Andreas Gora/dpa / Icon Sport
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alex Michelsen: ATP Tokyo – First round
Stefanos Tsitsipas will take on Alex Michelsen in the opening round of the ATP Tokyo.
Stefanos Tsitsipas Profile
Former world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas is 12th in the ATP rankings. The Greek is 39-17 for the season and 11-9 on hard surface.
Tsitsipas is coming off a 6-1, 6-1 win over Thanasi Kokkinakis in the Laver Cup, after he was stunned in the opening round of the US Open by the Australian.
Tsitsipas won the title in Monte Carlo this season and lost in the final in Barcelona.
This is his first appearance in Tokyo since 2018 when he lost to Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals.
Alex Michelsen Profile
Alex Michelsen is 49th in the ATP rankings, two spots lower than his career high. The American is 35-28 for the season and 23-12 on hard surface.
Michelsen is coming off a 6-3, 6-3 win over Borna Coric in the second qualifying round in Tokyo, after defeating Yasutaka Uchiyama in the first.
Michelsen made it to two finals this season but lost on both occasions in Winston Salem and Newport.
This is his first appearance in Tokyo.
Head-to-Head
This will be the first match between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex Michelsen.
Prediction and Conclusion
Stefanos Tsitsipas is not having the best season in his career, which cost him a place in the top 10 of the rankings. He goes to Asia hoping to recover and bounce back in the top 10. The surface in Tokyo suits his game perfectly, and he should have an easy task in the opener against Alex Michelsen. The American teenager is improving his game this season and deserves all the respect for his performance. However, he is not there yet, and Tsitsipas will win this one in straight sets.
