Alex Michelsen has reached the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of his career, beating Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to become the second American man through to the last eight at this year's US Open.
The run has been remarkably clean. The California native has yet to drop a set in Flushing Meadows, winning every match in straight sets, and he was the first American to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Asked whether the results had caught him off guard, Michelsen gave a split answer. "Yes and no," he said, explaining that his form heading into the tournament had not been especially sharp — but that he has been "working my ass off" at the sport for years.
Happy Under the Radar
Much of the attention this fortnight has gone to the broader question of whether an American man can finally end the country's Grand Slam drought, and Michelsen's march has drawn noticeably less notice than the runs of some of his compatriots.
He says that suits him fine. "It's not hurtful at all. I love being under the radar. It's great," he said, adding that several younger players have been performing at a very high level and that he is comfortable with the coverage landing where it has. "You get what you earn."
Sunday's win sets up a quarterfinal against fellow American Frances Tiafoe.
Wimbledon Won't Follow the Influencer Experiment
Away from the court, multiple reports indicate Wimbledon has no intention of copying the US Open's decision to credential influencers next year, with the All England Club prepared to confiscate ring lights and similar equipment that could disrupt play.
The reports follow a week of debate in Queens over influencer conduct at the tournament, which came to a head when a chair umpire had to quiet a group making noise from a suite, alongside other clips that raised questions about behavior in the stands.
Sinner Turns Up at Monza
Last year's US Open runner-up, Jannik Sinner, is missing the tournament with a lingering knee injury that also kept him out of the Cincinnati Open — but the world No. 1 has not been sitting still.
On the second Sunday of the Open, Sinner surfaced at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix near Monza, where he told Italian outlet la Repubblica that the knee was "fine."
