Alex de Minaur has another chance to advance to the quarter-final of the Australian Open for the first time on Monday, though he must get past the tricky Alex Michelsen in this year's fourth round.
The American player has already outwitted two seeds, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov, and eliminated a home player in James McCabe, all adequate preparation before facing the Demon.
Match preview
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Given he just turned pro in 2023 and only made his Grand Slam debut on home soil at the US Open two years ago, Michelsen's run to this year's Aussie Open fourth round is praiseworthy.
Despite a small sample size, the 20-year-old's best showings at the leading events have come Down Under, evidenced by reaching a fourth match this year, having advanced to last season's third round.
This year's run has seen him take out two seeded opponents, defeating Tsitsipas in four sets and Khachanov in three, while taking care of business against home wild card McCabe in round two.
With none of his matches this year entering three hours, the world No. 42 is fresh and raring to go against the nation's darling and top-ranked player, keen to disappoint the partisan home support.
The 20-year-old emulated Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi as the youngest American to claim multiple top-20 wins at a Grand Slam with this year's run at Melbourne Park, and he aims for a second top-10 win of his embryonic career.
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That sole success came last year against De Minaur at the Los Cabos Open, adding to the narrative-laden fourth-round contest.
The Australian No. 1 was typically tenacious in his third-round success over Francisco Cerundolo, winning sets two, three and four after dropping his first set in Melbourne for a comeback success in three hours and 53 minutes.
The eighth seed might have benefitted from his Argentinian opponent's physical issues, but the match's complexion changed after levelling proceedings in the second-set tiebreak, preventing him from requiring a taxing five-setter.
With his 17th win at his home Major taking him into the tournament's fourth round, the 25-year-old has progressed to six consecutive round-four matches at Grand Slams, emulating retired countryman Lleyton Hewitt's run from the 2003 US Open to the Aussie Open in 2005.
However, the Demon has never played a last-eight match at Melbourne Park, a feat achieved at the three other Majors, and hopes to end that hoodoo in his eighth main draw appearance.
Tournament so far
Alex Michelsen:
First round: vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5 6-3 2-6 6-4
Second round: vs. James McCabe 7-5 6-3 7-6[4]
Third round: vs. Karen Khachanov 6-3 7-6[5]
Alex de Minaur:
First round: vs. Botic van de Zandschulp 6-1 7-5 6-4
Second round: vs. Tristan Boyer 6-2 6-4 6-3
Third round: vs. Francisco Cerundolo 5-7 7-6[3] 6-3 6-3
Head To Head
French Open (2024) - First round: De Minaur 6-1 6-0 6-2
Los Cabos (2024) - Round of 16: Michelsen 6-4 6-1
Both players meet for the third time on the ATP Tour, with their head-to-head tied at 1-1.
While De Minaur gave Michelsen a chastening experience at last year's Roland Garros first round, three months after the American's straight-set victory in Mexico, the 20-year-old will take encouragement from his only victory over a top-10 player.
That triumph was on a hard court, though facing the Australian in Australia is a different proposition for the towering youngster, who managed three games in the pair's only match-up at a Major.
We say: De Minaur to win in five sets
Although De Minaur dispatched Michelsen in three sets on the clay courts of Roland Garros last year, Monday's outcome is not anticipated to be as straightforward.
Thirty of the Next Gen Finals semi-finalist's 38 victories in the last year have come on hard courts, highlighting his preference for the surface.
While the 20-year-old is backed to threaten the Demon on home turf, the Aussie is backed to seal a last-eight berth Down Under for the first time.
