"I wasn't like Carlos Alcaraz or Holger Rune who everyone knew was good" - Alex Michelsen ahead of Next Gen ATP Finals return
Alex Michelsen will be back at the Next Gen ATP Finals, the season-ending finale for the eight best players aged under 21. The American, who had failed to make it past the round-robin stage last year, will be keen to improve his record at the tournament.
Speaking about his trajectory in the lead-up to the competition during an interview with ATP.com, Michelsen said he has managed to surprise himself by making a career in professional tennis.
The American said he never viewed himself as an eye-catching player, someone like Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune — both of whom began to turn heads at a very young age. Instead, he said, he believed himself to be a more solid player who was “good” just not “great” at the sport early on.
"Two years ago this time I never thought I would be a professional tennis player," Alex Michelsen said. "I was always solid. I was never too good. I wasn't like a [Carlos Alcaraz] or a [Holger Rune], who everyone knew was good. I was good, but I wasn't great."
Michelsen nonetheless is excited about his return to the Next Gen ATP Finals, saying it was a “big stage” and brings with it some tough competition. He, however, was confident about being able to handle the pressure better than he did last year.
The American said he felt stronger than he did last year, emphasizing the hours he put in at the gym, and adding that he felt it was just as important as honing his tennis skills.
"It's a big stage. The top eight 20-and-under players in the world," Alex Michelsen said. "It's tough, but I think I'll know to handle it a little better this year."
"I think that the gym work is just as important, if not more important than the tennis stuff now, at least for me," he added.
Alex Michelsen looks to follow into Carlos Alcaraz's steps to lift Next Gen ATP Finals title
Making his second consecutive appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals, Alex Michelsen will look to follow in the footsteps of Carlos Alcaraz and lift the title. The American has, in fact, qualified at the No. 2 spot in the Race rankings.
With 1,245 points to his name, Michelsen is behind only former champion Arthur Fils. As one of the top two seeds, he will be the leader in one of the groups for the round-robin stage.
Other names who have made the cut for the season-ending tournament include Jakub Mensík, Shang Juncheng, Learner Tien, and Luca Van Assche.