The Grand Slams are a promised land for new generations of athletes. In the most important tournaments in the world, possibilities open up and surprises do not take long to arrive. In this case, Alex Michelsen (No. 91 in the ATP ranking) starred in one of the moments of the second round, eliminating the Czech Jiri Lehecka32nd seeded, recent champion in Adelaide and quarterfinalist in Melbourne last year.
Born 19 years ago in California, United States, Alex Michelsen He started last season as 600th in the world alternating participation in ITF and Challenger Tour tournaments until his big opportunity arrived on the ATP Tour.
At the 250 in Atlanta, a week following lifting his inaugural Challenger in Chicago, he won his first match on the tour, defeating the defending champion Maxime Cressy and beginning a journey that would culminate in the definition of the tournament that he finally lost to the experienced Adrian Mannarino. Later he won his first Grand Slam celebration at the US Open, eliminating Albert Ramos-Viñolas from competition.
This gradual growth positioned him within the Top 100 for the first time in his nascent career. and, as a finishing touch, he qualified for the ATP Next Gen Finals as one of the best sub-21s in the world.
Months later, starting in 2024, he classified the two events that precede the first big event on the calendar: Brisbane and Auckland. Although he did not make any profits in the main frames, that filming allowed him to land prepared in Melbourne Park.
In the first round there he beat local James McCabe 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-1 and 6-2. Then it was the turn of one of the seeded players in the draw. Jiri Lehecka, who last year had marked his most outstanding performance by reaching the quarterfinals and who had started this cycle by conquering Adelaide, might not beat the American in the 2004 category: 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and 6-4.
Stepping into the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career he will meet an experienced player from the tour. Alexander Zverev (6th) will try to put an end to Michelsen’s illusion. Will he get it? Or will the North American surprise?
All the activity of the Australian Open, exclusively on ESPN and STAR+.
