Alex Michelsen shows improved mentality in Australian Open win over Stefanos Tsitsipas

MELBOURNE—Alex Michelsen is just getting started. At 20 years old and with loads of talent, he’s going to enjoy many notable firsts throughout his playing career.

Today was such an occasion. It marked the first time Michelsen defeated a top 20 opponent at a Grand Slam. The scalp he collected on his way to this milestone belonged to 11^th-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas, a four-set, 2-hour 43-minute triumph under the Melbourne summer sun.

The first two sets at John Cain Arena unfolded in routine fashion. Both players, clad in their matching red Adidas tops, did well to protect their serves and played 11 games without producing a break point. Michelsen struck first with Tsitsipas serving at 5-6, 30-40. The American delivered a return + 1 backhand combination—one crosscourt, the next down the line for a winner—to break and take the set.

The second set was equally clinical. Michelsen again got the first chance to break with Tsitsipas serving at 3-4, and again took the advantage. He closed out the set with a love service game. Over the first two sets, Tsitsipas did not earn a single break point.

“I had a very slow start to the match,” says Tsitsipas. “In terms of finding my movements and just dominating from the serve +1, it wasn’t really the way I’m expecting it to work. That led to some frustration and, let’s say, insecurity in terms of approaching my game.”

The script flipped in the third set. Staring at the exit, Tsitsipas raised his level and—as it happens when a young player is on the verge of a monumental victory—Michelsen blinked. Tsitsipas calls the Australian Open his home slam, and the Greek fans in the crowd vociferously tried to spur him back into the match. He rode their support and better play to a 6-2 score.

I like being alone. I’m a loner. I like being with my own thoughts and figuring stuff out on my own. Alex Michelsen

With the momentum shifted, there was a sense the match could easily be headed to a fifth set. This was familiar ground for Tsitsipas, but Michelsen has little experience to draw from. He did, however, have a win over Tsitsipas in there only previous meeting—last year in Tokyo—which gave him confidence in his game plan.

“I’ve lost a lot of matches not because I was playing badly, but because I was bad mentally,” says Michelsen. “I’d miss one or two shots and I’d lose my crap for a little while and boom the match is over like that because these guys are not going to give you anything out here. You have to mentally be on your game at all times. Last year I probably lost 10 matches that I should’ve won straight because of the brain.”

The tightening of the scoreline caused some nervy play in the fourth set. There were moments of brilliant shot-making from both players, matched by their share of sloppy mistakes. Twice Michelsen nosed in front with breaks of serve, only to immediately hand them right back with poor service games. He opened the door once more with a third break to go up 5-4, only this time he walked through and held for a 6-4 set and match victory.

“I didn’t take the most direct path, that’s for sure,” says Michelsen. “Shouldn’t have got broken twice in the fourth. My serve let me down, started double faulting way too much. But I was also returning really really well. I feel like I was winning most of the baseline rallies when I was inside the baseline controlling the points.”

The numbers backed up what Michelsen was feeling—the longer the rallies, the better his results. Tsitsipas was +11 on points lasting 0-4 shots; Michelsen was +15 on the rallies that went longer.

But perhaps the starkest difference between the players was their backhands. Michelsen’s two-hander is the picture of reliability and effortless power. His shot up the line off that side is a thing of beauty. At critical moments he was able to change the direction of the ball and use that shot to bust open the point or produce an outright winner.

He finished with 15 backhand winners versus just 5 for Tsitsipas. Just as telling, the Greek committed 46 combined forced and unforced errors on his backhand to only 22 for Michelsen.

That sturdy backhand is now joined by a beefier serve and forehand to give Michelsen a well-rounded baseline attack. He can also back them up with a capable net game (he was 21/27 on net points) and timely touch. Yet, now with a full year of Tour play under his belt, Michelsen harkens back to his stronger mental approach as the biggest improvement in his game.

Unlike many of his peers, he doesn’t employ a mental coach. He’ll bounce things off his coaches, but ultimately relies on the man in the mirror.

“I like being alone. I’m a loner,” he says with a smile. “I like being with my own thoughts and figuring stuff out on my own.”

Those thoughts should make for good company tonight.