With two consecutive victories, American rising star, Alex Michelsen has now reached the SF of the Next Gen ATP Finals. Last year, he failed to win even a single match at this tournament. What did he say about this incredible turnaround in 2024? “If you would have told me 12 months ago that I would be in the semi-finals this year, I would have been a very happy man,” said Michelsen. Next up for the American is the Chinese star, Juncheng Shang. The 19-year-old Shang has lost both of his matches in this tournament and with these two defeats, he has now been eliminated. So, he has nothing to lose in this match! Can he come up with a surprise against Michelsen?

Alex Michelsen vs Juncheng Shang: Preview

Alex Michelsen made quite a few deep runs in his previous tournaments this year, but unfortunately for the American, he failed to deliver when it mattered the most. For example, he reached the final of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships earlier this year, but he was defeated by his compatriot Marco Giron in that match. Even in the Winston-Salem Open, he was defeated by Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the final. He’s entering this match after securing two hard-fought victories in his first two matches. Michelsen defeated Nishesh Basavareddy in the first match by four sets. Even in the second match, he took four sets to beat France’s Luca Van Assche.

Juncheng Shang on the other hand, started his season by reaching the SF at the Hong Kong Open. Later in the season, he also won the title at the Chengdu Open by defeating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(4),6-1. However, in this tournament, he hasn’t looked too impressive so far! Shang was defeated by Van Assche in the first match 3(3)-4,4-2,1-4,3(5)-4 and then in the second match, Basavareddy sealed the deal against the Chinese in four sets! What will be the scoreline in his next match?

Michelsen vs Shang: Head-to-Head

Alex Michelsen has faced Juncheng Shang two times in his career. The 20-year-old American has a 2-0 lead over Shang in the H2H record.

• 2022 Challenger Tiburon, US R32: Michelsen 7-5,4-6,7-6(5).
• 2023 Challenger Chicago, US SF: Michelsen 4-6,7-5,6-3.

Prediction: Michelsen to win in four sets

After looking at his incredible run in this tournament, it’d be very hard to choose someone else as the favorite against him. Alex Michelsen (41) has been quite impressive in Jeddah this year. So, we’re keeping this right-handed American ahead of the left-handed Chinese in this epic contest! Now, if we take a look at their win-loss records, Michelsen has a win-loss record of 33-29 this season. On the other hand, Juncheng Shang (50) has a win-loss record of just 25-21 on the main Tour.

Talking about their playing styles, Alex Michelsen’s aggressive style of play, paired with excellent movement on the court, makes him a dangerous opponent. He has a strong two-handed backhand along with an equally powerful forehand. Michelsen loves coming to the net and finishing off the points. Apart from that, Alex Michelse is also a good server, especially on the first serve. He has hit 262 aces this season! It will be interesting to see how many can he hit against Shang.

Juncheng Shang on the other hand, has garnered an immaculate reputation for his calm demeanor. He is known for his aggressive baseline play and strong serve, which he uses effectively on hard and clay surfaces. His style emphasizes speed and accuracy, allowing him to maintain a fair bit of pressure on his opponents. He often seeks opportunities to attack and finish points quickly. Shang is also a good returner of the ball and his incredible ability to adapt his game across different surfaces makes him a really special player to watch out for in the near future. Can he seal a victory against Alex Michelsen in the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals, though? Well, it looks a bit unlikely at the moment!