Alex Michelsen Joins The Show, ATP Stars Stranded in Dubai, & More

Andy Roddick and Jon Wertheim dive into a heavy week on the ATP tour, ranging from historic statistical milestones to the serious situation in Dubai. We start with a Racket Rundown talking through the victories of Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, and Peyton Stearns. Then we dive into breaking news out of Dubai, where over 40 ATP players and staff—including Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev—found themselves hunkered down in a hotel waiting for airspace to open. Then, we transition to a lighthearted interview with 21-year-old American star Alex Michelsen. From his childhood bedroom, Alex talks about his transition from an "average junior" to a Top 50 pro, his decision to play right-handed despite being a natural lefty, and the experience of playing for Andre Agassi at the Laver Cup TAKE OUR SURVEY: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8634892/Served-Research Learn more about ServiceNow here: https://www.servicenow.com/?campid=271869&cid=pc:brd:brnd:served:26q1:paitwfp_audioredirect_PAITW2_GAI_PAITWFP_HostRead_:none:br_ams:awa&utm_medium=podcasts&utm_source=served 📩 Sign up for the Newsletter here: https://servedmedia.substack.com/ Check out some Served Merch: https://store.servedpodcast.com/ 📱If you're new to the Served with Andy Roddick, we're happy you're here! Follow us for more: https://www.instagram.com/servedpodcast/ https://x.com/Served_Podcast https://www.tiktok.com/@served_podcast Theme music composed, produced, and mixed by Dan Whittemore. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwhit.wav/ ⏰TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction 1:33 Welcome to Served 2:12 Racket Rundown: Peyton Stearns and Winning at Home 4:44 Taylor Townsend’s Post-Match Fire 7:58 Flavio Cobolli Cracks the Top 15 10:16 Daniil Medvedev’s Historic 23rd Title 16:16 Crisis in Dubai: Players Stranded Amid Geopolitical Conflict 18:32 The "Escape Plan" for Medvedev and Rublev 19:03 ATP Statement and the Logistics of Player Safety 27:34 Alex Michelsen joins the show 29:40 The Hard Path to the Pro Tour 32:09 Deciding Between College and Turning Pro 35:20 The Difference Between Juniors, Challengers, and the ATP Tour 38:58 The Righty/Lefty Dilemma 40:35 Starting Tennis at Age Three 41:55 Fact-Checking Michelsen: Clippers vs. Lakers 43:38 The Rivalry and Friendship with Learner Tien 48:25 Playing for Andre Agassi at the Laver Cup 51:38 Teo Davidov: The Future of Ambidextrous Tennis? 55:40 Conclusion and Safety Wishes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices