'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Columbia Lions' Michael Zheng ensured that his university took home its first NCAA Division I men's singles championships since 1906 last year. However, the 21-year-old has nothing to show for his heroics, as he has been overlooked for a wildcard entry into this year's US Open.
Last November, Zheng became Columbia's first NCAA DI singles champion in the modern era of the competition as he beat Michigan State's Ozan Baris in a three-setter in the national knock-out tournament's final. The 6'2 big-hitter has since backed up his college tennis triumph with a run to the final of this year's Little Rock Challenger, which allowed him to rise to a career-high ATP singles ranking of 497 earlier this month.
Trending
Unfortunately, Michael Zheng has been shunned by the US Open organizers for a main draw wildcard, which had been the custom for several years previously, likely due to the relatively short period of time between the end of the NCAA Division I singles tournament and the direct entry deadline for the New York Major. As a result, the American is the first player in the college tennis tournament's history to win the singles title yet still not receive a wildcard for the men's singles draw.
For what it's worth, the World No. 498 recently secured a wildcard entry into the qualifying event at Flushing Meadows this year. He could've nabbed a main draw wildcard by winning the American Collegiate Wildcard Playoff but fell to Wake Forest's Stefan Dostanic in the final.
Michael Zheng has played in the US Open qualifying competition twice in his career so far
Michael Zheng will have a shot at making it to the main draw of the 2025 US Open, which begins on August 24. The 21-year-olld has previously played in the qualifying event at the New York Major on two occasions and has a 1-2 win/loss record in the qualifiers.
Last year, Zheng received a wildcard entry into the qualifying event but couldn't make the most out of the opportunity, losing in the first round to Poland's Kamil Majchrzak in three sets. In 2023, he had defeated Italy's Franco Agamenone in the first round in straight sets before falling in the second qualifying round to 28th-seeded Otto Virtanen in three sets.
Aside from men's singles, Michael Zheng has played in the boys' singles event at the US Open in 2022 and 2023. While the American exited in the first round of the 2022 edition of the tournament as a wildcard, he reached the Round of 16 as the 16th seed in 2023.
