Madrid Open 2024: Alex Michelsen vs Joao Fonseca; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction

Fans are buzzing as another edition of the Madrid Open returns with some action-packed matches during the clay court swing. In an exciting opening-round encounter, ATP prodigies Alex Michelsen and Joao Fonseca will be squaring off against each other for a place in the round of 64.

The ATP Masters 1000 event also features some young, promising talents competing on the red clay courts at the Caja Mágica in Manzanares Park, San Fermín. As two tennis youngsters, Michelsen and Fonseca, will be looking to mark a deep run at this esteemed Masters category event, it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top in this opener in Madrid.

Alex Michelsen vs. Joao Fonseca: Madrid Open first-round match preview

The American tennis player is coming to the Madrid Open after his round-of-16 defeat at the Bavarian International Tennis Championships. During his campaign in Munich, Alex Michelsen outshined the local favorite Max Hans Rehberg, in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3. However, despite winning the first set of his next round match, the 19-year-old then failed to overcome the Chilean Cristian Garín, who won with a score of 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.

Joao Fonseca, on the other hand, is also an unseeded participant at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. The Brazilian tennis player is coming to the tournament after his campaign at the Challenger event in Madrid, where he secured a quarterfinal finish. While dropping two sets throughout the event, Fonseca brushed aside the likes of Guido Andreozzi and Harold Mayot in the initial round matches.

Michelsen vs Fonseca: Head-to-Head

The opener between Alex Michelsen and Joao Fonseca at this season’s Madrid Open will also mark their first meeting on the men’s circuit. The tennis prodigies have locked their H2H record at 0-0 with previous on-court meetings.

Prediction: Fonseca will outclass his American opponent in the R128

Joao Fonseca recently managed to convert 75% of points on her first serve during his quarterfinals at the Challenger event in Madrid. Michelsen, on the other hand, only had a 54% conversion on his first serves during his R16 on the Bavarian International clay courts. In their previous clay court matches, Fonseca managed to hit 5 aces and 8 double faults, compared to 0 and 4 for Michelsen.

Aside from having an edge in these statistics, the Brazilian player’s positive 28-19 record on clay will also make him a favorite to win this R128 in Madrid. Meanwhile, his American opponent has a negative 5-7 record on the surface, and he might find it quite challenging to overcome Fonseca. Who do you think will prevail in this exciting opener between Alex Michelsen and Joao Fonseca? Let us know in the comments section.