By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 2, 2025
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty
In a clash of friendly fire, Alex Michelsen played clean first-strike tennis to take good friend Learner Tien down.
Michelsen broke Tien in his opening service game of both sets sparking a 6-3, 6-3 sweep in a match of talented Californians in Toronto today.
The 20-year-old Michelsen, who toppled 10th-ranked Lorenzo Musetti in the prior round, advance to his 15th career quarterfinal and first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
It’s a milsetone moment for Michelsen, who led start to finish. Michelsen is the youngest American ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinalist since a 20-year-old Sebastian Korda made the last eight at 2021 Miami. He’s the youngest U.S. man to reach the National Bank Open quarterfinals since a 20-year-old Andy Roddick took the title 22 years ago.
Aggressive baseline play from Michelsen combined with some uncharacteristically sloppy shotmaking from Tien was the difference today. Michelsen converted four of 10 break points in an 80 minute victory for his sixth quarterfinal of the 2025 season.
The 34th-ranked Michelsen will face Karen Khachanov for a spot in the final four.
Khachanov cracked 29 winners in a 6-4, 7-5 victory over former US Open finalist Casper Ruud.
The 11th-seeded Khachanov broke three times in a 93-minute victory.
Khachanov beat Ruud for the first time in three meetings and snapped an 11-match losing streak vs. Top 20 opponents. It was Khachanov’s first win over a Top 20 opponent since he beat Grigor Dimitrov at the Paris Indoors last October.
The hard-hitting Khachanov has dropped just one set in three tournament victories.
Michelsen won his lone prior meeting vs. Khachanov with an impressive 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2 sweep at the Australian Open last January.
