NEW YORK – Columbia males’s tennis rising junior and 2024 NCAA males’s singles runner-up Michael Zheng returns to the US Open for the second straight yr to compete within the qualifying draw.
Qualifying play is scheduled for Monday by Thursday on the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Middle with 16 main-draw locations on provide for individuals who can earn their means in with three victories. Zheng will meet Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak within the first spherical of qualifying Tuesday.
Zheng earned a wildcard into the occasion because of his runner-up end on the 2024 NCAA Singles Championships and returns to compete within the US Open qualifying draw after posting a first-round qualifying victory final yr. Zheng battled previous Franco Agamenone in two units, 6-2, 6-3, to advance to the second spherical the place he was defeated by Otto Virtanen.
Zheng enters the US Open qualifying event driving a wave of latest success. Zheng received his first skilled title every week in the past on the ITF M25 event in Southaven, Mississippi. Zheng cruised by the bracket with 5 straight-set victories, together with a 6-4, 7-6(3) win over Tyler Zink within the championship match. With the singles title, Zheng is the primary Columbia males’s tennis athlete to win an expert event since Roko Horvat claimed the singles title on the ITF M15 in Celje in August 2022.
Moreover, Zheng shined in doubles play on the ITF M25 occasion in Southaven. Partnering with TCU’s Lui Maxted, the duo posted 4 consecutive wins, together with a 6-2, 6-4 victory towards Keshav Chopra and Andres Martin to safe the doubles title.
Zheng completed his sophomore season at Columbia with the very best efficiency within the NCAA Singles bracket in program historical past. He’s the primary singles participant from the Columbia tennis program to play within the nationwide championship. Zheng can be simply the third individual in program historical past to earn ITA All-American standing in two consecutive seasons.
“We’re happy with Michael and the way he has continued to develop and mature – each on and off the tennis court docket,” Bidyut Ok. Goswami Head Coach of Males’s Tennis Howard Endelman ’87CC stated. “We’re extraordinarily happy that the USTA has awarded a US Open qualifying wildcard to Michael after his efficiency this season which culminated in a spot within the finals of the NCAA Particular person Championships and a year-end top-10 nationwide rating.”
Zheng continues to be acknowledged as a part of an elite group of Columbia singles tennis gamers to compete within the US Open. Previous to Zheng, the final Lion to play within the singles qualifying draw or fundamental draw was Phil Williamson ’87CC. Williamson noticed motion in the principle draw of the event in 1987, 1991 and 1993. He most just lately competed in 1997 as he misplaced within the qualifying draw. Max Schnur ’15CC is the final Lion to compete within the doubles fundamental draw on the US Open in 2022.
Eight different former Lions have performed within the qualifying or fundamental draw on the US Open in singles. Evan Ratner ’85CC, Matthew Litsky ’87CC and present Bidyut Ok. Goswami Head Coach of Males’s Tennis Howard Endelman ’87CC have every participated within the singles qualifying draw.
Eric Fromm ’80CC earned a spot in the principle draw of the US Open in 4 completely different years – 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1983. Vitas Gerulaitis was with the Lions for a stint and misplaced within the 1979 US Open closing to John McEnroe. Rick Fagel ’75CC certified for a spot in the principle attract 1975 and 1978. Fagel went straight into the principle attract 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982. Henry Bunis ’75CC certified for the principle attract 1974 earlier than shedding the first-round match to Butch Seewagen who was the Columbia tennis coach on the time. Bunis misplaced within the qualifying attract 1975 earlier than enjoying in the principle attract 1976 and 1977. He received his first-round matches in the principle draw each years. Jon Molin ’77CC certified for the principle draw after shedding within the qualifying attract 1978.
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