Michael Zheng wins US Open debut, Americans
American wildcard Michael Zheng, a two-time NCAA champion from Columbia University, won his first US Open match. Several other U.S.
American wildcard Michael Zheng won his US Open debut on Wednesday, defeating Hungary's Fabian Marozsan in straight sets. The 22-year-old from Columbia University, ranked 107th, triumphed 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in a rain-delayed first-round match.
Zheng needed only one hour and 51 minutes to dispatch the world No. 63. He broke serve five times and was dominant on his first serve, winning 92.3% of those points. The vocal support from his Columbia teammates made the intimate Court 10 feel like a college match. "It just felt like a college tennis match, really," Zheng said. "My teammates came out. They had the 'Let's go, Michael' chants, and I'm not sure my opponent was ready for it."
A full-circle moment in Queens
For Zheng, the victory at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center was a homecoming. As a child, he made a two-hour commute from Montville, New Jersey, several times a week to train there. "This is a place I grew up training," Zheng noted. "It was one of the first places that I kind of called home base." His win propels him into the ATP top 100 for the first time, a benchmark he called "really special" for a professional career.
Shelton survives Hurkacz test
Ben Shelton, the highest-ranked American man, survived a tough second-round match against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz. The eighth seed won 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5 in nearly three hours under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton seized control in a crucial third-set tie-break and saved break points late in the fourth set to secure victory.
Shelton, a semi-finalist in New York three years ago, is considered a contender to end the long American men's major title drought. He arrived at the US Open after winning the title in Montreal.
Pegula leads American charge
Jessica Pegula delivered a dominant performance on Ashe, beating fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-3, 6-1 in just 56 minutes. The third seed won the final seven games of the match. Other American winners on Wednesday included Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Taylor Townsend, and teenager Iva Jovic.
Frances Tiafoe, the 11th seed, defeated Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto to reach the third round for a seventh consecutive year. That is the longest active streak among men at the US Open.
Key American results
A series of American players secured their spots in the next round. The following table summarizes their results:
| Player | Opponent | Score | Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Zheng | Fabian Marozsan (HUN) | 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 | Court 10 |
| Ben Shelton [8] | Hubert Hurkacz (POL) | 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-5 | Arthur Ashe Stadium |
| Jessica Pegula [3] | Sofia Kenin (USA) | 6-3, 6-1 | Arthur Ashe Stadium |
| Frances Tiafoe [11] | Rei Sakamoto (JPN) | 6-3, 7-6(2), 7-5 | Not specified |
| Tommy Paul | Dino Prizmic (CRO) | 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 | Grandstand |
| Taylor Townsend | Taylah Preston (AUS) | 6-1, 6-1 | Not specified |
| Iva Jovic | Magdalena Frech (POL) | 7-5, 6-3 | Not specified |
Looking ahead
Michael Zheng has little time to celebrate his milestone win. Due to the rain delay, he returns to action on Thursday to face Chinese lucky loser Yunchaokete Bu, ranked 124th. Bu produced one of the tournament's most lopsided wins, stunning Spanish star Rafael Jodar 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.
There was disappointment for 2017 champion Sloane Stephens, who fell to Ukraine's 11th-seeded Marta Kostyuk. Sebastian Gorzny's debut run also ended with a loss to 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev, though the young wildcard pushed the Russian in a competitive third set.
