Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
2026 US Open
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
New York City, United States
30 August – 13 September
Michael Zheng’s remarkable rise from college tennis standout to Grand Slam contender reaches another milestone at the 2026 US Open, where the 22-year-old will make his first appearance in the singles main draw at Flushing Meadows.
For Zheng, it is a homecoming in more ways than one. Raised in nearby Montville, New Jersey, he returns to New York after a whirlwind year that has seen him balance university commitments with an increasingly successful professional career.
Zheng’s 2026 season has already been packed with breakthroughs. He went 9-0 in Grand Slam qualifying matches, made the third round at Wimbledon after another successful qualifying campaign and recently claimed his first two Masters 1000 victories in Cincinnati. That run propelled him to the brink of the world’s Top 100 and helped earn him a wild card for his home Grand Slam.
His journey has been anything but conventional. In January, Zheng became an overnight sensation when he defeated Sebastian Korda in his first Grand Slam main-draw match. He then returned to Columbia to complete his education, a difficult adjustment after experiencing the thrill of competing at the highest level.
It did little to slow his momentum. Zheng subsequently fought through qualifying at Roland Garros, despite having barely played on clay for almost two years, before continuing his rise on grass at Wimbledon.
Now, with his college career completed, the two-time reigning NCAA champion can focus entirely on tennis. His collegiate achievements were extraordinary: Zheng became the first man since Steve Johnson in 2012 to win consecutive NCAA singles titles. He also won three ATP Challenger titles in a two-month spell last summer.
His game is built around a streamlined, aggressive baseline attack. Zheng possesses serious power off both wings, but his accuracy and ability to pick out targets make him particularly dangerous. Although Roger Federer was his childhood inspiration, coaches have often compared his style to that of Andy Murray.
The biggest question now is how far this meteoric rise can take him on home soil. Zheng will have a passionate support group behind him, including friends and former Columbia classmates who have followed his journey from college courts to Grand Slam stages.
For a player who has repeatedly turned qualifying opportunities into breakthroughs, the US Open could be the next giant step.
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