressure. Then I started to think a little more, to doubt myself… I was always accompanied by psychologists who helped me improve my decision-making on and off the track.
It was not easy to find the balance between the personal and the professional in a sport like tennis. That is why you see so many players with depression problems, they are not well no matter how much they have money or good results. For me, the main thing was to take care of myself, to be mentally healthy and to be happy.
I often felt depressed. It happens to many tennis players because there is a lot of pressure and expectations. Over time you realize that the most important thing is not what people think of you. There are people who do not value you. The most important thing is not the approval of others, but to be happy on the track”.
The moment to say goodbye
“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 body notices 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 is a beautiful moment of transition, of change in my life”.
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