Alex Michelsen is not at his best on clay where he has lost five straight matches to Top 50 players. Rafael Jodar should be too good here, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Spaniard win in straight sets.
| Alex Michelsen | Rafael Jodar | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | United States | Spain |
| Age | 21 (25 August 2004) | 19 (17 September 2006) |
| Height | 6'4" (1.93m) | 6'3" (1.91m) |
| Plays | Right-Handed | Right-Handed |
| Ranking | 42 | 29 |
| Career High | 30 (July 2025) | 29 (May 2026) |
| ATP Tour Titles | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 ATP Tour Titles | 0 | 1 |
| French Open Best Result | First Round (2024, 2025) | First Appearance |
HTH
This will be the first match between Alex Michelsen and Rafael Jodar.
Michelsen Below his Best on Clay
Alex Michelsen reached the Brisbane International semi-finals in January but had to wait a long time to get to another quarter-final. It came in Geneva last week where he went down 6-4 3-6 6-1 to Learner Tien.
It was the 21-year-old’s fifth straight defeat to a Top 50 player. He has a 2-8 career record against Top 50 players on clay, compared to 18-31 on hard courts.
The American has taken advantage of a soft draw at Roland Garros, beating Alexander Shevchenko 6-2 6-4 6-2 and Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6 6-3 3-6 6-3. He saved a combined 9/14 in Paris.
Jodar Surging to Top 20
Rafael Jodar has risen from 165 to 29 in the rankings this year, winning his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech.
The 19-year-old lost to Arthur Fils in the Barcelona semi-finals and Jannik Sinner in the Madrid quarter-finals. He got to another quarter-final in Rome, fading in a 3 sets defeat to Luciano Darderi.
The Spaniard spanked Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-1 6-0 6-4 in the French Open first round, allowing one break point. He appeared set for a rapid victory against James Duckworth before coming through 6-1 6-7 6-4 7-5.