Alex Michelsen stepped onto the grass courts of Wimbledon as an up-and-coming American talent, ready to show what he’s got. At only 20, this Californian, who stands 6 ft 4 in tall, showed up at the All England Club with a career-high ranking of World No. 30. However, for a player like him, the scene hasn’t been that easy, as the “Big Two,” Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz dominated the SW19 into their domain.

Owing to their dominance, the American fans’ dream took a hit at Wimbledon, but there’s still a glimmer of hope with young talents like Michelsen stepping up. During an Exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports, host Andrew Whitelaw asked whether the American tennis star is feeling the weight of being seen as the next big thing in the sport for his country amid the dominance of players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Alex Michelsen talks about his tennis future

Alex Michelsen replied to our host Andrew Whitelaw, saying, “Well, maybe not yet. I’m only 20. I feel like I have more time than like the Taylor, Tommy, Francis group. You know, they’re seven years older than me, eight years older than me. So, you know, I have a little more time to kind of figure it out. But winning a slam is so hard. I mean, you got to win six, seven matches to win a slam, and three out of five. And it’s so hard. And, you know, Taylor made a final. I mean, made a semi and we haven’t.”

Recognizing the tough competition he’s up against, the 20-year-old added, “So, yeah, I mean, it’s a tough task, especially with Jannik and Carlos out there. But I mean, hopefully one of us can get it done at some point.” Michelsen’s comments come at an interesting time in the sport, as we’re seeing the “Sincaraz era.”

Just a few days back, we saw an exciting Wimbledon final where Sinner took down Alcaraz, making history as the first Italian to snag the title. This win also gave him his fourth major crown and put an end to Alcaraz’s impressive five-match winning streak in major finals. The Italian’s win came after an unforgettable French Open final just five weeks before, where Alcaraz pulled off one of the sport’s most amazing comebacks to grab his fifth major title.

Coming back to Michelsen, he was riding high after a fantastic fourth-round run at the Australian Open earlier this year. Even though the grass season was tough, with a loss in Stuttgart back in June, he found himself up against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round. It was definitely a tough matchup, but Michelsen was all set to take it on.

So, even though Michelsen managed to turn the match into an exciting five-set battle, ending with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6-10), he still ended up out of the tournament. Then, in men’s doubles, he teamed up with Mackenzie McDonald, but unfortunately, they got knocked out in the first round. They were defeated by Fernando Romboli and John-Patrick Smith, with the final score being 4-6, 5-7. Even though he didn’t win at SW19, Michelsen’s impressive athleticism and calm demeanor have caught fans’ eyes, especially as some of his fellow players struggle.

Basically, Michelsen’s down-to-earth but driven perspective shows that winning at the Grand Slam level isn’t just about having talent; it’s also about taking time, growing, and being resilient.