Alex Michelsen Reaches Newport SFs | ATP Tour | Tennis

American Alex Michelsen’s breakthrough week hit a brand new excessive Friday on the Infosys Hall of Fame Open.

The 18-year-old downed fourth seed Mackenzie McDonald 6-3, 6-3 to achieve his first tour-level semi-final on the ATP 250 occasion. World No. 190 Michelsen got here out of the blocks robust, dropping only one level behind his first serve within the opening set. {The teenager} then relied on his backhand in key moments to shut the match after one hour, 11 minutes.

“I served very well, first-serve proportion was most likely fairly excessive,” Michelsen stated in his on-court interview. “The serve was key right this moment and I did not miss too many groundstrokes both, in order that was good.”

Michelsen arrived in Newport with no tour-level match win, however has loved a career-best efficiency, downing defending champion Maxime Cressy, James Duckworthand McDonald to set a gathering in opposition to high seed Tommy Paul or John Isner within the final 4.

At present ninth within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Subsequent Gen Race, Michelsen is aiming to make his debut on the Next Gen ATP Finalswhich showcases the season’s high eight 21-and-under gamers.

The California native arrived on the grass-court match following his triumph at last week’s ATP Challenger Tour event in Chicago. Michelsen is as much as No. 152 within the Pepperstone ATP Reside Rankings.