Teen beats 4-time champ Isner in Newport semis

NEWPORT, R.I. — Teenager Alex Michelsen beat four-time match champion John Isner 7-6 (6), 6-4 in an all-American semifinal on the Corridor of Fame Open on Saturday.

The 18-year-old Michelsen, taking part in in his second profession ATP match after successful a challenger tour occasion in Chicago final week, superior to Sunday’s grass-court last in opposition to No. 2 seed Adrian Mannarinowho beat fellow-Frenchman and third-seeded Hugo Humbert6-4, 6-3.

In an fascinating twist, Michelsen, who signed and dedicated to Georgia, beat Isner, who attended the college and reached the 2007 NCAA singles last with the Bulldogs.

“When he was about to heat up serves, I used to be like, ‘Wow, I am taking part in this man!”’ mentioned Michelsen, from Aliso Viejo, California. “I grew up watching him. Fairly cool.”

The 38-year-old Isner, who gained Newport in 2011, 2012, 2017 and 2019, has relied on his overpowering serve in his profitable run on the occasion. He entered with a 28-6 document on the Corridor.

When the match ended, Michelsen tossed his racket and raised each fingers to the roar of the group. After shaking fingers with Isner on the web, {the teenager} turned and raised each fists to the group’s cheers.

“It does not really feel like I am taking part in within the last. Perhaps that is why I am taking part in so unfastened,” mentioned a smiling Michelsen. “I used to be actually guessing proper once I wanted to, to get a few of the serves to get that break early within the second.”

Isner had misplaced seven straight matches earlier than making his run this week.

Mannarino is searching for his second ATP tour title to pair along with his victory at Hertogenbosch in 2019.

“I took my probabilities on the large moments and it labored,” Mannarino mentioned. “It is on Newport grass. Something can occur.”

The match is held along side enshrinement ceremonies into the Corridor of Fame.

Esther Vergeer, 42, a dominant wheelchair participant who captured 21-time Grand Slam singles titles and who’s a seven-time Paralympic gold medalist, led the category of 2023. She was inducted with American Rick Draney, 61, who gained 12 singles titles and 6 in doubles earlier than the Grand Slam period of wheelchair tennis.

Vergeer held the No. 1 spot on the earth rankings for 668 weeks from 2000-13 whereas successful 470 straight singles matches. She gained 96% of her singles matches in all, and likewise claimed 136 doubles titles.

Draney has been credited with bringing quad tennis — a classification that accounts for impairment within the arms, as effectively — to the Paralympics and different prime tournaments.