Alex Michelsen delivered the first major upset of the 2025 Australian Open, defeating 2023 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the opening round.
Playing with boldness, confidence, and creativity, Michelsen kept the Greek star on the defensive with a barrage of powerful winners from both wings. His aggressive forehand returns on Tsitsipas’ first serves, combined with decisive down-the-line backhands, left the 26-year-old struggling during critical points.
The match was not without its share of drama. The 20-year-old American committed three double faults midway through the fourth set, surrendering two service breaks. However, it was a Tsitsipas double fault on break point at 5-all that ultimately sealed the match.
Stefano’s frustration was unmistakable. After losing the first two sets, 26-year-old Tsitsipas managed to take the third but immediately dropped his serve at the start of the fourth. During the changeover, he angrily gestured toward his box and smashed his racket twice against his racket bag. Still fuming, he badly mishit a backhand on the first point of the following game.
While Tsitsipas’s anguish was striking, the other side of the story was the composure of Michelsen, a 20-year-old Californian ranked No. 42 after a breakout year in 2024, who kept his nerve to secure the victory.
“I tried to stay super composed. I knew it would be a battle, and I’m super happy to get through,” said Michelsen, who tallied 46 winners, including eight aces, as per Infosys ATP Stats. “It’s all about the mindset. I came in with the proper mindset and executed the game plan.”
This victory marks Michelsen’s first Top 20 win at a Grand Slam and propels him to a career-high No. 41 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He now holds a 2-0 lead in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Tsitsipas, having previously defeated the 12-time ATP Tour champion and 2019 Nitto ATP Finals winner in Tokyo last year.
Michelsen, a semi-finalist at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah last month, will next face either Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce or Australian wild card James McCabe.
Beating the 11th seed and former finalist here at the Australian Open is Michelsen’s most notable victory in his young career — and one that was essentially against a home crowd, given the support Tsitsipas always receives from the sizeable Greek population in Melbourne.
Tsitsipas, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2019, 2021, and 2022, has been a consistent presence in the second week at Melbourne in recent years, advancing to that stage in five of the past six tournaments. However, he has now exited before the third round in his last three Grand Slams, following second-round losses at Wimbledon and a first-round exit at the US Open in 2024.
