Alex Michelsen of the U.S. reacts after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
free slots to play for fun onlyMELBOURNE, Australia — Alex Michelsen produced the biggest win so far of his fledgling career to upset 2023 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round of the Australian Open, and he knew instinctively where credit was due.
The 20-year-old American overcame nerves on his serve in the fourth set before clinching a 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win Monday over Tsitsipas, a 26-year-old from Greece who has a career-high No. 3 ranking and has contested two Grand Slam finals.
Article continues after this advertisementMichelsen started playing tennis around age 3 and hit most days as a kid with his mother, Sondra, a school teacher who played college tennis.
FEATURED STORIES SPORTS Blatche looking at life after playing, with coaching Gilas an option SPORTS PBA: CJ Perez leads San Miguel back into the win column SPORTS Pacman vs the Monster: Who is Asia’s GOAT? READ: Australian Open: Nishikori rolls back years in five-set epicDefeating a Top 20 player at a Grand Slam for the first time ✅
Handing Tsitsipas consecutive 1st round losses in Grand Slams✅
All at 20 ✅
What a star, Alex Michelsen@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/L22eV5UGqf
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 13, 2025
“Yeah, I’m sure she’s watching right now,” Michelsen told the crowd on John Cain Arena, one of the three main show courts at Melbourne Park. “Yeah, we hit a million balls from the baseline every day. We’d go like 30 minutes up the middle, then we go across each way for like an hour and a half.
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Article continues after this advertisement“I mean we would just go out there and she would never miss a ball — she’s incredible. But no chance I’d be here without without her, so thanks Mom. Love you.”
Article continues after this advertisementThe No. 42-ranked Michelsen reached the third round last year on his Australia debut before losing in the first rounds at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and in the second round at the U.S. Open.
Article continues after this advertisementHis win over Tsitsipas was Michelsen’s first against a player ranked in the top 20 at a Grand Slam.
He played with freedom against Tsitsipas, taking big swipes with his service returns — including three in the ninth game of the fourth set that helped earn him a vital break.
Article continues after this advertisementHe got a bit tense on serve, surrendering two hard-earned breaks in the fourth set, but stayed composed in the last game.
READ: Australian Open: ‘Nervous’ Zheng Qinwen relieved to survive scare“Yeah, I didn’t take the most direct path, that’s for sure. Shouldn’t have got broken twice in the fourth. My serve let me down. Served double faulting way too much,” he said. “But I was also returning really, really well. I felt like I was winning most of the baseline rallies when I was inside the baseline and controlling the point.
“So I was thinking at 4-all, after I got broken twice, saying, ‘You’re still in this, just play every point for what it is.’ I played a great 4-all game and got it done at 5-4.”
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He finished the match with eight aces and eight double-faults, but hit 46 winners to only 40 unforced errors.
“First of all, I was just trying to stay super composed out there. I knew it was going to be a battle in the endmustwin,” he said. “It’s all about the mindset.”
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