Mmoh lost in the final round of qualifying but World No. 50 David Goffin’s last-minute withdrawal ensured him a place in the main draw. A mighty five-set tussle against qualifier Laurent Lokoli in the opening round helped the American record just his third victory at Melbourne Park.
Having competed largely on the Challenger tour, the 25-year-old snapped his three-year title drought by clinching a couple of titles on the circuit last year. His victory over Alexander Zverev, however, marked the apt fruition of his efforts to break into the higher echelons of the sport.
A visibly emotional Mmoh spoke about harboring hope during adversities after his second-round win, revealing how he had scheduled a flight back home after the first round itself.
The third round is the farthest Mmoh has ventured into a Grand Slam. His win over Zverev will guarantee him a career-high ranking inside the world’s top 100 at the end of the fortnight.
“It just doesn’t seem real”- Michael Mmoh after beating Alexander Zverev at Australian Open 2023
It’s safe to say that Michael Mmoh found himself in a trance of disbelief long after his heroics at Margaret Court Arena on Thursday. His triumph over Alexander Zverev marked just his second win over a top 15 player and he spoke at length about the feat in his post-match press conference.
Mmoh explained how his fortunes completely turned around over a span of two days whilst shaking his head in sheer incredulity.
The American will next face compatriot J.J. Wolf, who is also coming off an upset win over No. 23 seed Diego Schwartzmann in the second round. Mmoh believes a face-off against a familiar foe in Wolf has every reason to go down to the wire.
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