Michelsen shocks Tsitsipas; Djokovic tested by Nishesh

Alex Michelsen swings a baseball bat left-handed. He kicks a football with his left foot. But he plays tennis right-handed.

- HT Correspondent

MUMBAI: It's a switch that makes the 20-year-old American a tricky opponent, as world No. 12 Stefanos Tsitsipas experienced first-hand at the Australian Open on Monday.

Playing at the John Cain Arena in Melbourne Park, Michelsen pulled off a 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 first-round upset over the Greek 11th seed to pick up his first-ever win over a top 20 player at a Grand Slam. Central to the triumph was his solidity and angles he was able to produce from his backhand side.

Tsitsipas, the 2023 Australian Open finalist, boasts a game that revolves around a powerful forehand and big serve. His backhand, an elegant one-hander, though a capable weapon, is still his weaker shot. On Sunday, he was often dragged into a cross-court backhand rally against a player whose natural lefty-ness gave him an advantage.

Michelsen was able to produce the angles to help open up the court. And often he would send the ball down the line—one of the more difficult shots in the sport—with ease.