The 2025 Australian Open witnessed a major upset on just the second day of the competition. In the men's tournament, 2023 finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek star, suffered a shock defeat in his opening-round match against the unseeded 20-year-old American, Alex Michelsen. Tsitsipas, who was expected to make a deep run in the tournament, succumbed to a four-set loss, with Michelsen emerging victorious by a score of 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 at the John Cain Arena in Melbourne Park.

This early exit continues a concerning trend for Tsitsipas, who has struggled with early losses in recent Grand Slam events. His poor form in 2024 saw him drop out of the top ten in the ATP rankings, and this latest first-round defeat marks his second consecutive early exit, having been eliminated in the first round of the 2024 US Open by Thanaski Kokkinakis. As Tsitsipas enters the prime of his career at the age of 26, this latest setback will undoubtedly be a disappointment, and he will need to regroup and regain his form if he hopes to challenge for major titles in the future.

In his post-match press conference, Tsitsipas remarked, “It is rather ironic. My primary objective was to advance deep into the Australian Open. I recognized that the first consideration was to refrain from participating in doubles.”

“I suppose karma has caught up with me,” the 26-year-old added. “I was unable to perform or compete in the manner I had anticipated at this year's event. The entire aim was to conserve energy and be in better condition for the later rounds of the tournament.”

On the other hand, Michelsen continued his impressive ascent by securing his first victory over a top-15 opponent in a Grand Slam. The American broke into the world’s top 50 after 2024 and appears set for a swift rise in the rankings this season.

Michelsen excelled in a match that many considered a potential upset, as Tsitsipas’ recent struggles combined with Michelsen’s skill created a scenario where the Greek was expected to face difficulties. The backhand exchanges were pivotal, with Michelsen achieving 18 winners compared to Tsitsipas’ 7 from his single-handed backhand.

This marked Tsitsipas’ first Grand Slam appearance since parting ways with his father, Apostolos, as his coach, and the outcome was not favourable. “The most frustrating aspect of losing in the first round of a Grand Slam is having an abundance of time to recover,” he stated. “I would prefer the opposite — a lack of time. Honestly, that is much more conducive to problem-solving. It is disappointing that I will be waiting for quite some time before my next tournament.”

Tsitsipas has previously delivered outstanding performances in Australia, including a notable victory over Roger Federer during his breakthrough run to the semifinals in 2019. Despite having reached three semifinals and one final in Australia, Tsitsipas fell short this time as crucial points favoured Michelsen.

Michelsen is set to face Australian wild card entry James McCabe in the second round of the tournament.

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