It’s a battle of Americans at the Delray Beach Open with Tommy Paul battling teenager Alex Michelsen for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Thanks to a strong 2023 and a good start to the 2024 season, Tommy Paul is the world No. 14–the second-highest ranked American player behind No. 9 Taylor Fritz. Paul just won the title in Dallas last week over countryman Marcos Giron. As the No. 3 seed, Paul earned himself a few days of rest with a first-round bye–which should help with any residual fatigue from his efforts in Dallas.
Alex Michelsen is the latest in a series of talented American teenagers to come up through the ranks. He has made his way to No. 75 in the world, thanks in part to a pair of wins he pocketed at the Australian Open. The 19 year-old easily defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-1, 6-2 in the first round on Tuesday night to earn his spot in the last 16.
As the more seasoned player, Paul will almost certainly have and edge. He enjoys playing on home soil on hard courts, and there is unlikely to be a partisan crowd to give Michelsen a boost. While the teen benefited from an error-filled match by Kokkinakis, Paul is unlikely to be quite as accommodating.
Look for the 26-year-old to make his way through comfortably.
Cheryl pick: Paul in 2
Ricky pick: Paul in 2
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