Michelsen ends Opelka’s run, returns to Newport remaining | ATP Tour

Match Report

Michelsen ends Opelka’s run, returns to Newport remaining

#NextGenATP American will meet Giron in title match

July 20, 2024

One 12 months after his breakthrough run to the 2023 Infosys Corridor of Fame Open remaining, #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen is again within the Newport championship spherical. The 19-year-old received eight straight video games to defeat countryman Reilly Opelka 6-2, 6-0 on Saturday, bettering to 7-1 on the grass-court ATP 250 on residence soil.

Michelsen is the youngest participant to make consecutive finals on the similar tour-level occasion since Carlos Alcaraz achieved the feat in Umag in 2021 and 2022.

After combating off three early break factors in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly with Opelka, Michelsen dominated from halfway via the opening set. He transformed on 5 of 9 break factors and received 64 per cent of second-serve return factors, as Opelka made simply half of his first serves, in response to Infosys ATP Stats.

“I truthfully did not miss a return once I touched the ball,” Michelsen mentioned in his on-court interview. “Most likely the very best returning day of my life, perhaps moreover final 12 months in opposition to John [Isner] within the semis. I did it once more within the semis right here, so tremendous proud of that.”

Alex Michelsen is finals sure💪💥

Michelsen takes down Opelka 6-2 6-0 🇺🇸
⁰@TennisHalloFame | #InfosysHallOfFameOpen pic.twitter.com/U06TUA7UEe

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 20, 2024

By defending his PIF ATP Rankings factors as a returning finalist, Michelsen has held regular at No. 61 within the PIF ATP Dwell Rankings this week.

“I am normally form of a nerd, I all the time have a look at the rankings and the stay rankings,” Michelsen mentioned. “However this week I used to be like, ‘I do not even wish to know, do not inform me.’ As a result of I knew I used to be going to lose loads of factors if I misplaced first spherical and dropped lots. I simply did not give it some thought in any respect and it is served me properly.”

He may rise to a career-high of World No. 54 if he beats second seed Marcos Giron in Sunday’s remaining. The American misplaced to Adrian Mannarino in final 12 months’s remaining, however says he has each extra expectations and extra expertise coming into this 12 months’s title match.

Whatever the end result within the remaining, Michelsen’s run this week has already lifted him to second within the PIF ATP Dwell Race To Jeddah, behind Hamburg finalist Arthur Fils.

Opelka was making his first tour-level look in almost two years after hip and wrist surgical procedures. At No. 1,188 within the PIF ATP Rankings, the wild card was in search of to develop into the lowest-ranked finalist because the ATP Tour was established in 1990.

 

Giron booked his place within the remaining with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory in opposition to fourth seed Christopher Eubanks. The Newport debutant is thru to his third ATP Tour remaining and his first on grass. He’ll play for his first tour-level remaining on Sunday.

“It”s superb to get to the ultimate right here,” mentioned Giron. “My first time competing right here, I did not know what to anticipate. I have been taking part in properly on grass and so I am actually pleased.”

The 30-year-old, who battled again from 0-3 down within the third set in opposition to Benoit Paire in his opening match, is about for a brand new profession excessive within the subsequent version of the PIF ATP Rankings. Already up 5 locations to No. 41 this week within the PIF ATP Dwell Rankings, he may transfer to No. 38 by profitable the Newport crown.

“Hopefully I can get the trophy. It’ll be robust. Michelsen’s an ideal participant,” Giron added forward of the title match in opposition to his good friend and frequent follow associate. “He made the ultimate right here final 12 months. He is been routining guys right here, so he is positively in kind.”

Eubanks was in search of his second tour-level remaining, following his breakthrough title on the Mallorca grass final 12 months. A win in opposition to Giron would have moved him again in to the Prime 100, after he dropped out for the primary time since March 2023 on Monday.