Déjà vu for Alex Michelsen in Newport, but maturity of rising star is promising for American tennis
It was déjà vu for rising star Alex Michelsen on Sunday as he was ousted in the Newport final for a second successive year, this time by good friend and compatriot Marcos Giron.
Giron first stepped foot inside the world’s top 100 back in 2020, but the 30-year-old’s wait for an ATP title finally came to an end after he saved a match point to outlast Michelsen 6-7(4) 6-3 7-5.
The two Americans, who teamed up together in the doubles event at Wimbledon earlier this month, put on a show for the home crowd in what was the ultimate grass-court match of the ATP season.
Michelsen has already displayed promising signs on the tennis court just a year into his professional career, earning high praise from Giron following the conclusion of the match.
“At 19, he is so mature,” Giron said. “He’s so good. He’s got such a bright future.”
The Californian burst onto the scene last summer as he muscled his way past four higher-ranked opponents to reach the final in Newport in just his second main draw appearance on the tour.
Over 125 places higher in the rankings this time around, Michelsen seemed eager to right the wrongs of 12 months prior, but came unstuck by the movement and stamina of Giron across three gruelling sets.
Maturity is key for Alex Michelsen and his success
Michelsen’s 2024 grass-court campaign has been up-and-down at times, but the young American has shown that maturity can take you far in the sport of tennis.
“I have definitely got better at that in the past year [staying grounded],” Michelsen told Tennishead after his first-round defeat to Paul Jubb (4-6 6-2 2-6) at the Surbiton Trophy in June.
“Everytime I won, it was as if I had won the Super Bowl, and then every time I lost, I was like ‘oh my gosh, the world is ending’. I have definitely levelled out a bit more – it’s part of maturing.
“I’m only 19, so I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I am getting there.”
Before the start of the 2024 campaign, Michelsen sat down with his team and set a target of reaching the top 50 in the world by the end of the year.
It has since been a steady rise and the teenager is already on the verge of completing his goal for the season as he creeps up to No.61 in the world.
“I’m definitely surfing the wave, but at the same time, when I am alone in my hotel room I sometimes think about what I have done and how happy I am to be in this situation,” Michelsen said.
“So, at the end of the day, losing a match like this [to Jubb] is part of the process, and that’s what I keep telling myself and that’s what is so beautiful about this.”
Michelsen was the No.1 seed in Surbiton that week, so the loss to Jubb, a Brit ranked almost 250 places below him, was a major upset in the first round.
But the 6 ft 4” American waltzed into the media cabin with a smile on his face and responded directly to the questions put to him in his post-match interview.
“Of course I want to be at the top,” Michelsen added. “I love seeing the Americans do well, I think one of us will win a slam in the next 10 years – I don’t think that is too crazy to say.
“You have a lot of [American] guys in good form in the top 20 right now, and obviously I want to be there too, but it takes time. I just lost to someone ranked 300 in the world, and he is very good at tennis.”
Michelsen is already a promising addition to American tennis and its strong cohort of stars, but with the maturity he possesses at such a young age, there is no doubt he will soar to greater heights.
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