Alex Michelsen made a profitable begin on the ATP 250 occasion in Houston. The fifth seed clinched his twelfth ATP win of the season towards his good good friend, Learnen Tien, toppling the guy teen 6-4, 6-2 in 70 minutes.
Thus, Alex avenged final yr’s Subsequent Gen ATP Finals semi-final defeat and reached the final 16. The extra skilled American took 18 factors greater than his opponent and had the higher hand on serve and return.
Michelsen gave away 11 factors in 9 service video games. He misplaced serve as soon as from the one possibilities introduced to his rival and turned 46% of the return factors into 4 breaks from eight break factors.
Easy crusing ⛵️
Alex Michelsen wins 6-4 6-2 in an all-SoCal matchup with Tien.#USClay pic.twitter.com/u7Q6kc9bXP
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 1, 2025
Michelsen was off to an excellent begin in his video games. The fifth seed supplied 5 snug holds within the opener, difficult his good good friend to comply with that tempo. Tien dropped serve within the early phases and failed to tug the break again regardless of a stable resistance.
A left-handed Tien held at love within the first recreation of the encounter, and Michelsen responded with a forehand winner in recreation two. Alex stepped in on the return within the third recreation and landed a forehand crosscourt winner for a break at love and a 2-1 benefit.
Alex Michelsen & Learnen Tien, Houston 2025© Stream screenshot
The older American fired an ace within the fourth recreation, holding at love and transferring 3-1 up after swift 9 minutes. Learnen denied two extra break factors within the seventh recreation and remained inside one break deficit. Alex managed all the pieces in his video games and produced a maintain at love in recreation eight for a 5-3 lead.
Michelsen served for the opener at 5-4 and claimed an entertaining level to wrap up the primary a part of the duel in 31 minutes. Alex attacked on the return within the first recreation of the second set and landed a volley winner for a break and an early benefit.
Alex Michelsen, Houston 2025© Stream screenshot
He cemented it with a compelled error in recreation two and climbed again from 0-40 within the subsequent one to safe one other break with a backhand winner. Learnen pulled one break again with a artful drop shot winner in recreation 4, lowering the hole to 3-1.
Nevertheless, Michelsen supplied his third straight break in recreation 5 following the rival’s backhand error, transferring 4-1 up and nearer to the highest. Alex hammered a backhand winner in recreation six for 5-1, forcing his rival to serve to remain within the match.
Alex Michelsen & Learnen Tien, Houston 2025© Stream screenshot
A left-hander landed a service winner, bringing the sport residence and lowering the hole to 5-2. The older American served for the win in recreation eight and hit a forehand winner for 3 match factors. He seized the second with a forehand down the road winner, reaching the second spherical in type.
