Next Gen ATP Finals: American ace Alex Michelsen first into semi-finals in Jeddah as Red Group winner

Alex Michelsen is the first player into the semi-finals at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after taking down Luca van Assche to sit atop the Red Group with a fight for second place now emerging.

Now he will face seventh seed Nishesh Basaraveddy for second spot who claimed his first ever ATP Tour win on Thursday He defeat Juncheng Shang in one hour and 38 minutes to seal the win.

This led Michelsen into battle who already sealed his opening win yesterday against Basavareddy giving him the early impetus. He won that comfortably 3-1 albeit mostly through tie-breaks. He lost the first set to Van Assche who defeated Juncheng Shang on Wednesday.

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He bounced back though to win the next two 4-2, 4-3, 4-3 claiming the next two in tie-breaks 8-6, 7-5 respectively to quell the charge of the Frenchman as a pivotal day no awaits for the two players who he has vanquished.

While Juncheng Shang is now eliminated and with Michelsen topping the group and through come what may, pride is the only thing that either will play for now. Attention now turns to the other side of the draw as Arthur Fils who started poorly will face Jakub Mensik.

Two of the real star seeds in Mensik and Fils both faltered on the opening day as the talents that are also emerging but perhaps haven't had as much spotlight due to their fledgling results so far in Learner Tien and Joao Fonseca proving themselves.

Now it is winners face winners as Fonseca takes on Tien. While Mensik faces Fils. This will knock one player out the running and if Fonseca wins it will likely see him top the group with the semi-finals likely being close to being sorted later this evening in Jeddah on Day Two.