DELRAY BEACH, February 14, 2024
Alex Michelsen has reached the second round of the Delray Beach Open. The 19-year-old US-American and youngest player in the Top 100 defeated Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday evening.
World No. 75 Michelsen withstood five aces and broke his rival’s serve four times to secure victory in one hour and 11 minutes. The California native recorded his second Top 100 win of the season after defeating 23rd-ranked Jiri Lehecka at the Australian Open to reach first Grand Slam third round.
Too good 🔥
Alex Michelsen cruises past Kokkinakis6-1 6-2.@DelrayBeachOpen | #DBOpen pic.twitter.com/TvccHFcbTM
— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 14, 2024
“I was really solid the entire match. I barely missed a ball from neutral,” Michelsen said in his on-court interview. “My serve got better and better as the match went on and I’m super happy with the performance.”
Despite competing in the ATP 250 Tour event in Florida for the first time, Michelsen is familiar with the Delray Beach Tennis Center. Two and a half years ago, he competed here in the USTA Boys 18 National Clay Court Championships. Then 16, Michelsen was eliminated early in singles, but won his first USTA ball by reaching the doubles final. The Laguna Hills native will next take on in-form Tommy Paul from the United States, No. 3 seed of the tournament and last week’s Dallas Open champion.
Albot, Giron to face seeded players in second round
In other first-round action, 2019 Delray Beach Open champion Radu Albot rallied from a set down to overcome Juncheng Shang of China, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. The 34-year-old qualifier from Moldova capitalized on six of his 20 break-point chances and won 53 per cent of the total points played to prevail after two hours and 33 minutes. Albot will face second-seeded US-American Frances Tiafoe, who starts his title bid after a first-round bye.
Marcos Giron emerged victorious from the all-American encounter with wild card entry Emilio Nava, winning 6-4, 7-6(5) and will be the first opponent of fourth-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. Giron reached the final in Dallas last week, a gratifying result for the 2014 NCAA singles champion from UCLA who has undergone double hip surgery: The right in December 2015 and the left two months later.
