Alex Michelsen loves being within the radar, but when he wins his subsequent match on the US Open, these days would possibly formally be over.
Chris OddoSeptember 6, 20262 minute learn
Alex Michelsen has quietly labored his method into his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, with out dropping a set thoughts you. And if the 22-year-old Southern Californian has his method, he’ll stay beneath the radar for a short time longer.
Michelsen’s sneaky good run continued on Sunday in Flushing Meadows as he defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to achieve the final eight on the US Open, becoming a member of three different American males within the quarterfinals.
For those who’re scoring at house, the 4 Individuals within the quarterfinals is probably the most the nation has produced at any Slam since 1995.
“I like being beneath the radar. It’s nice,” Michelsen mentioned. “I feel I’ve been fairly beneath the radar.”
Few had Michelsen pegged for this sort of success when he was rising up in Southern California. In truth, he says changing into an expert tennis participant wasn’t even severely mentioned till he was 16.
“Nobody ever actually instructed me I may very well be skilled till I used to be 16 years previous,” Michelsen mentioned. “By no means talked about in my home. No coaches introduced it as much as me. Nobody ever introduced it up. It was by no means actually an concept for me.”
Ultimately, coach Jay Leavitt noticed one thing in him. Throughout certainly one of their 9 a.m. practices, Leavitt instructed Michelsen he believed he might attain the Prime 100.
“I used to be, like, ‘Nah.’ He was, like, ‘I feel you might,’” Michelsen recalled. “He was the primary one to inform me. He ended up being proper.”
Michelsen admits even he didn’t essentially see this explicit breakthrough coming. His outcomes main into New York hadn’t been particularly encouraging, however behind the scenes, the work by no means stopped.
“I’m a bit of bit shocked simply because I really feel like my run-up type wasn’t tremendous good coming into this event,” he mentioned. “And I say no, as a result of I’ve been working my ass off for, I don’t know what number of years, taking part in this sport.
“I’m a bit of bit shocked that it got here like this, however on the identical time, I at all times had a sense it will come.”
Michelsen will face Frances Tiafoe in an all-American quarterfinal on the US Open, a event the place Tiafoe has repeatedly produced shis finest tennis.
“I feel Frances is a top-5 participant on the US Open,” Michelsen mentioned. “All the time taking part in good right here.”
The respect is mutual.
“Alex is a hell of a participant,” Tiafoe mentioned. “He’s younger. He’s going to be juiced up. We’ve performed a couple of instances. We’ve a great relationship. We’re at all times laughing and joking.”
For years, Michelsen has been snug progressing with out a lot fanfare. On the 2026 US Open, it seems that his days of flying beneath the radar are numbered.
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