Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Rome match.
The match at the prestigious tournament in Rome provides a significant platform for both players. It is especially important for Mattia Bellucci, who will be competing on home soil and aiming to snap a four-match losing streak. Pedro Martinez, on the other hand, is in the midst of an extended downturn. A first-round win would offer some welcome respite after a series of underwhelming performances in recent weeks.
Mattia Bellucci
Mattia Bellucci began the season on a high note, reaching the semi-finals in Rotterdam. Along the way, he notched victories over top-ranked players such as world No.11 Daniil Medvedev and No.19 Stefanos Tsitsipas. However, his form has dipped since March, with early eliminations in Barcelona, Madrid, and at a Challenger event in Catalonia. On clay, Bellucci rarely engages in lengthy matches: in six of his last eight outings on the surface, the total number of games was 20 or fewer.
Pedro Martinez
Pedro Martinez is generally regarded as a clay-court specialist, but his 2025 season has yet to live up to expectations. Since February, he has managed back-to-back wins only once — in Buenos Aires. Since then, he has suffered three consecutive first-round eliminations, including a defeat to world No.313 Alexey Vatutin. Over the past month, his serve has come under pressure, with opponents generating 66 break points against him across eight matches — a troubling statistic. Like his opponent, Martinez also rarely goes the distance: in five of his ten clay-court matches this season, the total number of games stayed under 20.5.
Mattia Bellucci vs Pedro Martinez Prediction
Both players arrive in poor form, but Mattia Bellucci seems better positioned to rebound. He benefits from home-court support, and Pedro Martinez has been prone to costly errors. However, each player typically wraps up matches in straight sets, and the market presents strong value on the shorter game total. That is the selection we are backing.
