Young American star admits that he has a chip on his shoulder

Alex Michelsen has opened up on what it is like to be a player trying to break through on the ATP Tour.

Michelsen says that he thrives on trying to prove his doubters wrong and believes his recent successes show that his hard work is paying off.

He became the youngest American man to win a Masters match since 2017 when he saw off Jaume Munar in the first round.

Michelsen says that his self-belief has come on in leaps and bounds in recent months.

“You can say I had a chip on my shoulder because not a lot of people thought I was not going to be good, and that’s okay,” he told BNPParibasOpen.com

“I didn’t either, for a long time, so I think just trying to push myself all the time is a big motivating factor for me.”

Next up for Michelsen he faces one of his nation’s top stars and will be out for revenge.

“I’m very fired up, I’m going to have a lot of people coming from home to support,” he said.

“My mom, my brothers. I lost a tight one to him in Delray Beach, 7-6 in third so I’m hoping I can get him this time.”

READ MORE: Why Newport sensation Alex Michelsen is being tipped for massive things

Michelsen revealed that the hardest thing about the ATP Tour is learning to take the licks and keep going.

“I think just telling yourself there’s always another week because at the end of the day, there’s only one winner every week,” he said. “It can be mentally exhausting, you’re like ‘I should have won this, I should have won that,’ but try to tell yourself that there’s always going to be another week.”

“That’s what I told myself after I lost to Jordan Thompson when I had match points,” Michelsen said. “It’s tough to [accept], but there’s always going to be another week, and there’s always going to be another opportunity to do well.”

Michelsen isn’t putting himself under any pressure to win big titles as he doesn’t have anyone putting the label of future Major winner onto him.

He doesn’t feel like a Carlos Alcaraz who was tipped to win big titles from the time when he was barely a teenager.

“I feel like [winning a major] this year would be a push, I feel like, for me,” he said. “I was never always going to be good like Carlos – everybody knew Carlos was going to be good. If it happens great, and if not, I’m just going to keep working hard.”