The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, finalist of the Australian Grand Slam in 2023, was eliminated upon entering the Australian Open by the young American Alex Michelsen (7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 ), this Monday.
The struggle continues for Stefanos Tsitsipas (12th in the world): after a disappointing year 2024, the Greek started 2025 with an elimination in the first round at the Australian Open against the American representative of the “Next Gen” Alex Michelsen (42nd , 20 years old), winner in four sets (7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4). Finalist in the first round of the Grand Slam in 2023 and three-time semi-finalist in Melbourne, Tsitsipas suffered his earliest elimination in the tournament since 2018 on Monday at the John Cain Arena and a defeat in the first round against Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
“I wasn’t hitting the ball hard enough”
“I started my match very slowly, it frustrated me a little and made me doubt. I felt that I wasn't hitting the ball hard enough today,” regretted the Greek at a press conference. With a second round within his reach, against the Australian guest James McCabe (258th) or the Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce (142nd), Michelsen can hope to match his performance of 2024, when he reached the 3rd round where he was stopped by Alexander Zverev (2nd).
Among the other meetings of the day, world number 3 Coco Gauff won an all-American duel against Sofia Kenin (74th) to qualify for the second round of the Australian Open. Winner of the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals at the end of last season, the 20-year-old Floridian beat her compatriot 6-3, 6-3, who won the Australian Open in 2020. After this entry in a successful event on the Rod Laver Arena, the main court in Melbourne, Gauff will face in the second round the British Jodie Burrage (173rd), who dismissed the French qualifier Léolia in two sets Jeanjean (149th).
After the qualification on Sunday of Aryna Sabalenka (1st), double title holder, and the finalist of the 2024 edition Zheng Qinwen (5th), the Polish Iga Swiatek (2nd) also won (6-3, 6 -4) against the Czech Katerina Siniakova (50th).
Among the French, Arthur Rinderknech (61st) held off world number 16 Frances Tiafoe for a long time before losing in five sets against the American (7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7, 6-3) after a fight lasting more than four hours. The only French survivor from qualifying in Melbourne, Léolia Jeanjean (149th) fell (6-2, 6-4) against Briton Jodie Burrage (173rd) in the first round of the Australian Open. After the elimination on Sunday of Diane Parry (66th) and Chloé Paquet (122nd), Caroline Garcia (68th) and Varvara Gracheva (69th) represent the last French chances of advancing to the 2nd round in the women's table.
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