Michelsen Defeats McDonald to Reach Semifinals of ATP 250 in Newport; Qualifier Kessler Reaches Evansville $60K Semis; Kingsley Advances in Both Singles and Doubles at Champaign $25K

Eighteen-year-old Alex Michelsen's breakout month continued today after last week's Chicago Challenger champion defeated No. 4 seed Mackenzie McDonald(UCLA) 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals of the ATP Infosys Hall of Fame Open in Newport Rhode Island. 

Michelsen's first serve percentage of 78 was one of the keys to his victory, and his backhand down the line also came through when he needed it. On grass, it's important to be able to finish at the net, and Michelsen also showed the touch that helped him to last year's Wimbledon boys doubles title. 

Next up for Michelsen, who has signed to play for the University of Georgia but is unlikely to attend the school, is Bulldog legend John Isner, who is 20 years older. Today Isner defeated top seed Tommy Paul, who had verbally committed to Georgia back in 2015 and had beaten UGA's NCAA champion Ethan Quinn in the second round, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) to advance to his first semifinal since February. Michelsen is now up to 152 in the ATP Live Rankings, after starting 2023 at 600.

Two French players will meet in the other semifinal, with No. 2 seed Adrian Mannarino facing No. 3 seed Ugo Humbert. 

Former North Carolina All-American William Blumberg is on track for his third consecutive Newport title, each with a different partner, having earn the 2021 title with Jack Sock in 2021 and Steve Johnson(USC) in 2022. Blumberg and partner Max Purcell of Australia, who are unseeded, will play the winner of Saturday's semifinal between top seeds Jackson Withrow(Texas A&M) and Nathaniel Lammons(SMU) and No. 3 seeds Saketh Myeni(Alabama) and Yuki Bhambri of India.

Former University of Florida All-American Mccartney Kessler, who completed her collegiate eligibility last year, has reached her first semifinal at the $60K level as a qualifier this week in Evansville Indiana. Kessler, who defeated No. 2 seed Sachia Vickery 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-0 in yesterday's second round, defeated No. 8 seed Ashley Lahey(Pepperdine) 6-1, 6-1 today. Kessler, who turned 24 earlier this month, faces No. 3 seed Karman Thandi of India, a 6-3, 6-3 winner today over wild card Allie Kiick, in Saturday's semifinals.  Top seed Madison Brengle plays No. 4 seed and Old Dominion All-American Yulia Starodubtseva of Ukraine in the other Evansville semifinal. Kessler has also advanced to the doubles final, partnering with Starodubtseva. They will face the also unseeded Russian pair of Maria Kononova(North Texas) and Veronika Miroshnichenko(Loyola Marymount) in Saturday's final.

Ohio State's Cannon Kinglsey, who has another year of eligibility should he choose to take it, is through to the singles and doubles finals at the $25,000 USTA Pro Circuit tournament in Champaign Illinois. The 22-year-old from New York, seeded No. 5, defeated No. 4 seed Yuki Mochizuki of Japan 6-1, 6-3 in today's quarterfinals and will face top seed Evgeny Donskoy of Russia Saturday. Kingsley is the only American left in the draw, with the bottom half semifinal between No. 2 seed Aidan McHugh of Great Britain and No. 3 seed Naoki Nakagawa of Japan.

Kingsley and Ohio State rising sophomore Jack Anthrop will face Texas A&M's Noah Schachter and Trey Hilderbrand, the No. 2 seeds, in the all-American collegiate doubles final. 

At the $15,000 men's USTA Pro Circuit tournament in Rochester New York, two Americans have advanced to the semifinals: qualifier Tyler Stice(Auburn) and No. 6 seed AJ Catanzariti(Texas A&M). Catanzariti faces top seed Ignacio Monzon of Argentina Saturday, with Stice taking on No. 2 seed Darian King of Barbados, who ended the run of former UVA star and wild card Henrik Wiersholm with a three-hour 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4 victory. Stice has also advanced to the doubles final, with partner Miguel Angel Cabrera of Chile.