Michael Zheng, a 22-year-old from New Jersey, is on the cusp of a career-defining performance at the U.S. Open, carrying a personal-best ranking of 88th into his third-round match. This appearance marks a significant milestone, especially considering his ranking was outside the top 700 just 15 months ago and he had never before competed in the main draw of a Grand Slam.
This U.S. Open run follows a successful debut at Wimbledon earlier this year, where Zheng became the first reigning NCAA singles champion since 1981 to reach the third round of a Grand Slam. His journey to this point has involved a deliberate balance between his athletic ambitions and academic pursuits. This past spring, Zheng resided in a Columbia University dormitory while completing a psychology degree, adhering to mandatory in-person class requirements.
"It always felt like Michael would get there eventually, given his ability and his work ethic and his mental toughness, but I don’t think there’s anyone who would say that three and a half months after graduation he’d be in the third round at a major for the second time," said Howie Endelman, Zheng's former coach at Columbia. "When you look at what’s happened in the draw, there’s a tremendous opportunity now."
Zheng's path in the tournament has been aided by the early exits of higher-ranked players, including No. 6 Alex de Minaur and No. 12 Rafael Jodar. Should he win his upcoming match against lucky loser Arthur Gea, Zheng would advance to face either No. 31 Zizou Bergs or Botic van de Zandschulp, with a chance to reach the quarterfinals. Regardless of the outcome, Zheng has already secured a significant financial reward, earning substantially more than he did from ATP Challenger events in the preceding months.
"He’s going to be a problem on the tour for a lot of people," commented Tommy Paul, the No. 20 seed, about Zheng's potential.
Despite his current success, Zheng has a history of close matches against his upcoming opponent, Arthur Gea, having lost both previous hardcourt encounters this year in deciding sets. Endelman expressed confidence in Zheng's ability to adapt, noting, "Usually Mike figures things out after playing someone a few times. He has a pretty good idea of what the opponent’s gonna do."
Zheng's early U.S. Open victories were played on outer courts, drawing enthusiastic support from the Columbia community. His third-round match is scheduled for the Grandstand court, promising a larger audience than he has previously played to since his Wimbledon appearance.
His journey began in China, with parents who immigrated to the United States. His father, a tennis enthusiast who named him after Michael Chang, introduced him to the sport. By age 10, Zheng was making regular solo trips via public transportation from Northern New Jersey to Manhattan and Queens for training at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center.
Later, Zheng chose Columbia University, where he achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Ivy League player in over a century to win the NCAA singles title, a feat he repeated. The current U.S. Open run brings his story to a prominent New York stage, where local fans are already showing keen interest in his matches. Michael Zheng of the United States hits a return to Bu Yunchaokete of China during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Adam Hunger Micheal Zheng of the United States congratulates Lorenzo Musetti of Italy after their match during the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, on August 18, 2026. Getty Images