Alex Michelson
‘Circle on my calendar’: Improved Michelsen makes Guida return
American Airlines aims to learn from Jeddah’s success
December 17, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Alex Michelsen will open his campaign in Jeddah on Wednesday with an All-American game against Nishesh Basavareddy.
Written by ATP Staff
Alex Michelsen came home empty-handed at last year’s Next Generation ATP Finals at PIF, losing a two-set tiebreaker in a dramatic group match. With a wealth of experience and an all-around improved game, he returns as the second seed and is one of the favorites to win the Jeddah title this season.
“I’m excited to be back. It’s been pretty much circled on my calendar all year,” the American said. “It’s really cool to be back here as the No. 2 seed. I have my own locker. I’m super excited.”
Michelsen entered the 20-and-under event last season shortly after breaking into the top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings. He is now on the verge of a top-40 finish after his first full season on the ATP Tour.
“I think this year is a little different,” he explained. “I can bring the experience I gained this year and all the experience I gained in the 33 weeks of competition this year into this week. I’m really excited to be back and hopefully I can do a little bit better than I did last year.”
A year after reaching the Newport final in his second tour-level event, Michelsen has reached two ATP Tour singles finals this season to prove it. He finished second again on the Newport grass and then ran deep again on the hard courts in his hometown of Winston-Salem.
“It’s great to be in the finals twice,” said Michelsen, looking back on what he called “a very positive year.”
“I beat Cincy in doubles, then went straight to Winston-Salem and made the finals in singles,” he continued. “I played one match every day for 12 or 13 days. I’m happy going into the Open this year, but let these two matches [singles] The final was incredible. It was definitely the highlight of my year.
The 20-year-old attributes his strong performance in 2024 to his dedication to fitness and a more professional diet, as well as improvements in his forehand and serve. Maxon has a solid foundation to develop from, thanks in large part to his parents, Eric and Sandra.
Growing up, he played regularly with his parents and benefited from their different playing styles. While his father played aggressive games, his mother was more of a grinder: “When I would go out and play with my parents on the weekends, I would just grind with my mom. Then my dad would step in, ” he said with a smile. “It was always more fun with my dad because we would play all these fun little games like cross-court one to five, backhand slices, that kind of thing. My mom was like, ‘Okay, we’re going to do cross-court forehands. Ball 30 minutes.
“She gave me a good foundation. Until I was 15, I dealt with her almost every day. When COVID-19 hit, I stopped dealing with her. But I used to play with her four or five times a week. , and without any time.
Now, Michelson works with coaches Robbie Ginepri and Jay Leavitt to fine-tune his game. They all helped him adjust to life on the ATP Tour, where even the best players end up losing most weeks.
“In the beginning, it was difficult not to win,” Michelsen said of the adjustment. “Not winning a tournament can make you a little frustrated. In the juniors, I won a lot in local tournaments and then the ITF. Then you go to the Tour and everyone is so good and winning tournaments is so difficult. I feel better about myself. [at dealing with that] Just because you know everyone is failing except one. I’ve definitely matured in this area.
Due to the unique format this week in Jeddah, Michelsen could lose and still win the title. Or, he could match Jannik Sinner’s performance in the Nitto ATP Finals, winning the trophy with a perfect 5-0 record.
Michelsen is undoubtedly aiming for the latter, as he begins his trip to Jeddah on Wednesday with an All-American match against seventh-seeded Nishish Basava Reddy.
