Michael Zheng’s remarkable journey from college tennis to the US Open main draw culminated in his first Grand Slam triumph, as the 22-year-old American wildcard defeated Fabian Marozsan with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round. Zheng, a two-time NCAA singles champion from Columbia University, delivered an impressive performance in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, breaking Marozsan five times and winning 92% of his first-serve points to secure victory in just under two hours.
Zheng’s win holds special significance as he grew up honing his skills at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, making frequent trips from his New Jersey home during his youth. This victory also propelled Zheng into the top 100 of the world rankings for the first time, according to live rankings. Over the past year, Zheng has experienced a rapid ascent in his career, qualifying for the Australian Open and achieving his first tour-level win, as well as reaching the third round at Wimbledon. In the next round, Zheng is set to face Chinese player Yunchaokete Bu.
Meanwhile, fellow American Ben Shelton also advanced to the next round after a hard-fought four-set match against Hubert Hurkacz. The eighth seed emerged victorious with scores of 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 after nearly three hours of play. Shelton’s win continues his streak of reaching at least the third round in New York for four consecutive years. Additionally, Frances Tiafoe maintained his impressive US Open consistency, defeating Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-5, securing his place in the third round for the seventh consecutive year.
In the women’s draw, third seed Jessica Pegula delivered a commanding performance against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, winning 6-3, 6-1 in just 56 minutes. Pegula is now set to face Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in the next round. Taylor Townsend also advanced with a decisive 6-1, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Taylah Preston, while Emma Navarro, Iva Jovic, and Alex Michelsen also progressed in their respective matches.
However, the tournament did see setbacks for some players. Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was defeated by Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, while wildcard Sebastian Gorzny fell to 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev. Despite these challenges, with Zheng breaking into the top 100 and both Shelton and Tiafoe advancing, the American contingent enjoyed a notably strong day at Flushing Meadows.