Match Details

Fixture: (6) Alex Michelsen vs (WC) Beibit Zhukayev

Date: October 14, 2025

Tournament: Almaty Open

Round: First Round (Round of 32)

Venue: Almaty Arena, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Category: ATP 250

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $1,055,255

Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN+

Alex Michelsen vs Beibit Zhukayev preview

Sixth seed Alex Michelsen will face home favorite Beibit Zhukayev in the first round of the Almaty Open 2025.

Michelsen made waves by reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open at the start of the season, his best showing at a Major thus far. He also advanced to his maiden Masters 1000 quarterfinal at the Canadian Open. However, his results have taken a turn for the worse since then.

Following his quarterfinal finish in Canada, Michelsen lost in the third round of the Cincinnati Open and hasn’t won a match since then. He lost to Ethan Quinn and Arthur Rinderkench in straight sets at the Japan Open and the Shanghai Masters respectively. However, he finished as the runner-up at the Shanghai Masters in doubles with Andre Goransson, a bright spot amidst his poor results in singles.

Zhukayev’s only win on the main tour this year came in February when he won his singles tie at the Davis Cup. He lost in straight sets in his other appearances at the ATP level, losing to Flavio Cobolli and Alexandre Muller in the first round of Wimbledon and the Citi Open respectively.

Zhukayev hasn’t impressed on the Challenger circuit either. A semifinal showing at the Morelia Challenger remains his best result this season. His Asian swing has been underwhelming as well, with loss in the qualifying rounds of the Hangzhou Open and the Shanghai Masters, along with first-round exits from a couple of Challenger tournaments.

Alex Michelsen vs Beibit Zhukayev head-to-head

This will be the first meeting between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.

Alex Michelsen vs Beibit Zhukayev odds

(Odds via BetMGM)

Alex Michelsen vs Beibit Zhukayev prediction

Michelsen is on a five-match losing streak in singles. However, he will be keen to capitalize on his runner-up finish in doubles at the Shanghai Masters and finally score a much-needed win in singles. He has compiled a 22-24 record this year, with an even 15-15 record on hardcourts.

Zhukayev has a 1-2 record at the ATP level, and a 24-27 record across all tours this year. He has lost five of his last six matches as well. He has a 1-5 record against top 50 players, with his only win coming at last year’s Almaty Open. However, that win came after his opponent, Tomas Machac, retired due to an injury just minutes into their first-round encounter.

Michelsen has a 7-4 record against players ranked outside the top 100 this year. If he doesn’t improve upon his current form, then he could be susceptible to an upset. However, the odds of an upset seem slim given Zhukayev’s record against top players.

Pick: Alex Michelsen to win in straight sets.

Alex Michelsen vs Beibit Zhukayev betting tips

Tip 1: Alex Michelsen to win.

Tip 2: The match will have at least 22 games.