Alex Michelsen, 22-year-old tennis player, go face Carlos Alcaraz for first round of ATP 500 for Tokyo on Thursday. Match set for 09:00, Movistar. Na di current world number 34.
Michelsen sports story almost like film. He don talk for interview say he learn how to hit backhand with racket inside garage of him house. Him papa play semi-professional tennis for university circuit. Him mama na teacher and she also play amateur tennis; she help finish him training for di sport.
He always know say he want be tennis player. But football also sweet him well well. He don talk many times say Leo Messi na him favorite athlete. Basketball dey him side too, and as correct Californian, he dey support Los Angeles Lakers.
When dem ask am who be him favorite tennis player, he no mention Novak Djokovic, no Rafael Nadal, no Roger Federer. He always talk say na Frenchman Gael Monfils. ‘Maybe I no go dey play professional tennis today if I never see you play when I dey grow,’ he tell Monfils when dem meet last year for grass for Stuttgart. Michelsen win that one.
Alcaraz and Michelsen never face each other before. This first meeting don attract plenty interest. One reason na Michelsen body: di Californian stand 193 cm, similar to Rafa Jódar. Him shot repertoire too dey cause wahala. Michelsen fit put any rival for trouble, and Carlitos know am.
Michelsen favorite surface na hard court, where he go face di Murcian today. Grass also suit am, because he become junior doubles champion for Wimbledon.
On Alcaraz side, on Wednesday he explain say he dey train normal for Tokyo and say him wrist dey ‘improve every day.’ For am, di big target now no be just to solve one particular problem. Na to play plenty matches again and fully recover competitive rhythm after many months without continuity.
Dem also ask di Murcian about proposal to change format for majors. ‘To reduce matches to three sets na to kill di legacy of Grand Slams,’ he talk.
