US Open 2024: Jannik Sinner vs Alex Michelsen preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (1) Jannik Sinner vs Alex Michelsen
Date: August 29, 2024
Tournament: US Open 2024
Round: Second Round (Round of 64)
Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, U.S.
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $75,000,000
Live Telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN, RDS | India - Sony Network
Jannik Sinner vs Alex Michelsen preview
Top seed Jannik Sinner is set to face home favorite Alex Michelsen in a highly anticipated second-round match at the 2024 US Open on Thursday, August 29. The winner of the match will take on either Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci or Christopher O'Connell.
Sinner has had an impressive 2024 season so far, boasting a 49-5 win-loss record. He won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open earlier this year and also secured titles in Rotterdam, Miami, Halle, and Cincinnati, with the latter being his most recent victory just last week.
The Italian began his US Open campaign against Mackenzie McDonald in the first round. The pair kicked off the first set with a couple of exchanging breaks of serve. McDonald, however, reeled four games in a row from 2-2 to take the first set. McDonald also started the second set strong, breaking Sinner in the first game.
The World No. 1 fought back with three breaks of his own to take the second set. It was one-way traffic from there on with the Italian going on to secure a comfortable 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Michelsen entered the US Open with a 23-23 match record for the season. He had an impressive run in Winston-Salem leading up to the US Open, where he reached the finals but lost to Lorenzo Sonego in a one-sided match.
In his opening match at the US Open, Michelsen faced compatriot and qualifier Eliot Spizzirri. Michelsen started strongly, breaking Spizzirri in his very first service game. Another break in the sixth game proved crucial as he went on to win the first set. He then came back from a 1-5 deficit in the second set to win it 7-5.
In the final set, two breaks of serve, including a break to love in the last game, ensured that Michelsen secured a decisive 6-1, 7-5, 6-3 victory.
Jannik Sinner vs Alex Michelsen head-to-head
Jannik Sinner leads Alex Michelsen 1-0 in their head-to-head, winning their only previous encounter 6-4, 7-5 in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago.
Jannik Sinner vs Alex Michelsen odds
All odds sourced from BETMGM.
Jannik Sinner vs Alex Michelsen prediction
Both Jannik Sinner and Alex Michelsen come into this second-round match in strong form, making it an intriguing contest to watch.
Sinner navigated his opening match smoothly despite a minor hiccup in the first set. He served exceptionally well, winning 75% of points on his first serve and hitting 11 aces. His baseline game also improved as the match progressed, allowing him to win exactly 50% of his return points and to convert 8 out of 15 break-point opportunities. He notched 38 winners over the match too.
Michelsen laid a strong impression in his opening match with a versatile all-court game. His solid baseline play paid off significantly, as he won an impressive 58% of his return points and converted 9 out of 13 break-point opportunities. He also approached the net effectively, winning 60% of the points when he did.
Sinner enters this encounter as the clear favorite, despite Michelsen's recent strong performances. The fast hard courts at Flushing Meadows are likely to benefit his style of play more and could see him seal a comfortable win should Michelsen take the initiative early.
Pick: Sinner in straight sets