Michael Zheng has made a significant leap from college tennis to the US Open main draw, marking his debut with a convincing win over Fabian Marozsan, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, in the opening round. The 22-year-old American wildcard, who is a two-time NCAA singles champion from Columbia University, showcased a stellar performance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a place he frequented during his childhood trips from New Jersey. Zheng’s triumph, achieved in just under two hours by breaking Marozsan five times and securing 92% of his first-serve points, also propelled him into the top 100 in the world rankings for the first time.
Zheng’s rise over the past year has been nothing short of meteoric. After qualifying for the Australian Open and clinching his first tour-level victory, he advanced to the third round at Wimbledon. His journey continues as he prepares to face Chinese player Yunchaokete Bu in the following round. Meanwhile, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe added to the American success at Flushing Meadows. Shelton, the eighth seed, secured a win against Hubert Hurkacz in a four-set match, finishing 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 after nearly three hours. Tiafoe maintained his consistent US Open performance by overcoming Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-5, advancing to the third round for the seventh straight year.
In the women’s draw, Jessica Pegula, seeded third, comfortably advanced by defeating former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin with a decisive 6-3, 6-1 victory, wrapping up the match in just 56 minutes. Pegula is set to face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the next round. Taylor Townsend also enjoyed a dominant win, defeating Australia’s Taylah Preston 6-1, 6-1. Emma Navarro, Iva Jovic, and Alex Michelsen were among others who progressed to the next round.
Not all American players had an easy day, though. Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens faced a setback, losing to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Wildcard Sebastian Gorzny was also eliminated, falling to 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev. Nonetheless, the day highlighted the bright future for American tennis, with Zheng’s breakthrough into the top 100 and strong performances from Shelton and Tiafoe affirming a promising contingent at this year’s tournament.