Of all the twenty-somethings who are giving the 2025 Australian Open a thrill, the American Alex Michelsen is currently the one whose performance record is the most clinical.
Michelsen qualified for the first Grand Slam round of 16 of his career on Saturday, dominating Russian Karen Khachanov, seeded No. 19, without even letting him have a set (6-3, 7-6 [5]6-2).
This victory follows those won against Stefanos Tsitsipas, seeded n°11 (7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4), in the first round, which gives this week the greatest success of his career so far. This victory brings him closer to the Top 30 at the ATP, and already promises him his best ranking in ten days.
Khachanov may regret not having made the most of the entry break he managed in the second set to calm his rival’s enthusiasm. The Russian led 3-0 then 4-1, but Michelsen broke with panache, with two winning forehands. Same realism applied to the decisive game of this second set. At 5-5, two consecutive winners put him two sets to zero.
-Michelsen, currently 42nd ATP player in the world, will face the winner of the match between Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, seeded no. 31, and Australian Alex De Minaur, seeded no. 8 at the Rod Laver Arena this Saturday.
The other posters for the third round at the Australian Open (Grand Slam, Melbourne Park, hard, 60,627,573 USD, results displayed from newest to oldest):
- Miomir Kecmanovic – Holger Rune: scheduled for Saturday
- Jannik Sinner – Marcos Giron: scheduled for Saturday
- Ben Shelton – Lorenzo Musetti: scheduled for Saturday
- Corentin Moutet – Learner Tien: scheduled for Saturday
- Lorenzo Sonego – Fabian Marozsan: scheduled for Saturday
- Francisco Cerundolo – Alex De Minaur: scheduled for Saturday
- Taylor Fritz – Gael Monfils: scheduled for Saturday
- Jack Draper (N.15) – Aleksandar Vukic : 6-4, 2-6, 5-7, 7-6 [5]7-6 [8]
- Jiri Lehecka (N.24) – Benjamin Bonzi : 6-2, 6-3, 6-3
- Novak Djokovic (N.7) – Tomas Machac (N.26) : 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
- Ugo Humbert (N.14) – Arthur Fils (N.20): Humbert qualified (4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 1-0 ab.)
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – Jakub Mensik : 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 [7]6-4, 6-2
- Alexander Zverev (N.2) – Jacob Fearnley : 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
- Carlos Alcaraz (N.3) defeated Nuno Borges 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 [3]6-2
- Tommy Paul (N.12) – Roberto Carballes Baena: 7-6, 6-2, 6-0
