Tsitsipas Crashes Out of Australian Open in First-Round Upset

Stefanos Tsitsipas suffered a shocking first-round defeat at the Australian Open, losing 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to American Alex Michelsen.

Stefanos Tsitsipas, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, suffered a shocking defeat in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday. The 11th-seeded Greek, who reached the final at Melbourne Park in 2023, lost 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to American Alex Michelsen. Tsitsipas expressed his frustration with the early exit, saying, “it sucks.”

Tsitsipas elaborated on his disappointment, highlighting the lengthy recovery period that follows a first-round loss in a Grand Slam. “The most frustrating part about losing in the first round of a Grand Slam is that you have way too much time to recover, and I would rather have the other way around where I don't have enough time to recover,” he said. Tsitsipas prefers the pressure of a tighter schedule, noting, “Honestly, that's much, much better in terms of problem-solving.”

The Greek player's competitive nature makes it difficult for him to accept the extended break before his next tournament. “It just sucks in a way that I'll be hanging around for quite a while now before my next tournament comes in,” Tsitsipas said. “With my competitive nature, I feel like these type of things are not really ideal for me.” Tsitsipas's early exit from the Australian Open marks a disappointing start to his season.

Stefanos Tsitsipas struggled to find his footing against Alex Michelsen, with the American pushing him to his limits and ultimately securing a 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory. Michelsen's strategy paid off, as he kept Tsitsipas running all over the court. The American, ranked 42, credited his composure and mindset for the win, saying, “I just tried to stay super composed out there today, I knew it was going to be a battle to the end.”

Michelsen acknowledged that his serve let him down slightly in the fourth set but was thrilled to have secured his first win over a top-20 player at a Grand Slam. “My serve sort of let me down a bit in the fourth set, but super happy to get through it,” he said. Michelsen emphasized the importance of mindset in his victory, adding, “It's all about the mindset. I came in with the proper mindset and I executed the game plan.”

Tsitsipas's defeat compounds his recent struggles, which saw his ranking drop to 12 from a career-high three in 2024. He managed only one title last year, a repeat victory at Monte Carlo, and suffered a first-round exit at the US Open. Tsitsipas had hoped for a fresh start this year, but his season began poorly with a loss to Alexander Shevchenko at the United Cup, and he carried that form into Melbourne. Reflecting on his loss, Tsitsipas said, “It was a difficult first-round match. I knew I was dealing with a pretty serious opponent because I've played him before, and I have lost.”

Tsitsipas acknowledged that he struggled to find his rhythm and movement against Michelsen. “I had a very slow start. In terms of finding my movements and just dominating from the serve plus one, it wasn't really the way I'm expecting it to work,” he said. This slow start led to frustration and insecurity, which affected his overall performance. Tsitsipas expressed his desire to regain his confidence and strength, saying, “I just hope I'm able to retrieve that back and use that as a strength within my game.”