By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 20, 2024
19-year-old Alex Michelsen dominated Reilly Opelka, dropping just a pair of games in semifinal action at Newport.
Photo Source: TTV
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 20, 2024
Alex Michelsen came to Newport as an 18-year-old in 2023, with zero ATP-level wins and a ranking of 190 in the world. This year the 19-year-old came back defending runner up points, at a ranking of No.61.
It’s been a decent year for Michelsen, and it could get better Sunday as the 19-year-old will bid for his maiden ATP title against Marcos Giron on the grass at the Hall of Fame Open.
46th-ranked Giron, the No.2 seed, defeated Chris Eubanks 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to reach his third ATP final.
Saturday was a special day at the Hall of Fame Open Newport, as it featured four Americans in the semifinals for the first time since 1985. It was also a bit bitersweet: the ATP 250 will be held in Newport for the last time, with the event being replaced by an ATP challenger and WTA 125 event during the second week of Wimbledon next year.
Michelsen's Sparkling Return
Michelsen defeated resurgent American Reilly Opelka on Saturday, producing what he called one of his best returning days ever to earn a 6-2, 6-0 triumph in a cool 60 minutes.
“At the beginning he was having break points on my serve and I was like ‘Oh this is gonna be one of those matches,’ Michelsen said. “I honestly didn’t miss a return when I touched the ball – probably the best returning day of my life.”
Opelka made great strides in his first ATP event in nearly two years off the tour after being derailed by a hip surgery and other ailments. The former World No.17 racked up three wins in succession, including a second-round victory over top seed and defending champion Adrian Mannarino, but he looked to be out of ideas – and gas – on Saturday as Michelsen broke his serve five times from nine opportunities and saved each of the three break points he faced.
Michelsen improves to 7-1 lifetime at Newport. He says he was initially a little nervous about the fact that he would be defending runner up points for the first time, but he has managed the challenge to perfection.
“I’m usually kind of a nerd, I always look at the live rankings, but this week I was like ‘I don’t even want to know, don’t tell me,’ because I knew I was gonna lose a lot of points if I lost in the first round. I just didn’t think about it at all, and that has served me well.”