Fired up Michelsen seals SF spot in Jeddah

Alex Michelsen served up sweet revenge on Thursday to book his spot in the semi-finals at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

The second seed rallied for a 1-4, 4-2, 4-3(6), 4-3(5) victory over Luca Van Assche to secure his spot in the semi-finals in Jeddah. Having fallen to the Frenchman at the same stage in 2023, Michelsen made no mistake with a blistering triumph.

“If you would have told me 12 months ago that I would be in the semi-finals this year, I would have been a very happy man,” said Michelsen, who went 0-3 in his Jeddah debut last year. “I played really well today and I am super happy to get through.

“I feel like I was born with [a competitive spirit], I have always hated losing. I try to put my best foot forward and win as hard as I can, and if I don’t, I won’t be able to sleep at night. I try hard in everything I do, and I bring that to the court.”

ROARING into the semis 🦁#NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/odjjZChh3u

— Next Gen ATP Finals (@nextgenfinals) December 19, 2024

Michelsen, who became the youngest American to finish a season inside the Top 50 since Andy Roddick in 2002, looks considerably transformed from the player who went 0-3 in round-robin play in Jeddah last year. Having beaten both Nishesh Basavareddy and Van Assche in four sets, the 20-year-old moves to 2-0 in the Red Group.

Van Assche, the No. 128 in the PIF ATP Rankings, stunned Michelsen with a red-hot start, and appeared to be asserting his dominance once more in the third-set tie-break when he had three set points. Yet from 3/6 down, Michelsen reeled off five consecutive points to surge into the lead.

In a winner-takes-all clash with Nishesh Basavareddy on Friday, Van Assche will aim to clinch his spot in a second straight semi-final in Jeddah.