Michael Zhengs US Open moment was two decades in the making he didnt disappoint
Michael Zheng waited 22 years to be part of the U.S.Open’s main draw. Another day and a few more hours wasn’t going to bother him. The former Columbia tennis star and Montville, N.J., native made the most of his Flushing Meadows debut. In a match that was pushed back a day, and then delayed a few more hours after seven games were played because of rain, Zheng made sure to take advantage of his moment. In front of a Columbia-heavy crowd on Court 10 that included his college teammates, Zheng notched the first U.S.
Open main draw victory of his young career, taking out Hungarian Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. The match was on serve in the first set when the rain hit.When play resumed, the 22-year-old Zheng quickly took control by breaking Marozsan’s serve.
The Hungarian looked poised to even the match at one set apiece, leading 3-0.But Zheng responded by reeling off five straight games and never looked back.
He finished the 1-hour, 51-minute match with 33 winners, only 17 unforced errors and nine service aces, pleasing the large crowd that frequently chanted his name between points. Zheng was a champion at Columbia, becoming the first Lion since 1906 to win the NCAA singles title in 2024.He also became the first Ivy League player to claim that crown.
In November, he was the NCAA’s first repeat singles winner in 13 years.This year has been even better for him.
He made his debut in the main draw of a major at the Australian Open in January, and upset Sebastian Korda.He won three matches to advance to the main draw of Wimbledon and reached the third round — no reigning NCAA singles champion had gotten that far at the All England Club since 1981.That run was highlighted by a shocking victory over Cameron Norrie, the highest-ranked Brit, in a five-set thriller. “You grew up watching [these tournaments] on TV, so there’s still a little bit of that shock factor,” Zheng told The Post’s Howie Kussoy previously.
“But I think I’m starting to fee...