Michael Zheng's run at the US Open 2024 has brought him full circle — the 23-year-old American is now competing at Flushing Meadows, the very grounds where he once arrived by bus and subway as a nine-year-old trainee. Zheng advanced to the third round on Thursday, 5 September, making his breakthrough at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre a deeply personal homecoming.

From New Jersey Commuter to Grand Slam Contender

Zheng grew up in New Jersey and trained at the Flushing Meadows facility between the ages of nine and 12 as part of the USTA's Feeder programme. Getting there was no small feat — he and a friend would take a bus to a train station, board a train to Penn Station, and then ride the subway all the way to Flushing, with parents picking them up in the evening or the boys making the return journey alone.

'That was a hell of a ride for them and they would do that,' said Jay Devashetty, a former national coach for the USTA who ran the programme. 'Michael was one of them.'

The Discipline That Defined Him

Devashetty recalls Zheng as a child who stood out not for raw power but for his decision-making. 'He was a very, very good decision maker. He rarely makes bad decisions on the court, doesn't attempt wild shots, doesn't attempt shots he knows that he can't really make. So he's pretty disciplined with that. I think the shot selection is probably his biggest strength,' Devashetty said.

Zheng himself reflected warmly on those formative years. 'I think he just fostered a great culture where everyone was pushing each other to get better... just making sure you had a lot of fun and enjoyed the sport, which is super important,' he said.

A Career Built Step by Step

At 15, Zheng was handed an early taste of professional tennis when he worked as a hitting partner at the New York Open, sharing the court with established names such as John Isner and Ivo Karlovic. He went on to reach the Wimbledon boys' singles final in 2022 and later built a standout collegiate career at Columbia University, capturing two NCAA singles titles before graduating.

That academic and athletic combination is relatively rare on the ATP circuit, and Zheng's path underscores the diversity of routes into professional tennis.

What Is at Stake in Round 3

Sitting at a career-high No. 88 in the ATP Live Rankings, Zheng faces Arthur Gea in the third round, with a maiden Grand Slam fourth-round appearance within reach. The emotional weight of competing at Flushing Meadows is not lost on him.

'Just amazing to get the opportunity to see Court 17, and when you walk in the building, you can see all the stadiums and just getting the opportunity to come back and play here, I think makes it super special,' Zheng said.

Should Zheng advance past Gea, it would mark the deepest Grand Slam run of his young career — a fitting next chapter for a player whose journey to this stage began on these very courts more than a decade ago.