American star Alex Michelsen chose tennis as his professional sport because his parents were tennis players, too.
Alex Michelson is all set to take on Aussie star Jordan Thompson in the R16 of the Brisbane International.
Highlights
- Professional tennis player Alex Michelsen is ready to compete with Jordan Thompson at Brisbane International.
- Alex was born to his father, Erik Michelsen, and his mother, Sondra Michelsen.
- He grew up along with his younger brother, Jake Michelsen.
Both these tennis stars had an outstanding 2024 season, and guess what? They have already got off to a winning start to their campaign in 2025 as well!
American rising star Alex Michelsen made several deep runs in the tournaments last season.
He reached the final of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships but was defeated by his compatriot Marcos Guron by 7-6(4), 3-5, 5-7.
He also managed to reach the final at the Winston-Salem Open. However, Lorenzo Sonego got the better of the American star in that tournament.
In addition to these two tournaments, Michelsen also reached the semifinals of the Moselle Open and the Next Gen ATP Finals.
He enters this contest following his three-set triumph over Australia’s Christopher O’Connell in the first round (R32).
Alex Michelsen Was Inspired From His Parents To Pursue His Career In Tennis
Alex Michelson, 20, was born on August 25, 2004, in Aliso Viejo, California, to his father, Erik Michelsen, and his mother, Sondra Michelsen.
His father, Erik, is a lawyer and played college tennis at the University of Redlands, where he was a three-time All-American.
Erik has owned Transact Law, P.C., since December 1997. He was ARV Assisted Living, Inc.’s vice president from January 1994 to October 1997.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he attended the University of Redlands from 1979 to 1983. Later, he graduated cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1987.
While there, he was a member of Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award for earning the highest grade in the course on corporate taxation.
On the other hand, his mother, Sondra, is a retired teacher who attended San Diego State University and played college tennis.
In 1989, she earned the prestigious Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship.
Growing up with parents who were former tennis players, he was interested in tennis from a young age. His parents also supported him in achieving his athletic dreams.
In one of the interviews, Alex Michelsen said his mother had inspired him the most. He said his mother taught him how to lay, and he used to hit her almost every day until he was 15 or 16.
American football player Alex Michelsen is not the only child in his family. He has a brother, Jake Michelsen, 23, who was born on July 31, 2001, and is three years older than him.
Jake also chose to play tennis before swimming. He has prepped four varsity seasons at Aliso Niguel High School, graduating in 2020.
He competed in two state championships and three CIF meets and earned All-League, All-Orange County, and All-State recognition.
In addition, he has swam for three years with the Dolphin Aquatics Club team.
He plans to become a Marine Corps fighter pilot, transfer to the civilian environment after at least 10 years of service, and fly for the airlines.
Additional Information
- In August 2022, Michelsen made his Grand Slam doubles debut at the US Open, playing alongside Sebastian Grozny. He lost in the first round.
- He made his ATP debut at the 2023 Mallorca Championships as a lucky loser, losing in the first round to eventual champion Christopher Eubanks.
- Alex reached the 3rd round at the 2024 Australian Open, defeating wildcard James McCabe and 32nd seed Juru Lehecka on his debut at this Major. As a result, he reached the top 75 in the singles rankings.
