Add The New York Post on Google His family valued an Ivy League degree, providing the aspiring pro with a foundation for Plan B. He was ranked outside the top 700 just 15 months ago, having never appeared in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. He lived in a Columbia dorm with five roommates this spring, taking mandatory in-person classes to complete his psychology degree.
Why would anyone put a ceiling on Michael Zheng now?
After debuting at each of the international Grand Slams this year — including a run to the third round at Wimbledon, where he became the first reigning NCAA singles champion to advance that far since 1981 — the 22-year-old New Jersey native has the chance to make the run of a lifetime in his first appearance at the U.S. Open.
On Saturday, Zheng — who failed to advance out of qualifying in Queens the previous three years — will play in the third round against lucky loser Arthur Gea, carrying a career-best live ranking of 88th in the world into the match.
“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.”
Should Zheng advance, he would face either No. 31 Zizou Bergs or Dutch veteran Botic van de Zandschulp for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals, playing in a section of the bracket that has already seen No. 6 Alex de Minaur and No. 12 Rafael Jodar eliminated. Should Zheng lose, he has already guaranteed himself at least $290,000 less than three months after earning less than $2,500 in ATP Challenger events.
“I think he’s an incredible player,” said Tommy Paul, the No. 20 seed. “He’s going to be a problem on the tour for a lot of people.”
Zheng has faced Gea twice this year on hardcourts, losing both matches in deciding sets to the 21-year-old Frenchman.
“Usually Mike figures things out after playing someone a few times,” Endelman said. “He has a pretty good idea of what the opponent’s gonna do.”
Zheng’s first two wins at Flushing Meadows came on back-to-back days on outer courts, featuring strong support from the Columbia community. In the third round, the American will hear the loudest cheers of his life at the Grandstand, playing to his largest crowd since appearing on tennis’ grandest stage — Centre Court at Wimbledon against Felix Auger-Aliassime — this summer.
“He looks like he belongs,” Endelman said. “He deserves to be here. He deserves for people to know his story.”
It begins in China, with parents who immigrated to the United States. His tennis-obsessed father named him after Michael Chang and taught the sport to his son, who showed so much potential that his parents allowed a 10-year-old to make 40-mile, one-way trips without them — from Northern New Jersey to Manhattan to Queens, via bus and subway — to train at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center.
Later, Zheng chose Columbia, where he became the first Ivy League player in more than a century to win the NCAA singles titles. Then, he won another.
Now it is time for New York to get to know one of their own.
“I took the Long Island Railroad [Thursday], and I’m walking over, and I overheard someone say, ‘When’s Zheng playing? We gotta go watch Zheng,’ ” Endelman said. “This is really special and he deserves it. He’s got a real chance.”
