Alex Michelsen: Homegrown Rookie

Alex Michelsen, the 21-year-old from Southern California, makes his Laver Cup debut in San Francisco, roughly 430 miles from his birthplace. The fifth-highest-ranked American male plans to buoy Team World with his youthful energy as they vie for a third Laver Cup title on home soil.

How it’s going
The talented right-hander advanced to the fourth round of January’s Australian Open, his first appearance in the second week of a major, by delivering upsets over Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov. Michelsen, who favors hard courts, defeated Team World teammate Francisco Cerundolo and Tsitsipas on the grass courts of the Terra Wortmann Open in Halle in June to reach the quarterfinals.

After reaching a career-high ranking of No. 30 in July, he secured a second career top 10 victory by dispatching Lorenzo Musetti in three sets in Toronto. Michelsen, whose favorite shot is his backhand, was seeded at the US Open, Wimbledon and Roland Garros for the first time, but lost in the opening round of all three majors.  The Wimbledon 2022 junior boys’ doubles champion teamed up with different partners to secure notable doubles victories, including one over Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego in Halle, and against doubles specialists Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, as well as Taylor Fritz and Jiri Lehecka, in Stuttgart.

Laver Cup’s appeal
Michelsen recalled watching Laver Cup Prague 2017, the inaugural edition of the transcontinental event. He observed skillful performances and hunger from each side as they fought for the title. Eight years later, he’s stoked to represent Team World as they battle to wrestle the trophy back from defending champions Team Europe. “I can’t wait to wear this in San Francisco,” he said, after trying on his red jacket for the first time. “I’m super pumped.”

The 21-year-old — a self-professed video game aficionado just like Fritz — is ready to receive feedback on his game from Team World’s new captain Andre Agassi, a long-time rival of Robby Ginepri, one of Michelsen’s two coaches. “Andre Agassi is just such a legend to our sport,” he said. “I actually met him once when I was 12 or 13 at a Las Vegas National Tournament, and [there’s] no chance he remembers,” he grinned.

Michelsen said he’s watched videos of Agassi competing in his prime, partly because his parents — collegiate tennis players — loved watching the eight-time Grand Slam champion. “What an unbelievable ball-striker … so clutch and such a great player,” Michelsen said of the Las Vegas resident. “He’s an incredible star for our sport and our country, so it’ll be a blast spending some time with him.”

Looking ahead to San Francisco
Michelsen hopes fans will pack out Chase Center, which has a capacity of roughly 18,000 and serves as home to the Golden State Warriors.

“We got a lot of stars playing in California,” said the Los Angeles Clippers fan, who carries a soft spot for the Warriors because they share a home state. As one of two rookie players on Team World’s bench alongside João Fonseca, the Brazilian teenage sensation, who defeated the American in their only prior meeting in Madrid last year, Michelsen plans to provide copious encouragement to his side.

“I’m going to be getting up and yelling all sorts of things from the bench,” he promised. “I’m going to be as supportive as I can because it’s a team competition, you gotta do everything you can to get your teammate over the line.”

Asked what he plans to bring to Team World, Michelsen was quick to answer. “A lot of good vibes, a lot of good energy,” he said. “I’m probably not going to have a voice by Sunday if I’m doing it right … big energy from me.” On court, the American will back himself despite being in uncharted territory. Whoever he faces, Michelsen will aim to find the white lines of Laver Cup’s stately black court as he seeks a career-first win over Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune or Flavio Cobolli, who each own a 1-0 head-to-head over Michelsen, or Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Jakub Mensik, all of whom he hasn’t yet faced in an ATP Tour-level match.

“We’re going to do our best to get home with the W,” he said of Team World’s collective ambition. “We’re losing in the overall head-to-head against Europe, so I think we got to try to catch them.”