Straight into the fourth round! Reaching the Australian Open fourth round for the first time, Alex Michelsen, the youngest player in the world’s top 50, has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the new season. Not only that! This is the first time the American teenager has reached the fourth round of any major Grand Slam in his career. However, don’t you think that behind every successful athlete, there is a team that helps guide them to greatness? Well, surely it is and Michelsen is no different! Do you know about his coaches? Who are they? Let’s get into it!

Michelsen’s first coach was Eric Diaz, the son of legendary football coach Manuel Diaz. Eric’s coaching résumé, starting with his first full-time collegiate position post-graduation from Georgia (2015), boasts experience at Bulldog tennis camps, the Beck Tennis Academy (Athens, GA), and a USTA high-performance program (Jose Higueras). That’s not it! Eric also received a three-month internship to work with the USTA player development program. During that, he shadowed numerous national coaches like Jose Higueras, Andy Brandi, Eric Nunez, and John Desdunes. 

Eric also worked with a Collegiate Tour Team where he got his first taste of assisting Stephen Amritraj and Brad Stine for several weeks. He was also made the assistant coach for the Bronco program, just after he graduated from the University of Georgia. And his biggest contribution in Alex’s career? Helping the then 19-year-old kid to rally his way into the AO third round in 2024. Ahead of the US Open 2024 though, Alex brought Jay Leavitt to his coaching team.

Jay, the current coach of Alex, has been part of his tennis journey since last year’s US Open. One of the key founders of Tier 1 Performance PNW, Jay along with his partner Robby Ginepri has been a constant support for Alex. Ginepri, who reached SF of the 2005 US Open and won three ATP Tour championships, joined the teenager after Jay took the wheel in August 2024.

As the current World No. 42 is gearing up for the fourth-round clash against Aussie ace Alex de Minaur, his coaches Robby Ginepri and Jay Leavitt will want him to pull off another upset.

Australian Open: Alex Michelsen reaches fourth-round of a Grand Slam for the first time

A start to remember! Teenager Alex Michelsen has been on a rollercoaster ride in the AO, which led him to his first fourth-round match in his tennis career. In 2024, he reached the third round of the tournament but failed to qualify for the fourth after losing to German ace Alexander Zverev in three straight sets. However, was the start to the 2025 season easy for Michelsen? Well, absolutely not! 

It was a tough start for the 20-year-old as he couldn’t qualify beyond R16 of Brisbane International and lost to fellow American Nishesh Basavareddy in the ASB Classic QF. And, following that, who was his first opponent in AO? World No. 11 Stefanos Tsitsipas! The first-round match against the Greek went into four sets, but Alex won 7-5, 6-3, 2-6 and 6-4. 

Following that win, his next opponent was James McCabe, a local from Australia. Although a tough match, the American managed to clinch it in a three-setter by 7-5, 6-3 and 7-6 (7-4). He then got a tough draw against another top 20 player, No. 19 seed Karen Khachanov and the American won against him quite convincingly as well, booking his place in the fourth round. Upon reaching the milestone, Michelsen spoke of his mother and his inability to talk to her for long due to his third round. 

“Mom, hi! I’m sorry I only called you for a minute this morning. I had things to do. I love you. I miss you. I hope everything’s good at home,” Alex said during his post-match interview following the LA wildfire scenarios.

Alex, after becoming the second-youngest man from the United States since Andy Roddick in 2003 to get this far at the AO, will be facing a tough challenge in Round 4. Can he pull off a stunner today by beating the local boy De Minaur and reaching the QF? Share your thoughts below!