From Hubei to Melbourne: Chinese-American Rising Star Michael Zheng Defeats Korda, Securing His First Grand Slam Main Draw Victory

On the evening of January 18, 21-year-old Chinese-American talent Michael Zheng endured a five-set battle to overcome fellow countryman Korda, achieving his first win in a Grand Slam main draw. Zheng’s performance became one of the biggest highlights on the opening day of this year’s Australian Open.

Michael Zheng Claims His First Grand Slam Main Draw Victory (Photo: Visual China)

The “American Dream” of a Hubei Family and the Beginning of Tennis

Before Michael Zheng was born in New Jersey, his parents emigrated from Hubei, China to the United States so that his father, Joe, could pursue a PhD in physics. Later, both his father and mother, Mei, transitioned into careers in IT. Speaking about his parents, Zheng said, “He decided to enter the computer industry, and so did my mom. They were around 27 or 28, or just over 30 when they came to the U.S., so they’ve lived here for about twenty or thirty years. I guess that’s the American Dream.”

Upon arriving in the U.S., Zheng’s father started playing tennis with friends and quickly fell in love with the sport. Zheng Jianguo has been a long-time fan of Federer and hoped his son would “play like Federer.” Michael, also a Federer fan, fondly recalls this. Michael’s connection with tennis began around age six or seven, often accompanying his father and sister to community courts. During middle school, he trained three times a week at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the venue of the US Open.

As his junior career neared its end, Michael Zheng reached the boys’ singles final at Wimbledon in 2022, having defeated players like Huang Zelin and Landaluce (who qualified for the 2025 Next Gen Finals). Reflecting on his father, Zheng said, “I have some talent, so he wanted to see how far I could take it. Now we’re here playing my first Grand Slam main draw match — it’s truly an unforgettable experience.”

After his first-round win, Zheng told tennis reporters that his Chinese is sufficient for basic communication and expressed hope to participate in the China season this year: “My Chinese used to be better; I used to go to Chinese school on Saturdays. In recent years, I haven’t practiced much, so I’ve lost some ability. If I go back to China, I can handle basic situations, though casual chatting would be difficult. It’s been a long time since I last went back — when I was six or seven. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to return during the China season this fall.”

Michael Zheng (Photo: Li Jianyi)

The “Scholar Athlete” at Columbia University

Compared to fellow Chinese-American player Learner Chen, who broke into the top 30 at just 20 years old and won his first tour title in 2025 as well as reaching the China Open final, Michael Zheng’s professional career started a bit later. In fact, he hasn’t fully decided whether to pursue tennis professionally; after his first-round win, he half-jokingly said, “If I beat Alcaraz in the third round, then I’ll consider turning pro.”

Life holds many possibilities for Zheng beyond being a tennis player. He is also an Ivy League scholar, currently a senior at Columbia University majoring in psychology, one of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Although classes begin on January 20, he is currently competing halfway across the globe in his first Grand Slam main draw event.

In 2024, Zheng won the NCAA singles championship, becoming the first Ivy League student to claim the title since 1922. One year later, he successfully defended his title, becoming the ninth player in the tournament’s history to win back-to-back championships.

His World Ranking Surged in 2025

Michael Zheng’s world ranking soared during the 2025 season. Just a year earlier, he was ranked outside the top 700. By the end of May last year, he reached the final of a Challenger event in Little Rock, USA, breaking into the top 500. Then in August, he won his first Challenger title in Chicago, followed by two more Challenger wins in Columbus and Tiburon in September. His ranking jumped from beyond 400 into the top 200. Had the ATP lowered the age limit for the Next Gen Finals to 20 and under in 2024, Zheng would likely have competed in the 2025 event.

With a career-high ranking of No. 174, Zheng traveled to Melbourne for his debut Australian Open. In the qualifiers, he defeated wildcard Cruz Hewitt, son of Hewitt, in straight sets in the first round, then came back from behind to beat fourth seed Barrios Vera in the second round. In the final qualifying round, despite dropping the first set, he saved a match point in a tense 12-10 deciding set tiebreak to narrowly defeat 28th seed Klein, unlocking his entry into the Grand Slam main draw for the first time.

Korda (Photo: Huang Shangyue)

Michael Zheng combines solid skills with a calm demeanor. His first-round opponent at the Australian Open, Korda, is currently ranked No. 53 worldwide and reached a career-high No. 15 in 2024. Zheng dominated the first two sets with identical 6-4 scores, but when just one set away from victory, Korda fought back to win the next two sets, including a 7-0 tiebreak in the fourth. However, Zheng remained composed in the deciding set, winning 6-3 to seal the match and avoid a major upset.

Although Zheng’s professional career is just beginning, there is no doubt he has a bright future both on and off the court. When asked about his plans, he said, “I’m not thinking too far ahead right now. I’m just focused on seeing how far I can go in tennis, and for now, I’m putting 100% of my energy into it.”

Zheng’s second-round opponent will be the 32nd seed Mutai. He will celebrate his 22nd birthday at the end of this month (January 27).

(Written and Edited by Wang Fei)