December 16, 2024 • 28 mins
American youngster Alex Michelsen sits at a career-high world No.41 as he heads to Jeddah to compete in the Next Gen ATP Finals. The 20-year-old recently sat down with Viv and Matt during a rare break at home in California to discuss his meteoric rise. Michelsen began season 2024 ranked 97th and soared thanks to reaching two ATP finals — Newport and Winston-Salem — and winning more than 30 singles matches, including against top-10 opponent Alex de Minaur in Los Cabos. Michelsen, now coached by 2005 US Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri, attributes his vast improvement to strengthening his varied game and taking advantage of his 6’4” frame. He hopes to finish the year strong at the Next Gen event (as the No.2 seed) before turning his attention to the Australian Summer of Tennis.
AusOpen.com
iHeart
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Host handles:
@Viv_Christie
@MattyAT
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Sitdown.
I'm Matt Trolope, a writer for ozopen dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
And I'm Viv Christian, managing editor of Australian Tennis magazine and.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Viv why are we sitting down this week with Alex Michelson.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
We're sitting down with Alex Matt because he has had
a fantastic season in twenty twenty four. He's reached two
ATP finals, cracked the world's top fifty and he's one
of the eight young players competing in the ATP next
Gen Finals this week.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Yeah, and we were lucky enough to catch Alex just
a few weeks before he headed off to Jedda. We
got him when he was in a training week in
California and we got to meet someone who was He
was a great talker, he had a really good story,
he was really generous with his time, and yeah, we
really enjoyed it and learned a lot about him. So
we hope you guys do enjoy it too.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Alex, thank you for joining us on the sit Down.
It's great that you're joining us so I think from
your home in California, it must be nice to have
a week or so off from the tour.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, yeah, did.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Okay in the last term and over it METS and
then I took about ten days off and yeah today
it has been today's my second day back training. So
I had to get going pretty quick again because I
got to go to Saudi Arabia pretty soon, so I
had to uh had to get started quickly.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
It's been an incredible season for you. You've peaked just
outside the top forty and I think you're currently sitting
at number forty two. What's been the highlight for you
this year.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
It's been a good season, a lot of a lot
of ups and downs. I know that's a very cliche
thing to say, but I mean at the clay the
clay season, I barely wont any matches.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
It was.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
It was tough for me. Even in the grass season,
which I like grass, I didn't do great. And then
I came back over to America Final than Newport. That
was that was a highlight. Defending my points and highlighting
defending my points. And finally was because I final Master
as well, so that that was that was really good
for the confidence as well. And then I kind of
took that had a great American summer record, DC got
(01:52):
the finals of doubles and Sincy. That was a lot
of fun. Yeah, I think just the whole American swing
for me was was was great. I was in Europe
for three months, so coming back home and playing, playing
in front of the home crowd was nice to do
for a while for sure.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
Amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
And so as you said, you're about to head to
jet Up for the next Gen Final. So this is
the second time you're going, but you, I guess, arrive
in a bit of a different place in your career
where it was all new last year and you were
just inside the top hundred. Now you're where you are
and you'll be the second set. So yeah, what does
it mean to qualify for that again? And what will
you take into into this experience?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Yeah, well, well we'll obvious hit the experience of playing
last year. It's going to help me out this year
because last year I was you, I just turned prone
like August, and it all kind of came very quickly
at me and I wasn't ready to perform at a
stage like that. And I think now you know, got
a whole year of experience, well a whole year like
on the main tour to use this experience, and when
(02:48):
I go to Saturday with this year, so I can
only do better. I went owing through last year. I
can only do better this time around. So I'm really
looking forward to going back and giving it my all.
I have some unfitished busits over there for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Awesome, and it's got a pretty impressing on a roll
of champions. So like Sinner El Karez sits a pass,
they've all won it before. What would it mean for
you for you to join them potentially.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, that would be He'll be absolutely epic. I mean,
those guys are all stick at tennis. I mean that
would be awesome. If I got to put my name
on that list with them, that would be That means
I'm doing something right. So I think that would just
the opposode on honor if I can to put my
name on that list.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
It's also pretty amazing the names that are kind of
around you on the Race to Jedda, so that you
know the twenty one and under list. It's led by
Art Fees and there's also Yaka Mensig, Jerry Shang Lernati
and Luca n ash Dua Fonseca like and you, that's
a pretty cool crop of players that have gotten lots
of fans excited.
Speaker 5 (03:40):
What do you think of this current generation that you're
coming up with.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah, I mean everyone you said is is very good.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
I haven't played Fees yet, but obviously I think he's
what a couple of five hundreds of series playing sick.
I played Mensik and Jerry I played him in junior's
actually and on the I haven't played Mensik on the
main con tour, but I've played. I've played them both
in juniors plenty of times when they were very, very good.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
And then I just train. I train with Murner.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I just got done training with them Urdier today, So
you know that'll be that'll be fun to play that
and play that. But that'll be interesting if we get
to play each other, so well, we'll see. But yeah,
I'm super happy he did that. He's doing great as well.
You know, he's very close friend for me, so to
see him doing great is amazing. And then fan Seca
absolutely waxed me in Madrid stuff.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, I know, I know you can play. So I mean,
he's gonna be He's gonna be sick.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
He rids me of like a like a mini sitter,
like he the way he hits the ball is kind
of the say I put them both. The way they
hit the ball is just you don't. You don't come
by that very often. So yeah, I mean this, uh,
this group of this group of guys is.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Uh is good.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
It's gonna be tough to to do well this year,
for sure, but I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Do you see that group of players as your main
rivals or are you looking at like other people to
like compare yourself against all that you're targeting like a
good record against. So I'm not sure how you approach that.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
I mean, I don't really think of like two many
people as my rivals just because I haven't played too
many people more than like twice, you know. I mean,
I guess you could say to my arrivals just because
we're close in age, and I'll probably be seeing plenty
of these guys for the next ten years, and I'll
probably play them all, you know, I'll probably play.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Them all like seven times at least.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
So I mean I think now, no, but I think
in the future that plenty of them will be my rivals.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, cool, Alex.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
It's obviously a pretty exciting time for American tennis right now.
Are you close to to many of the other American
players on.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Tour, Well, yeah, I would say so. I mean closer
with them than anyone else. You know, Fritz is also
from Sokow, so I, you know, hit with them a
little bit when I was like when I was a
kid and say, just being around I was really cool.
And now I was four in the world, which is
which is amazing. I'm glad he's doing so good. And
then I'm definitely I played doubles with a bunch of
(05:49):
very like Corda and Mackie. Those guys are great that
they're all also again and you got Ben who is
playing great. You got tommyho's playing great, you got Francis.
All those guys are kind of knocking on the door
for for top ten. They're all like the top fifteen.
So I think we're our depth is very good right
now as well. We got someone in the top five
and we have very good depth. I'm like the sixth
ranks American need and I'm forty two in the world.
(06:11):
That's not too bad. I think American tennis is doing
great right now.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
There's actually five men in the world's top twenty five.
Five American men. I should say, how inspiring is that
for you?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yeah, I mean to see all those guys, you know,
all of my so Americans doing that great, I mean,
shows I can do it too, right' That's kind of
the whole point of seeing someone from your country or
your area, you know they do that well and you
kind of look at that and draw inspiration from that.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I think it's great.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, speaking of American tennis, you're currently coached by Robbie Janeprie,
I believe. So what is that like and what's he
brought to your game?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, well, just to be able to draw, you know,
from someone else's experience. I mean he sent me with
us open once and he got to I think fourteen
or fifteen in the world. So be able to draw
from experience from someone like that is great. And we've
worked on, you know, becoming a little more offensive because
I'm a pretty big guy. On like, I gotta gotta
play I feel like I move okay and I can
play defense good, but I definitely need to improve in
the offense because I'm a big guy and I need
(07:07):
to I need to play some more offense. And he's
been helping me with that, and yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I've done. I've done pretty well with him, so I'm excited. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Has that come naturally, that kind of change where you're
like forcing yourself to be offensive where you're maybe your
instinct is to be a bit more defensive.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
I mean, I definitely have to think about it, you know,
just you know, consciously think about it all the time.
At least That's what I've been trying to do in
practice the last couple of days and you know, months.
But I feel like sometimes I'm I can drop back
behind the baseline really easily and just like make a
lot of balls and against the guy, like the top guys,
it doesn't work because they can all, you know, hammer
you for that. So I think just knowing that and
(07:44):
being able to, you know, play offense, and I feel
like I can play offense pretty good, it comes naturally.
I just I just I feel like a defense comes
a little more naturally. So I think just just having
that offensive mindset is the most important thing.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
We've got options, which is good.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
In terms of how you actually got started in tennis,
so we understand that both of your parents played college tennis.
Is that kind of how you got introduced to the
sport and.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
It is what you are to die.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Yeah, I mean, I actually don't remember starting to I
was like three years old, like, and my parents that
kind of gave me your racket. And I was sitting
backhands in the garage. All I want to do is
sit back ends entirely, which that's still what I want
to do, is sit back ends. But yeah, so I
was doing that until I was like six years old,
and then of mom was like, all right, like we
got to start into four ends and I was like.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
No, but yeah, I hit with him.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
My mom a lot if I didn't, you know, I
ate with her like four or five times a week.
She she was She made a lot of balls and
we hit a lot of balls, and that definitely gave
me a great date for where I'm at right now.
I definitely wouldn't be here without without her. My dad
helped you, but he was working, so I didn't, you know,
play as much with as much as I did with
my mom. But my parents helped me out tremendously. And
(08:54):
there's not a chance I'd be here without them because
they always introduced it and train me when I was younger.
So I mean, there's no way I would be here
without them.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
And you also considered potentially the college route yourself. But
as you said, you turned pro relatively recently, so what
you know that that's a decision that a lot of
players have to grapple with, and there's you know, bene
pros and cons to both.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Where how did you land where you landed?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah, well the decision I kind of made it to
where it was impossible to go to college. So last
year I was I started the year at six hundred
and I was, you know, obviously still supposed to go
to college.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
And then July rules around, I'm like two fifty, and.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Then I win the Slander in Chicago and then Final Newport,
and then I was one forty and I had a
card at a walk current of the US Open. So
at that point I was a no brainer to turn pro.
And you know, that's what I wanted to do, really
about it. I'm not a big school day, so kind
of clor got in and to go to school, obviously,
I think college house. We've been up blast that team
environment sounds sounds amazing, But yeah, going on tours, you know,
(09:49):
it's always like a child that dreamed I never really
thought would become true. It was never in the cards
for you growing up at all. I wasn't like one
of these amazing players. So I think just being able
to experience all this is just an absolute dream come true.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
We read a really interesting piece It was about this
time last year in tennis dot com by Joel Drucker,
and so I think he spent a bit of time
in California with you, watching you train. He mentioned that
you hit with Lerner a lot, and one of your
coaches described your game as jumbled, which was an interesting terminology.
But yeah, I guess it sounds like it's kind of
evolved in the twelve months since then, so kind of yeah,
(10:21):
and you alluded to it was a bit of a
blend of offense and defense. How would you describe your
game for someone that actually hasn't seen you play tennis?
Speaker 5 (10:28):
And maybe have you like modeled it after someone?
Speaker 4 (10:30):
No, I don't think I modeled that for anyone, But
I mean a year ago, my game was definitely jumbled.
I like I was like six ' four, My stur
was not good. My foreh end was like average, and
like back it was like.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Really good and like I.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Just I had it was kind of all over the
place with in terms of like how good you know,
certain things were, and I feel like I've leveled it
out and I've got a lot of things better. But
I think I would describe my game as like all
core game. I feel like I can do everything. I
can come to the net, I can play offense, play defense.
You know, I feel like I can. I can kind
of do it all. I just need to improve, you know,
all all the aspects. But I feel like I can.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
I can do it. I would say I have an
aw core game.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
And we also read that in the last year you've
all you've grown an extra ine, which you know, what,
what does that mean. I'm not sure if that's true,
but you said you were six four maybe yeah, but
I mean that does create an adjustment if you're dealing
with like, you know, longer levers or bigger heart or whatever,
when you you know, a year or two ago, you
weren't so like, Yeah, what is that kind of adjustment
being like and what's it? What's the advantage of being
(11:27):
one of the bigger guys on tour.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Yeah, I feel like I've always had pretty long levers.
I think, you know, that helps a lot with one thing.
I think and helps a lot with is return, I
can just get my racking on more balls where you know,
other guys maybe couldn't because their arms are as long
like I have very long arms, which which which helps.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
It helps me out a lot. It helps Then the
doubles cord too, That's one of those that I think,
I look kay devils.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
But yeah, it's definitely it's definitely tough to move when
you're you know, six three six four. But I feel
like I've always had pretty long levers, so I I've
I wasn't there, you know, like short, and then all
the stuff grew. So I feel like I've gotten used to,
you know, and running around and bringing with the with
the long arms and lovelake. So that hasn't been like
a big justine for me, but I haven't sorry.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
I have been working on my movement a lot un
the last year.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Okay, and your autols listed this guy on one face
and so we just wanted, what what do you love
about his game?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Well, I mean, the guy is one of the best
athletes ever play TENNA. I mean the guy's so quick
and jumps so high. I mean, it was always it
was always fun to watch him playing like growning out.
That was just like whenever he's on tee, I would
like stop doing my homework or whatever it was, and
like I'd stay up laid to watch and it was
just absolutely sick. And then I got to meet him,
and like I've here with him a couple of times.
It's just absolutely amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, he was my definitely my favorite to watch for sure.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
Yeah, does he know that? Have you told him?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I don't think so. I'm a little tighter.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
I I definitely have to tell him because I don't
know how long he's got He's like thirty seven and
thirty eight.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I don't know how much lawer he's got left, So
I gotta I definitely have to tell him that.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, And also you alluded to before that you know,
it's a dream come true being on the Pro Tour
and this is an amazing opportunity for you. But I
guess when new players come onto the tour it's an adjustment,
Like it's it's a grind and it's a long season
and all of that. So how have you kind of
juggled that? What do you love about it? What have
you found challenging or has it mostly been great?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's been pretty good.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I'd say the most challenging part was the clay season
in Europe, just because I'm from the US and we
don't really have any clay, and especially in southern California,
we got no clay out here.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
It's too dry to have clay.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
So I never, you know, played on a growing up,
and then I went to Europe and I won like
three match, three or four matches in the span of
like two and a half months.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
So that was mentally tough. But I like traveling, I
like I.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Like, I like putting into hard work when I'm when
I'm out events, even with like I would lose early
and I'd be with my finished train the next couple
of days, just absolutely grinding, and I enjoyed that. I
think that was a great growth period for me, both
physically and mentally. But yeah, I love the I love
the tour. It's it's it's a lot of fun. I
like traveling and seeing the world and something I thought
I would do, so yeah, I love it.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Cool. You've already made three ATP finals and in such
a young career. You must be incredibly proud of that achievement.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Yeah, I got three before I turned folio. I was
that was that was pretty sick.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
I didn't.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I never in a million years did I think that
would happen. But yeah, I'm very proud of myself. I've
put in a lot of hard work in a lot,
especially the last like four years. I didn't take tennis
like I mean, it's like a seriously, but I never,
you know, like considered this route until like, you know,
probably three years ago when I when I figured that
maybe I could do this, and.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
I started working really hard about four years ago.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
So just to just knowing all the work I put in,
you know, behind the scenes, like when no one's really
seeing and knowing that and making a couple.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Of finals is just yeah, it feels. It feels great.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Two of those three finals have come on grass at Newport,
and you also had success in the Wimbledon Boys doubles
event a couple of years ago. What is it about
grass that brings out your best game?
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Well, I think it helps my serve out a little more,
because my serve, especially end of years, was not good.
But the grass definitely make it, you know, shoot through
the core a little more and that helps you out.
And I feel like I returned pretty well. So I
feel like I can get looks on return. And then
also my serve is not coming back as much because
it's on grass, so that's great. And also I feel like,
(15:20):
especially in Newport, like my backhand just would like doesn't
come off the ground, and I feel like it's it's
tough for guys to it was tough for guys to
manage managers out there, and I also played the greatest.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
I love Newports. It's a great place. So I think, yeah,
I'm actually really bad at they're getting rid of that.
I don't know what I'm gonna do, but but yeah,
I mean.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
It's absolutely sick and yeah, I'm glad I can make
the final in the last two times it had it that.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Wimbledon final a couple of years ago. Did that change
the course of your career at all, which is how
you felt about the future.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Not really just because it was doubles, It wasn't like
I mean like that was like the best one one
in my life because that was one of my best friends.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
I grew up with him here in so cal Uh.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Playing winning with cords and that was an unbelievable time
I could I wish I could go back and relive
that we saved mass points in the semis like we're
just absolutely just start. That was like the happiest ever
been after winning a test term and also it's Wimberlin
like it was. It was absolutely awesome. But I don't
think it changed the course of my, like, you know,
my career because just because it was doubles and like
I lost first round of singles that that I wasn't
(16:27):
you know, doing great and singles. And I don't think
it changed changed too much.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It definitely gave me a little more like a little
more confidence though, and I think that.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Helps for sure. Well, speaking of confidence, this here, you've
had wins over four top twenty players. There's been Alex
Deminor Taylor, Fritz Stefano sits a pass and he be
her cats. Was was one of those your biggest win?
Or do you remember one of those as your best win?
Speaker 4 (16:54):
When I played Demonor and Los Carloss, I absolutely tried
like I couldn't have played any better. I just I
went out there. I was seeing the ball like it
was a great fruit, Like I couldn't miss a ball.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Like I was just treeing out of my mind.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
That was in terms of level, like my actual level
like was not where I played way above my actual
level that day for sure. That was sick and then
beating Fritz is probably those those are the two because
I mean you and I was like nine in the
world that when I played him in Mexico, and then
Fritz was I think he was top ten when I
played him. I'm not one hundred percent sure I think
(17:27):
he was, but I played pretty good and then I gagged.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
I gagged it away.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
In the second I was at five to three and
then had like four match points and then all of
a sudden it was five all, and then I came
back and like only lost one more point from there.
That was a good mental effort for me to uh
to take him down, so that those are definitelyated to
uh two best wins of the year for me.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
We watched The Demon A one in the Office. Do
you remember view we did?
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (17:51):
It was now timesigme. We were watching Office, Yeah, because
it was joke I played.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I just yeah, it was an incredible performance. I was
also in Shanghai recently where I saw you compete against
Novak Djokovic, who took him to two tight tie break sets.
What's it like to compete against the legend like Novak.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Yeah, I mean being on the other side, and that
is again something else I never thought would happen. And
uh like when I was just like warm me up,
I was like, yeah, I mean this is the goat.
I'm playing the goat, and it's it's pretty intimidating. You know,
that guy's got twenty four slams, like he's got a
gold medal. He's like, he doesn't even like he's won
everything there is to win, Like what else do you
need to win? Like why are you here? And I
play I'm drying. I'm drawing him second round like now.
(18:36):
But it was it was absolute incredible And I.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Got up three to zero in the first set in
like nine minutes, and I.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Was like and then I kind of realized, oh maybe
I can win, and then I got a little tight,
but yeah, playing it was an incredible experience. I get
to tell my grandkids that I get got to playing
at novet Chak.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Which just absolutely sick. And then I had some chance.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
I had to said the second set, I should have
should have won that second set. But I mean he's,
you know, the most clutched guy that ever played the sport.
So and also knowing that the back of my head
makes makes.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Me even more tight. So it's yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
I was definitely a crazy experience, and I think I
learned a lot from that one.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Do you feel like you lift against some of the
bigger names, lift like you play better?
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Yeah, I feel like I have. I feel like I
don't always. I played against the Verev in the third
round Astra. I didn't play great there, but I feel
like I I have. I feel like almost like half
the time I do have time I don't because you know,
you have to beat these guys.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
You know, you have to lift.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Your level like before I played you know, Demon r
Fritz or Sissy Pass like, you know, you have to
play well to beat any of these guys. So and
then going out and executing it like feels great. And
then sometimes you go out there and you don't execute it,
and then the guy will just pummel you. So I
feel like it's kind of dependent on the match for me.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Sure, we were going to ask you about the Io
third round run because it's your best Grand Slam results
so far, and you beat uryla Hechker as well to
reach there.
Speaker 5 (19:58):
He was a seed like you, How was it?
Speaker 3 (20:01):
You know?
Speaker 1 (20:02):
How do you look at that achievement and was that
was that a bit of a like a barrier bar
couldn't getting maybe further into a slam like that?
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Yeah, yeah, of course. I mean I was like on
the edge.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
I was like ninety ninety five before that event, or
like ninety two or something like that. I remember going
into that week and played US Train Wildcard first round,
crazy crowd. I got through that one, which just felt great,
and then I played pretty well against Lash. I remember
I played a poor first set, and then after that
I just like locked in and I I and there
was a couple of rain delays which helped me, and
I I just played really really well and then being
(20:33):
able to win that one that was incredible, and uh
zero was lost in the third rounder.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
The second rounder, I remember, I.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Almost got to play like I als got to play
client in the third round, which has been cool. I mean,
but uh players Vere von rod Laver was was incredible,
incredible experience. That was my first time on like a
really good court like that, and I feel like most
of the crowd was like for me. I think they
wanted the underdog, and I made a close second set.
I had like one of the sickest shots in my
life and the second set breakers ACA a line pass.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
But I was that was an incredible experience.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
I really hope I get to play a Rod Labor
again this time, hopefully not to that means I'll play
like Yannick or Carlos.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
I don't walk, but maybe like like third round again.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
But yeah, I was an absolutely, absolutely incredible experience playing rather.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Yeah, it's a fantastic cold.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
It sounds like you enjoyed the crowds in Australia. How
do they compare to so say US crowds.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
They're definitely more rowdy.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
When I played the Australian Walker, and I mean that
was my first time again, I was felt like I
was really really away, like I felt like I was
in an away game ever not one person and that
crowd was cheered for me, and uh it was tough.
And I feel like I had that a lot this
year where the crowd was against me, which which I've
come to love. I I enjoy it now, but I
remember in that first round of Australia, I was like,
(21:47):
I didn't love it.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
It made it even more tight. But now but now
I absolutely love it.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
But yeah, I think I maybe I earned their respect
after I did, and then in the second round it
that was pretty even for me go and then I
felt like it was more for me, but yeah, it.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Was, it was. It was really cool. It was really
cool to experience that.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
I think experiencing that and then seeing they're definitely the
most rowdy like Australia, maybe the French too, but the
Australians are crazy rowdy.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
It was it was nice outas here is fun.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
We love it.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
We're famous for loving and underdogs. So that'll that will
help explain why you experience love.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Yeah, love it.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
So I guess when you said, like, you know, play
on rod La Arena if you you know you would
like to avoid Yanni and Carlos and people like that early.
You can do that by getting a Grand Slam seat.
And you're actually quite close to being in that bracket.
What is the now that you've kind of had a
bit of time on tour and you know the level
and you see what those top players do, what is
the difference from going from where you are now at
forty to like that top thirty two bracket or cracking
(22:47):
the top twenty. Like it's such small margins at the top,
so like, what do you think is the key to
cracking those next barriers.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
I think for me, one of the main things is
going to be getting a better surf because I'm six
four and I don't get a ton of free points
off of surf, whereas most other guys that in my
he do get a lot of free points on surf.
So I think that is a is a bit component.
Also playing a little more offensive because against these guys
are not going to give it to you, got to
take it from them if you want to win. So
I feel like those are the two main things that
(23:16):
are that are that need to happen for me. And
I also think the mental I really kind to believe
that I can be all these guys when I when
I see them in draw.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
So I think those those three things for sure, is.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
That belief starting to come.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
I I usually go on the court and no matter
who I'm playing, I tell myself that I could win,
at least I can. I try to convince myself of
that because if you because if you don't, if you
go in you think you're gonna lose, that you're gonna lose.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So that's what I tell myself.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
I definitely tell myself I can win every time I
walk out there.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
We've spent a lot of these chat talking about kind
of like you as a tennis player, your career so far,
your game. What would you like people to know about you,
maybe like off the court as you as a person.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
I mean, I'm crazy competitive on the court, and I'm
also crazy competitive off the court for whatever it is,
like you, like, I played basketball, it's id a crazy competitive.
I play video games, like, I get really pissed the
video games, way more piss than I do with tennis.
So I'm crazy competitive with with everything I do. But
I'm also like, I mean, I hate to say this said,
but I'm kind of worry.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I don't do a lot.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Like I go to practice and at least when I'm home,
I go to practice most of the day. I come back,
I relax, I you know, play video games, hang out
friends and family, and go and do it again the
next day. I feel like I kind of live at
like groundhod day. It's just everything I repeat. So not
a whole lot going on over here.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Well, maybe you're under selling yourself because we have we
were reading in preparation for these interview and we discover
that you collect coins and you read about history, which
are pretty hice things like what what how did they start?
And what kind of like history do you delve into.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
Oh, the American history, I love it. I love it
in America. I love I love America. So just reading
about the history and you know how how we came
to be is pretty cool. I don't know, like I
got into it and I was like crazy young, and
I like it's always kind of stuck with it. And
my my grandfather also fought in World War two and
my other grandfather fought in the Vietnam War. So I
think having that, you know, connections and definitely made me, uh,
(25:11):
you know, I want to learn more about that.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And then I also for the coins.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
I never I haven't collected coins since I was like thirteen,
but I do have like I do have some like
some cool underlike clause that's for sure. I haven't opened
that thing in my years, but it's I definitely have
some some coins that are probably worth a couple of
grand now just because they're so old and they're in
good condition too, so.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
And I was I kind of got there from my brother.
I remember my brother started doing that when I was
erk and I just kind of fall in.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
So that must have been an old story we read.
But that's cool. It could have could have it could
have some value.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Now, Alex, this has been so great, You've been really
generous with your time. We just wanted to close by asking, yeah,
like when will we see you down in Australia twenty
twenty five, like the Australian summer and kind of what
are your what are your goals going into a new
season which you've started preparing for.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, well, I will be in Brisbane the first threek.
I'm gonna play Brisbane and then and then obviously Melbourne.
Looking forward to getting down there and start started all
over again a year.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Two goals for next year. I don't really want to
say that.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
I like keeping it to myself for the most part,
but I do have some goals I would like to accomplish.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
And yeah, I just got to put in.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
The work in this next couple of weeks before before
next gen and try to get after it.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Amazing, fantastic, That sounds sounds very exciting.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Yeah, I can't wait to get down to Australia.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
I love I love the course down there and it
rise like Australia's lost silver country to America, so that's
probably why I like it down there.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
I think there's definitely a bit of a crossover between
like southern California and Australia. Like the Preachers, everyone feels
really comfortable, so that's that's good.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Will you have to come before Christmas though, No.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
I'm actually gonna go home after Saturday.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
I'm gonna go home back to California for a couple
of days, part of four five days to spend it
with my.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Family, and then I will and then I will head
down to Britain.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Fantastic. We look forward to seeing you come this summer,
so thank you so much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Yeah, I'll find see you guys in Melbourne.
Speaker 5 (27:07):
Now, Yeah you will?
Speaker 1 (27:08):
You will?
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Yeah for sure, definitely.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Oh cool.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Well, I really do hope that we have a chance
to talk to Alex in person after such a great interview.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Map.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, it would be great to see him, I guess
before he comes to Australia, which is super exciting. We'll
see I think from Wednesday when the Next Gen Finals starts.
How he progresses. And I really enjoyed the part of
the chat where he talked about kind of his contemporaries
and rivals that are in that field. It's a pretty
amazing group that are coming up. And that reference to
Juel Fonseca hitting a ball like Yannick Sinner like, there's
(27:40):
a lot of exciting stuff about this generation to look
forward to. And so yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing
both Alex and all of them when they come to
come to Melbourne January.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, and Alex is actually the number two seed at
the tournament and he has he's come so far since
he played that event last year as well, So I
think we'll see a lot of progress for him, and
you know who knows he We've got Yannick Sinners to
find us, sits a Pass, Carlos Alcoraza, some of the
names that are won that tournament. So let's see who
(28:09):
comes next.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Well, thanks again for joining us for this episode, and
we'll be back next week with another episode of The
sit Down when we bring you our interview with Sumitt Nogal.
But in the meantime, you can join John and Brie
and the team for this Thursday's episode of The AO
Show Weekly.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Please remember to subscribe, rate and review. See you next week,
mat see you then, bib
Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Sitdown.
I'm Matt Trolope, a writer for ozopen dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
And I'm Viv Christian, managing editor of Australian Tennis magazine and.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Viv why are we sitting down this week with Alex Michelson.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
We're sitting down with Alex Matt because he has had
a fantastic season in twenty twenty four. He's reached two
ATP finals, cracked the world's top fifty and he's one
of the eight young players competing in the ATP next
Gen Finals this week.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Yeah, and we were lucky enough to catch Alex just
a few weeks before he headed off to Jedda. We
got him when he was in a training week in
California and we got to meet someone who was He
was a great talker, he had a really good story,
he was really generous with his time, and yeah, we
really enjoyed it and learned a lot about him. So
we hope you guys do enjoy it too.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Alex, thank you for joining us on the sit Down.
It's great that you're joining us so I think from
your home in California, it must be nice to have
a week or so off from the tour.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah, yeah, did.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Okay in the last term and over it METS and
then I took about ten days off and yeah today
it has been today's my second day back training. So
I had to get going pretty quick again because I
got to go to Saudi Arabia pretty soon, so I
had to uh had to get started quickly.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
It's been an incredible season for you. You've peaked just
outside the top forty and I think you're currently sitting
at number forty two. What's been the highlight for you
this year.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
It's been a good season, a lot of a lot
of ups and downs. I know that's a very cliche
thing to say, but I mean at the clay the
clay season, I barely wont any matches.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
It was.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
It was tough for me. Even in the grass season,
which I like grass, I didn't do great. And then
I came back over to America Final than Newport. That
was that was a highlight. Defending my points and highlighting
defending my points. And finally was because I final Master
as well, so that that was that was really good
for the confidence as well. And then I kind of
took that had a great American summer record, DC got
(01:52):
the finals of doubles and Sincy. That was a lot
of fun. Yeah, I think just the whole American swing
for me was was was great. I was in Europe
for three months, so coming back home and playing, playing
in front of the home crowd was nice to do
for a while for sure.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
Amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
And so as you said, you're about to head to
jet Up for the next Gen Final. So this is
the second time you're going, but you, I guess, arrive
in a bit of a different place in your career
where it was all new last year and you were
just inside the top hundred. Now you're where you are
and you'll be the second set. So yeah, what does
it mean to qualify for that again? And what will
you take into into this experience?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Yeah, well, well we'll obvious hit the experience of playing
last year. It's going to help me out this year
because last year I was you, I just turned prone
like August, and it all kind of came very quickly
at me and I wasn't ready to perform at a
stage like that. And I think now you know, got
a whole year of experience, well a whole year like
on the main tour to use this experience, and when
(02:48):
I go to Saturday with this year, so I can
only do better. I went owing through last year. I
can only do better this time around. So I'm really
looking forward to going back and giving it my all.
I have some unfitished busits over there for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Awesome, and it's got a pretty impressing on a roll
of champions. So like Sinner El Karez sits a pass,
they've all won it before. What would it mean for
you for you to join them potentially.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, that would be He'll be absolutely epic. I mean,
those guys are all stick at tennis. I mean that
would be awesome. If I got to put my name
on that list with them, that would be That means
I'm doing something right. So I think that would just
the opposode on honor if I can to put my
name on that list.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
It's also pretty amazing the names that are kind of
around you on the Race to Jedda, so that you
know the twenty one and under list. It's led by
Art Fees and there's also Yaka Mensig, Jerry Shang Lernati
and Luca n ash Dua Fonseca like and you, that's
a pretty cool crop of players that have gotten lots
of fans excited.
Speaker 5 (03:40):
What do you think of this current generation that you're
coming up with.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah, I mean everyone you said is is very good.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
I haven't played Fees yet, but obviously I think he's
what a couple of five hundreds of series playing sick.
I played Mensik and Jerry I played him in junior's
actually and on the I haven't played Mensik on the
main con tour, but I've played. I've played them both
in juniors plenty of times when they were very, very good.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
And then I just train. I train with Murner.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I just got done training with them Urdier today, So
you know that'll be that'll be fun to play that
and play that. But that'll be interesting if we get
to play each other, so well, we'll see. But yeah,
I'm super happy he did that. He's doing great as well.
You know, he's very close friend for me, so to
see him doing great is amazing. And then fan Seca
absolutely waxed me in Madrid stuff.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, I know, I know you can play. So I mean,
he's gonna be He's gonna be sick.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
He rids me of like a like a mini sitter,
like he the way he hits the ball is kind
of the say I put them both. The way they
hit the ball is just you don't. You don't come
by that very often. So yeah, I mean this, uh,
this group of this group of guys is.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Uh is good.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
It's gonna be tough to to do well this year,
for sure, but I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Do you see that group of players as your main
rivals or are you looking at like other people to
like compare yourself against all that you're targeting like a
good record against. So I'm not sure how you approach that.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
I mean, I don't really think of like two many
people as my rivals just because I haven't played too
many people more than like twice, you know. I mean,
I guess you could say to my arrivals just because
we're close in age, and I'll probably be seeing plenty
of these guys for the next ten years, and I'll
probably play them all, you know, I'll probably play.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Them all like seven times at least.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
So I mean I think now, no, but I think
in the future that plenty of them will be my rivals.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, cool, Alex.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
It's obviously a pretty exciting time for American tennis right now.
Are you close to to many of the other American
players on.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Tour, Well, yeah, I would say so. I mean closer
with them than anyone else. You know, Fritz is also
from Sokow, so I, you know, hit with them a
little bit when I was like when I was a
kid and say, just being around I was really cool.
And now I was four in the world, which is
which is amazing. I'm glad he's doing so good. And
then I'm definitely I played doubles with a bunch of
(05:49):
very like Corda and Mackie. Those guys are great that
they're all also again and you got Ben who is
playing great. You got tommyho's playing great, you got Francis.
All those guys are kind of knocking on the door
for for top ten. They're all like the top fifteen.
So I think we're our depth is very good right
now as well. We got someone in the top five
and we have very good depth. I'm like the sixth
ranks American need and I'm forty two in the world.
(06:11):
That's not too bad. I think American tennis is doing
great right now.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
There's actually five men in the world's top twenty five.
Five American men. I should say, how inspiring is that
for you?
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yeah, I mean to see all those guys, you know,
all of my so Americans doing that great, I mean,
shows I can do it too, right' That's kind of
the whole point of seeing someone from your country or
your area, you know they do that well and you
kind of look at that and draw inspiration from that.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I think it's great.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, speaking of American tennis, you're currently coached by Robbie Janeprie,
I believe. So what is that like and what's he
brought to your game?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Yeah, well, just to be able to draw, you know,
from someone else's experience. I mean he sent me with
us open once and he got to I think fourteen
or fifteen in the world. So be able to draw
from experience from someone like that is great. And we've
worked on, you know, becoming a little more offensive because
I'm a pretty big guy. On like, I gotta gotta
play I feel like I move okay and I can
play defense good, but I definitely need to improve in
the offense because I'm a big guy and I need
(07:07):
to I need to play some more offense. And he's
been helping me with that, and yeah, it's been great.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I've done. I've done pretty well with him, so I'm excited. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Has that come naturally, that kind of change where you're
like forcing yourself to be offensive where you're maybe your
instinct is to be a bit more defensive.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
I mean, I definitely have to think about it, you know,
just you know, consciously think about it all the time.
At least That's what I've been trying to do in
practice the last couple of days and you know, months.
But I feel like sometimes I'm I can drop back
behind the baseline really easily and just like make a
lot of balls and against the guy, like the top guys,
it doesn't work because they can all, you know, hammer
you for that. So I think just knowing that and
(07:44):
being able to, you know, play offense, and I feel
like I can play offense pretty good, it comes naturally.
I just I just I feel like a defense comes
a little more naturally. So I think just just having
that offensive mindset is the most important thing.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
We've got options, which is good.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
In terms of how you actually got started in tennis,
so we understand that both of your parents played college tennis.
Is that kind of how you got introduced to the
sport and.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
It is what you are to die.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Yeah, I mean, I actually don't remember starting to I
was like three years old, like, and my parents that
kind of gave me your racket. And I was sitting
backhands in the garage. All I want to do is
sit back ends entirely, which that's still what I want
to do, is sit back ends. But yeah, so I
was doing that until I was like six years old,
and then of mom was like, all right, like we
got to start into four ends and I was like.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
No, but yeah, I hit with him.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
My mom a lot if I didn't, you know, I
ate with her like four or five times a week.
She she was She made a lot of balls and
we hit a lot of balls, and that definitely gave
me a great date for where I'm at right now.
I definitely wouldn't be here without without her. My dad
helped you, but he was working, so I didn't, you know,
play as much with as much as I did with
my mom. But my parents helped me out tremendously. And
(08:54):
there's not a chance I'd be here without them because
they always introduced it and train me when I was younger.
So I mean, there's no way I would be here
without them.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
And you also considered potentially the college route yourself. But
as you said, you turned pro relatively recently, so what
you know that that's a decision that a lot of
players have to grapple with, and there's you know, bene
pros and cons to both.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Where how did you land where you landed?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah, well the decision I kind of made it to
where it was impossible to go to college. So last
year I was I started the year at six hundred
and I was, you know, obviously still supposed to go
to college.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
And then July rules around, I'm like two fifty, and.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Then I win the Slander in Chicago and then Final Newport,
and then I was one forty and I had a
card at a walk current of the US Open. So
at that point I was a no brainer to turn pro.
And you know, that's what I wanted to do, really
about it. I'm not a big school day, so kind
of clor got in and to go to school, obviously,
I think college house. We've been up blast that team
environment sounds sounds amazing, But yeah, going on tours, you know,
(09:49):
it's always like a child that dreamed I never really
thought would become true. It was never in the cards
for you growing up at all. I wasn't like one
of these amazing players. So I think just being able
to experience all this is just an absolute dream come true.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
We read a really interesting piece It was about this
time last year in tennis dot com by Joel Drucker,
and so I think he spent a bit of time
in California with you, watching you train. He mentioned that
you hit with Lerner a lot, and one of your
coaches described your game as jumbled, which was an interesting terminology.
But yeah, I guess it sounds like it's kind of
evolved in the twelve months since then, so kind of yeah,
(10:21):
and you alluded to it was a bit of a
blend of offense and defense. How would you describe your
game for someone that actually hasn't seen you play tennis?
Speaker 5 (10:28):
And maybe have you like modeled it after someone?
Speaker 4 (10:30):
No, I don't think I modeled that for anyone, But
I mean a year ago, my game was definitely jumbled.
I like I was like six ' four, My stur
was not good. My foreh end was like average, and
like back it was like.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Really good and like I.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Just I had it was kind of all over the
place with in terms of like how good you know,
certain things were, and I feel like I've leveled it
out and I've got a lot of things better. But
I think I would describe my game as like all
core game. I feel like I can do everything. I
can come to the net, I can play offense, play defense.
You know, I feel like I can. I can kind
of do it all. I just need to improve, you know,
all all the aspects. But I feel like I can.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
I can do it. I would say I have an
aw core game.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
And we also read that in the last year you've
all you've grown an extra ine, which you know, what,
what does that mean. I'm not sure if that's true,
but you said you were six four maybe yeah, but
I mean that does create an adjustment if you're dealing
with like, you know, longer levers or bigger heart or whatever,
when you you know, a year or two ago, you
weren't so like, Yeah, what is that kind of adjustment
being like and what's it? What's the advantage of being
(11:27):
one of the bigger guys on tour.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Yeah, I feel like I've always had pretty long levers.
I think, you know, that helps a lot with one thing.
I think and helps a lot with is return, I
can just get my racking on more balls where you know,
other guys maybe couldn't because their arms are as long
like I have very long arms, which which which helps.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
It helps me out a lot. It helps Then the
doubles cord too, That's one of those that I think,
I look kay devils.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
But yeah, it's definitely it's definitely tough to move when
you're you know, six three six four. But I feel
like I've always had pretty long levers, so I I've
I wasn't there, you know, like short, and then all
the stuff grew. So I feel like I've gotten used to,
you know, and running around and bringing with the with
the long arms and lovelake. So that hasn't been like
a big justine for me, but I haven't sorry.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
I have been working on my movement a lot un
the last year.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Okay, and your autols listed this guy on one face
and so we just wanted, what what do you love
about his game?
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Well, I mean, the guy is one of the best
athletes ever play TENNA. I mean the guy's so quick
and jumps so high. I mean, it was always it
was always fun to watch him playing like growning out.
That was just like whenever he's on tee, I would
like stop doing my homework or whatever it was, and
like I'd stay up laid to watch and it was
just absolutely sick. And then I got to meet him,
and like I've here with him a couple of times.
It's just absolutely amazing.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Yeah, he was my definitely my favorite to watch for sure.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
Yeah, does he know that? Have you told him?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I don't think so. I'm a little tighter.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
I I definitely have to tell him because I don't
know how long he's got He's like thirty seven and
thirty eight.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I don't know how much lawer he's got left, So
I gotta I definitely have to tell him that.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, And also you alluded to before that you know,
it's a dream come true being on the Pro Tour
and this is an amazing opportunity for you. But I
guess when new players come onto the tour it's an adjustment,
Like it's it's a grind and it's a long season
and all of that. So how have you kind of
juggled that? What do you love about it? What have
you found challenging or has it mostly been great?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's been pretty good.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I'd say the most challenging part was the clay season
in Europe, just because I'm from the US and we
don't really have any clay, and especially in southern California,
we got no clay out here.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
It's too dry to have clay.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
So I never, you know, played on a growing up,
and then I went to Europe and I won like
three match, three or four matches in the span of
like two and a half months.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
So that was mentally tough. But I like traveling, I
like I.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Like, I like putting into hard work when I'm when
I'm out events, even with like I would lose early
and I'd be with my finished train the next couple
of days, just absolutely grinding, and I enjoyed that. I
think that was a great growth period for me, both
physically and mentally. But yeah, I love the I love
the tour. It's it's it's a lot of fun. I
like traveling and seeing the world and something I thought
I would do, so yeah, I love it.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Cool. You've already made three ATP finals and in such
a young career. You must be incredibly proud of that achievement.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Yeah, I got three before I turned folio. I was
that was that was pretty sick.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
I didn't.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I never in a million years did I think that
would happen. But yeah, I'm very proud of myself. I've
put in a lot of hard work in a lot,
especially the last like four years. I didn't take tennis
like I mean, it's like a seriously, but I never,
you know, like considered this route until like, you know,
probably three years ago when I when I figured that
maybe I could do this, and.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
I started working really hard about four years ago.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
So just to just knowing all the work I put in,
you know, behind the scenes, like when no one's really
seeing and knowing that and making a couple.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Of finals is just yeah, it feels. It feels great.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Two of those three finals have come on grass at Newport,
and you also had success in the Wimbledon Boys doubles
event a couple of years ago. What is it about
grass that brings out your best game?
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Well, I think it helps my serve out a little more,
because my serve, especially end of years, was not good.
But the grass definitely make it, you know, shoot through
the core a little more and that helps you out.
And I feel like I returned pretty well. So I
feel like I can get looks on return. And then
also my serve is not coming back as much because
it's on grass, so that's great. And also I feel like,
(15:20):
especially in Newport, like my backhand just would like doesn't
come off the ground, and I feel like it's it's
tough for guys to it was tough for guys to
manage managers out there, and I also played the greatest.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
I love Newports. It's a great place. So I think, yeah,
I'm actually really bad at they're getting rid of that.
I don't know what I'm gonna do, but but yeah,
I mean.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
It's absolutely sick and yeah, I'm glad I can make
the final in the last two times it had it that.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Wimbledon final a couple of years ago. Did that change
the course of your career at all, which is how
you felt about the future.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
Not really just because it was doubles, It wasn't like
I mean like that was like the best one one
in my life because that was one of my best friends.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
I grew up with him here in so cal Uh.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Playing winning with cords and that was an unbelievable time
I could I wish I could go back and relive
that we saved mass points in the semis like we're
just absolutely just start. That was like the happiest ever
been after winning a test term and also it's Wimberlin
like it was. It was absolutely awesome. But I don't
think it changed the course of my, like, you know,
my career because just because it was doubles and like
I lost first round of singles that that I wasn't
(16:27):
you know, doing great and singles. And I don't think
it changed changed too much.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It definitely gave me a little more like a little
more confidence though, and I think that.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Helps for sure. Well, speaking of confidence, this here, you've
had wins over four top twenty players. There's been Alex
Deminor Taylor, Fritz Stefano sits a pass and he be
her cats. Was was one of those your biggest win?
Or do you remember one of those as your best win?
Speaker 4 (16:54):
When I played Demonor and Los Carloss, I absolutely tried
like I couldn't have played any better. I just I
went out there. I was seeing the ball like it
was a great fruit, Like I couldn't miss a ball.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Like I was just treeing out of my mind.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
That was in terms of level, like my actual level
like was not where I played way above my actual
level that day for sure. That was sick and then
beating Fritz is probably those those are the two because
I mean you and I was like nine in the
world that when I played him in Mexico, and then
Fritz was I think he was top ten when I
played him. I'm not one hundred percent sure I think
(17:27):
he was, but I played pretty good and then I gagged.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
I gagged it away.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
In the second I was at five to three and
then had like four match points and then all of
a sudden it was five all, and then I came
back and like only lost one more point from there.
That was a good mental effort for me to uh
to take him down, so that those are definitelyated to
uh two best wins of the year for me.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
We watched The Demon A one in the Office. Do
you remember view we did?
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (17:51):
It was now timesigme. We were watching Office, Yeah, because
it was joke I played.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I just yeah, it was an incredible performance. I was
also in Shanghai recently where I saw you compete against
Novak Djokovic, who took him to two tight tie break sets.
What's it like to compete against the legend like Novak.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Yeah, I mean being on the other side, and that
is again something else I never thought would happen. And
uh like when I was just like warm me up,
I was like, yeah, I mean this is the goat.
I'm playing the goat, and it's it's pretty intimidating. You know,
that guy's got twenty four slams, like he's got a
gold medal. He's like, he doesn't even like he's won
everything there is to win, Like what else do you
need to win? Like why are you here? And I
play I'm drying. I'm drawing him second round like now.
(18:36):
But it was it was absolute incredible And I.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Got up three to zero in the first set in
like nine minutes, and I.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Was like and then I kind of realized, oh maybe
I can win, and then I got a little tight,
but yeah, playing it was an incredible experience. I get
to tell my grandkids that I get got to playing
at novet Chak.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Which just absolutely sick. And then I had some chance.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
I had to said the second set, I should have
should have won that second set. But I mean he's,
you know, the most clutched guy that ever played the sport.
So and also knowing that the back of my head
makes makes.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
Me even more tight. So it's yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
I was definitely a crazy experience, and I think I
learned a lot from that one.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Do you feel like you lift against some of the
bigger names, lift like you play better?
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Yeah, I feel like I have. I feel like I
don't always. I played against the Verev in the third
round Astra. I didn't play great there, but I feel
like I I have. I feel like almost like half
the time I do have time I don't because you know,
you have to beat these guys.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
You know, you have to lift.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
Your level like before I played you know, Demon r
Fritz or Sissy Pass like, you know, you have to
play well to beat any of these guys. So and
then going out and executing it like feels great. And
then sometimes you go out there and you don't execute it,
and then the guy will just pummel you. So I
feel like it's kind of dependent on the match for me.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Sure, we were going to ask you about the Io
third round run because it's your best Grand Slam results
so far, and you beat uryla Hechker as well to
reach there.
Speaker 5 (19:58):
He was a seed like you, How was it?
Speaker 3 (20:01):
You know?
Speaker 1 (20:02):
How do you look at that achievement and was that
was that a bit of a like a barrier bar
couldn't getting maybe further into a slam like that?
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Yeah, yeah, of course. I mean I was like on
the edge.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
I was like ninety ninety five before that event, or
like ninety two or something like that. I remember going
into that week and played US Train Wildcard first round,
crazy crowd. I got through that one, which just felt great,
and then I played pretty well against Lash. I remember
I played a poor first set, and then after that
I just like locked in and I I and there
was a couple of rain delays which helped me, and
I I just played really really well and then being
(20:33):
able to win that one that was incredible, and uh
zero was lost in the third rounder.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
The second rounder, I remember, I.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Almost got to play like I als got to play
client in the third round, which has been cool. I mean,
but uh players Vere von rod Laver was was incredible,
incredible experience. That was my first time on like a
really good court like that, and I feel like most
of the crowd was like for me. I think they
wanted the underdog, and I made a close second set.
I had like one of the sickest shots in my
life and the second set breakers ACA a line pass.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
But I was that was an incredible experience.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
I really hope I get to play a Rod Labor
again this time, hopefully not to that means I'll play
like Yannick or Carlos.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
I don't walk, but maybe like like third round again.
Speaker 4 (21:11):
But yeah, I was an absolutely, absolutely incredible experience playing rather.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
Yeah, it's a fantastic cold.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
It sounds like you enjoyed the crowds in Australia. How
do they compare to so say US crowds.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
They're definitely more rowdy.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
When I played the Australian Walker, and I mean that
was my first time again, I was felt like I
was really really away, like I felt like I was
in an away game ever not one person and that
crowd was cheered for me, and uh it was tough.
And I feel like I had that a lot this
year where the crowd was against me, which which I've
come to love. I I enjoy it now, but I
remember in that first round of Australia, I was like,
(21:47):
I didn't love it.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
It made it even more tight. But now but now
I absolutely love it.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
But yeah, I think I maybe I earned their respect
after I did, and then in the second round it
that was pretty even for me go and then I
felt like it was more for me, but yeah, it.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Was, it was. It was really cool. It was really
cool to experience that.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
I think experiencing that and then seeing they're definitely the
most rowdy like Australia, maybe the French too, but the
Australians are crazy rowdy.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
It was it was nice outas here is fun.
Speaker 5 (22:17):
We love it.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
We're famous for loving and underdogs. So that'll that will
help explain why you experience love.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
Yeah, love it.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
So I guess when you said, like, you know, play
on rod La Arena if you you know you would
like to avoid Yanni and Carlos and people like that early.
You can do that by getting a Grand Slam seat.
And you're actually quite close to being in that bracket.
What is the now that you've kind of had a
bit of time on tour and you know the level
and you see what those top players do, what is
the difference from going from where you are now at
forty to like that top thirty two bracket or cracking
(22:47):
the top twenty. Like it's such small margins at the top,
so like, what do you think is the key to
cracking those next barriers.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
I think for me, one of the main things is
going to be getting a better surf because I'm six
four and I don't get a ton of free points
off of surf, whereas most other guys that in my
he do get a lot of free points on surf.
So I think that is a is a bit component.
Also playing a little more offensive because against these guys
are not going to give it to you, got to
take it from them if you want to win. So
I feel like those are the two main things that
(23:16):
are that are that need to happen for me. And
I also think the mental I really kind to believe
that I can be all these guys when I when
I see them in draw.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
So I think those those three things for sure, is.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
That belief starting to come.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
I I usually go on the court and no matter
who I'm playing, I tell myself that I could win,
at least I can. I try to convince myself of
that because if you because if you don't, if you
go in you think you're gonna lose, that you're gonna lose.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So that's what I tell myself.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
I definitely tell myself I can win every time I
walk out there.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
We've spent a lot of these chat talking about kind
of like you as a tennis player, your career so far,
your game. What would you like people to know about you,
maybe like off the court as you as a person.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
I mean, I'm crazy competitive on the court, and I'm
also crazy competitive off the court for whatever it is,
like you, like, I played basketball, it's id a crazy competitive.
I play video games, like, I get really pissed the
video games, way more piss than I do with tennis.
So I'm crazy competitive with with everything I do. But
I'm also like, I mean, I hate to say this said,
but I'm kind of worry.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I don't do a lot.
Speaker 4 (24:19):
Like I go to practice and at least when I'm home,
I go to practice most of the day. I come back,
I relax, I you know, play video games, hang out
friends and family, and go and do it again the
next day. I feel like I kind of live at
like groundhod day. It's just everything I repeat. So not
a whole lot going on over here.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Well, maybe you're under selling yourself because we have we
were reading in preparation for these interview and we discover
that you collect coins and you read about history, which
are pretty hice things like what what how did they start?
And what kind of like history do you delve into.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
Oh, the American history, I love it. I love it
in America. I love I love America. So just reading
about the history and you know how how we came
to be is pretty cool. I don't know, like I
got into it and I was like crazy young, and
I like it's always kind of stuck with it. And
my my grandfather also fought in World War two and
my other grandfather fought in the Vietnam War. So I
think having that, you know, connections and definitely made me, uh,
(25:11):
you know, I want to learn more about that.
Speaker 3 (25:13):
And then I also for the coins.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
I never I haven't collected coins since I was like thirteen,
but I do have like I do have some like
some cool underlike clause that's for sure. I haven't opened
that thing in my years, but it's I definitely have
some some coins that are probably worth a couple of
grand now just because they're so old and they're in
good condition too, so.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
And I was I kind of got there from my brother.
I remember my brother started doing that when I was
erk and I just kind of fall in.
Speaker 5 (25:36):
So that must have been an old story we read.
But that's cool. It could have could have it could
have some value.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Now, Alex, this has been so great, You've been really
generous with your time. We just wanted to close by asking, yeah,
like when will we see you down in Australia twenty
twenty five, like the Australian summer and kind of what
are your what are your goals going into a new
season which you've started preparing for.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, well, I will be in Brisbane the first threek.
I'm gonna play Brisbane and then and then obviously Melbourne.
Looking forward to getting down there and start started all
over again a year.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Two goals for next year. I don't really want to
say that.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
I like keeping it to myself for the most part,
but I do have some goals I would like to accomplish.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
And yeah, I just got to put in.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
The work in this next couple of weeks before before
next gen and try to get after it.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Amazing, fantastic, That sounds sounds very exciting.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Yeah, I can't wait to get down to Australia.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
I love I love the course down there and it
rise like Australia's lost silver country to America, so that's
probably why I like it down there.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
I think there's definitely a bit of a crossover between
like southern California and Australia. Like the Preachers, everyone feels
really comfortable, so that's that's good.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Will you have to come before Christmas though, No.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
I'm actually gonna go home after Saturday.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
I'm gonna go home back to California for a couple
of days, part of four five days to spend it
with my.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Family, and then I will and then I will head
down to Britain.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Fantastic. We look forward to seeing you come this summer,
so thank you so much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Yeah, I'll find see you guys in Melbourne.
Speaker 5 (27:07):
Now, Yeah you will?
Speaker 1 (27:08):
You will?
Speaker 5 (27:09):
Yeah for sure, definitely.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Oh cool.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Well, I really do hope that we have a chance
to talk to Alex in person after such a great interview.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
Map.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, it would be great to see him, I guess
before he comes to Australia, which is super exciting. We'll
see I think from Wednesday when the Next Gen Finals starts.
How he progresses. And I really enjoyed the part of
the chat where he talked about kind of his contemporaries
and rivals that are in that field. It's a pretty
amazing group that are coming up. And that reference to
Juel Fonseca hitting a ball like Yannick Sinner like, there's
(27:40):
a lot of exciting stuff about this generation to look
forward to. And so yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing
both Alex and all of them when they come to
come to Melbourne January.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, and Alex is actually the number two seed at
the tournament and he has he's come so far since
he played that event last year as well, So I
think we'll see a lot of progress for him, and
you know who knows he We've got Yannick Sinners to
find us, sits a Pass, Carlos Alcoraza, some of the
names that are won that tournament. So let's see who
(28:09):
comes next.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Well, thanks again for joining us for this episode, and
we'll be back next week with another episode of The
sit Down when we bring you our interview with Sumitt Nogal.
But in the meantime, you can join John and Brie
and the team for this Thursday's episode of The AO
Show Weekly.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Please remember to subscribe, rate and review. See you next week,
mat see you then, bib
Popular Podcasts
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.