Carlos Alcaraz vs Alex Michelsen Preview & Tips - Alcaraz backed for simple win over Michelsen at Tokyo Open

Alex Michelsen battled to the quarter-final of the US Open earlier in the month, with his exit at the hands of Frances Tiafoe coming in a heart-breaking 3-2 loss. 

This will be the first time the pair have met in a competitive tennis match. 

Carlos Alcaraz has not enjoyed his best season in 2026, with a single Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open at the start of the year adorning his trophy cabinet. 

A quarter-final exit at the US Open was a disappointing end to the final Slam of the season, with Alcaraz missing the French Open and Wimbledon. With the season edging towards a close, Alcaraz will target the Tokyo Open as a competition he needs to win. 

His last 10 outings have ended in seven wins, while he boasts 146 victories and just 32 defeats on hard courts. I back Alcaraz to start the Tokyo Open well as he eliminates his opponent in a 2-0 win.

Alex Michelsen will sense that this could be a superb chance to notch his first win over Carlos Alcaraz at the first time of asking. 

Like Alcaraz, Michelsen has won seven of his last 10, while he was also knocked out of the US Open at the quarter-final stage. Frustrating for Michelsen will be the fact he was 2-0 up and leading 5-3 in the third set before falling apart against Frances Tiafoe. This loss will have hurt Michelsen, who was one game away from appearing in the 2026 US Open semi finals. 

Michelsen's first ever match against Alcaraz means he arrives without the mental scars a losing record might bring. However, this will likely mean little against one of the best tennis players on the planet right now. While Alcaraz may not have had his best season, he is my pick to cruise to victory.