Michael Zheng, of Montville, NJ and Columbia University, won the NCAA men’s tennis title in Waco, Texas yesterday with a 62 46 62 victory against Ozan Baris of Michigan State. It was the first time since 2017 that two American born players competed in the NCAA final.
20 year old Zheng becomes Columbia’s first NCAA singles champion of the modern era and is the first man from the New York City university to win a singles title since Robert LeRoy (who won the title in 1904 and 1906). Zheng is also the first NCAA men’s singles champion from an Ivy League school since Lucien Williams (Yale University in 1922).
The tournament was played in the autumn for the first time, it usually was contested in the spring. Zheng lost in the NCAA final in the spring earlier in 2024.
Dasha Vidmanova of the University of Georgia and Czech Republic, won the women’s crown with a 63 63 triumph against DJ Bennett of Auburn.
Zheng lost in the second round of US Open qualies in August to Kamil Majchrzak 36 76 57 after serving for the match at 54 in the third set. He is currently ranked 854 in the ATP.
Four years ago Michael Zheng was a hitting partner at New York Open and discussed the unique experience.
In years past, the NCAA winners received automatic wildcards into the US Open but that system was changed this year and now the NCAA champ and seven other special invitees will compete in a mini tournament at a later date to compete for the US Open wildcard.
ATP · Columbia · Michael Zheng · NCAA · US Open
