Lucia Bronzetti advanced to the semifinals of the WTA 250 tournament held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, after delivering a remarkable victory over fellow Italian player Elisabetta Cocciaretto. The match, which took place on February 7, 2025, ended with the convincing score of 6-1, 6-4, highlighting Bronzetti’s dominant performance both on the court and throughout the tournament.
The match began with Bronzetti immediately showcasing her strengths, breaking Cocciaretto's serve and establishing control from the outset. Despite entering the match as the 72nd ranked player against the 60th placed Cocciaretto, Bronzetti looked entirely unfazed, quickly racing to a 6-1 lead. Her aggressive style and pinpoint accuracy proved too much for Cocciaretto, who struggled with unforced errors, particularly with her groundstrokes.
The second set mirrored the first, as Bronzetti exploded out of the blocks yet again. At one point, she went up 5-1 and had several match points to seal the victory without any drama. Cocciaretto, perhaps buoyed by her fighting spirit, rallied back to 5-4 after saving multiple match points, demonstrating her resilience. But Bronzetti remained composed, eventually closing the match on her terms after 72 minutes of play.
After the match, Bronzetti reflected on the emotional toll of competing against her friend. "It's never easy to play against a friend: I knew it was going to be a tough match. I managed the tension well, made few mistakes, and aimed to push on every ball. It wasn't simple at all," she remarked. Adding to her celebration of the win, she also expressed her joy for the tournament atmosphere. "I love everything about this tournament, even the Italian music the DJ plays during breaks. I like it here so much, I've already told my coach I want to come back next year,” she concluded.
Looking forward, Bronzetti will face the number 5 seed, Katerina Siniakova, who has carved her own path to the semifinals, defeating Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 7-6 earlier on the same day. This matchup promises to be thrilling, as Siniakova, currently ranked 54th, will present Bronzetti with one of her toughest tests yet. Notably, their head-to-head record currently sits at 1-0 in favor of Siniakova, who last defeated Bronzetti at the Bad Homburg final on grass.
With Bronzetti's recent form—having previously eliminated former world number one Simona Halep and the American Peyton Stearns—there is much anticipation surrounding her upcoming match. Her strong showing not only boosts her confidence but also stands to bring her closer to breaking back inside the top 60 of the WTA rankings.
Reflecting on her progression, Bronzetti's victory today marks her entry as one of the strongest contenders at this year’s tournament and sets her up for what could be a pivotal run as the tennis season gains momentum.