The 2016 champion struggled especially with his returns and was only able to break the serve of the world number 101 once.
First time in four years without a Swiss in the 2nd round
For the first time since the US Open 2020, no Swiss man or woman has reached the 2nd round of a Grand Slam.
Wawrinka, who was only eligible to compete thanks to a wildcard, could count on strong support from the audience but had little to counter against the left-hander from Lombardy, who is sixteen years younger.
Often under pressure with less than 50 percent of his first serves, he was always chasing a deficit. After two hours and fifteen minutes, Bellucci secured his first victory at Grand Slam level after first-round losses in Australia, Paris, and Wimbledon.
Big disappointment
“Very disappointed,” said the Vaud native. “Especially about how I played.” He never found any solutions. With only five wins this year, Wawrinka lacks the necessary conviction and self-confidence, although he claims to be playing well in training.
His only break came in the first set at 3:3, but he surrendered his serve right away. After that, he only had one more break chance at 2:2 in the third set.
Fall in the rankings
In the end, against a strong and rising player, a lot was missing to reach the 2nd round like at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the Olympic Games in Paris. The uncertainty is thus not diminishing for the oldest player in the field.
In the rankings, Wawrinka will drop back to around position 225 in ten days. Therefore, it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if he had played his last match in New York against Bellucci.