Michael Zheng’s transition from collegiate to professional tennis reached a new pinnacle as he secured his first Grand Slam win at the US Open. The 22-year-old American wildcard, celebrated for his achievements at Columbia University as a two-time NCAA singles champion, delivered a commanding performance by defeating Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round. Competing in front of an enthusiastic home audience, Zheng broke Marozsan’s serve five times and dominated his own first-serve points, winning 92% of them to clinch victory in just under two hours.
This victory holds special significance for Zheng, who has honed his skills at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center since childhood, frequently traveling from his home in New Jersey. The win also marks his entry into the world’s top 100 for the first time in live rankings, highlighting his rapid ascent in the past year. Having earlier qualified for the Australian Open and achieving his first tour-level win, Zheng also reached the third round at Wimbledon. His next challenge at the US Open is against Chinese player Yunchaokete Bu.
Other American players also made notable progress at Flushing Meadows. Ben Shelton advanced after a four-set showdown against Hubert Hurkacz, winning 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 in nearly three hours. This victory ensures Shelton continues his streak of reaching at least the third round in New York for the fourth consecutive year. Meanwhile, Frances Tiafoe maintained his own consistent performance at the US Open by defeating Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-5, marking his seventh consecutive year advancing to the third round.
In the women’s tournament, third seed Jessica Pegula swiftly overcame Sofia Kenin, a former Australian Open champion, with a 6-3, 6-1 victory completed in just 56 minutes. Pegula will face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the next round. Additional successes for American players included Taylor Townsend’s decisive 6-1, 6-1 win over Australia’s Taylah Preston, as well as victories for Emma Navarro, Iva Jovic, and Alex Michelsen.
However, not all American contenders had a successful day. Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was eliminated by Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, and wildcard Sebastian Gorzny was bested by 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev. Despite these setbacks, the strong performances of Zheng, Shelton, and Tiafoe underscored a promising day for American tennis at the US Open.