Alex Michelsen defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas in Tokyo | ATP Tour

Tokyo

#NextGenATP Michelsen downs Tsitsipas in Tokyo

Residence favorite Nishioka saves 2 MPs to upset Felix, Draper advances

September 26, 2024

The day after he misplaced second spot within the PIF ATP Reside Race To Jeddah, Alex Michelsen responded in type on the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships.

The #NextGenATP American on Thursday upset fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on his debut on the ATP 500 in Tokyo. Together with his one-hour, 48-minute win, Michelsen rose again above Chengdu champion Shang Juncheng into second within the Reside Race as he bids for his second straight look on the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF.

Flying into the second spherical ✈️

Alex Michelsen comes from a set all the way down to seize one of many greatest wins of his profession, d. Tsitsipas 4-6 6-1 6-2.@japanopentennis | #kinoshitajotennis pic.twitter.com/ifWo8m36K8

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 26, 2024

After coming by qualifying to earn a main-draw spot in Tokyo, Michelsen transformed all 5 break factors he earned in opposition to Tsitsipas, in keeping with Infosys ATP Stats. The Greek appeared to battle with the new and humid situations within the Japanese capital, and he couldn’t construct on his momentum after taking the opening set within the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head conflict.

It was a second Prime 20 win on arduous courts for the 20-year-old Michelsen, who additionally defeated Alex de Minaur in Los Cabos earlier this yr. His subsequent opponent in Tokyo might be his fellow qualifier Christopher O’Connell or Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Tsitsipas’ defeat was a blow to his hopes of reaching the Nitto ATP Finals for the sixth consecutive yr. The 26-year-old stays twelfth within the PIF ATP Reside Race To Turin, 570 factors adrift of eighth-placed Alex de Minaur, who at present occupies the final qualification spot for the distinguished season finale.

There have been additionally first-round victories for a pair of leftys on Thursday in Yoshihito Nishioka and Jack Draper. Japanese star Nishioka saved two match factors earlier than prevailing 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(5) in opposition to Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The Atlanta champion Nishioka snapped a four-match shedding streak in his Lexus ATP Head2Head collection with Auger-Aliassime to achieve the second spherical at his dwelling occasion for simply the second time in seven appearances. The World No. 59 will subsequent tackle sixth seed Holger Rune or Alejandro Tabilo.

US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper earned a extra comfy opening victory. The Briton downed qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-4, 6-2 to set a second-round assembly with second seed Hubert Hurkacz.