Michelsen stuns Fritz to reach first clay-court QF in Geneva

#NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen earned his second Top 20 win on Wednesday at the Gonet Geneva Open, where he clawed past World No. 12 Taylor Fritz in a second-round thriller.

The 19-year-old, who beat World No. 9 Alex de Minaur in Los Cabos, squandered two match points on Fritz's serve at 5-3 and two on his own serve at 5-4 in the third set before he regrouped to earn a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory at the ATP 250.

Michelsen earned his first tour-level clay-court win in Munich in April and is now into his maiden quarter-final on the surface after ousting Fritz in two hours and 41 minutes in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

Michelsen, up five spots to No. 60 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, was impressive after losing a 5-3 lead in the third set, winning seven of the next eight points from 5-5 to seal his 11th tour-level win of the season.

Into his third tour-level quarter-final, Michelsen will next play Tomas Machac after the Czech defeated American qualifier Nicolas Moreno De Alboran 4-6, 7-5, 6-0.

Earlier, Sebastian Baez, who has won tour-level titles in Rio de Janeiro and Santiago this season, earned a tour-leading 19th victory on the surface in 2024. The fifth seed sunk Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 6-0. Baez will play second seed Casper Ruud in the last eight.

The two-time Geneva champion Ruud overcame Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to record his 32nd tour-level win of the season. No player has earned more victories in 2024.

Ruud, who triumphed at the ATP 250 in 2021 and 2022, hit 20 winners and caused Ofner problems with his heavy forehand to advance. The Norwegian is chasing his second title of the season after winning in Barcelona in April. Ruud is currently fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.