Michael Zheng clinches first U.S. Open main-draw win after 22-year wait

Michael Zheng, a Montville, N.J., native and former Columbia tennis champion, finally realized a two-decade dream by winning his first U.S. Open main-draw match. The contest, postponed by rain and later delayed, saw Zheng dominate Hungarian Fabian Marozsan with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 scoreline on Court 10, where many of his former teammates were in attendance. He finished the 1-hour-51-minute battle with 33 winners, 17 unforced errors and nine service aces.

Zheng, who captured the NCAA singles title in 2024 and repeated the feat later that year, had previously upset Sebastian Korda at the Australian Open and reached Wimbledon’s third round, including a win over Cameron Norrie. Granted a wild-card after two failed qualifying attempts, he now looks ahead to a match against China’s Yunchaokete Bu. He described playing at Flushing Meadows as feeling like home because of the familiar support from friends and family.