Sometimes, it’s just not in the books. The Australian Open has already delivered a few surprises in its first week. One of them came from Columbia University’s rising star, Michael Zheng. The 21-year-old made a dazzling start to the main draw on Sunday by taking down Sebastian Korda. He came ready to push further at the major, but his body had other plans.

On Wednesday, facing France’s Corentin Moutet, Zheng looked sharp early on. He grabbed the first set 6-3, and it seemed another victory was just around the corner. But by the second set, the tide turned. The Frenchman stormed back to take it 6-1.

There was only one set left, but Zheng was clearly struggling. He called for an MTO at the start of the third set for a left thigh or quad issue before pushing on. In the end, though, he couldn’t go any further and was forced to retire.

So far at the Australian Open, Zheng had handled his opponents with little trouble. He’d previously fought past Korda in an intense five-set battle, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (0), 6-3. Zheng had his sights set on a potential third-round clash with Carlos Alcaraz, but that dream will have to wait. For now, no official word has been given on his withdrawal, though all signs point to a left thigh injury.

But Michael Zheng has plenty to smile about after his run at the major tournament. The 22-year-old’s results were a sign of how far he has come in just a year. Ranked No.174 on the ATP Tour, the American has put together an impressive season that’s tough to ignore. He’s fast becoming one of those players who’s just as comfortable in the classroom as he is on the court.

Zheng is the reigning NCAA men’s singles champion, though not long ago he was still outside the Top 700 in the PIF ATP Rankings. In 2025, he earned Academic All-American honors and the Rafael Osuna National Sportsmanship Award, a rare double that shows his drive runs deeper than just winning matches. Balancing college life, tennis, and travel, he’s proving that brains and backhands can go hand in hand.

He grew up in New Jersey, Zheng trained three days a week during middle school at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the same venue that hosts the US Open.

That early grind clearly paid off. By the end of his junior days, he had reached the 2022 Wimbledon boys’ singles final, taking down Coleman Wong and Martin Landaluce before falling just short of the title.

Now that his tournament run has ended, Zheng will turn his focus back to his studies and recovery from the injury that forced his retirement. The prize money from this event would have been a big boost, but as he knows, not all of it goes into his pocket.

Why Zheng will not win full prize money at the Australian Open

Making it to the main draw of the Australian Open was already a dream come true for 21-year-old Zheng. But what came next turned heads across Melbourne Park. The college star didn’t just show up, he stunned the crowd by toppling Sebastian Korda in a five-set thriller that felt every bit like a coming-of-age moment.

On Sunday, the 21-year-old Zheng pulled off a thrilling five-set win over Korda in the first round at Melbourne Park. The American held his nerve through some wild momentum swings to seal the victory 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3. It was his longest stay yet at the Australian Open.

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The win didn’t just come with adrenaline and applause, but it also came with a nice paycheck. However, according to the prize money breakdown, going through qualifying and the first round should earn him roughly $150,000. But under college tennis rules, Zheng can only take home $10,000 in prize money per year, which makes his success even more impressive.

A senior at Columbia University, Zheng is juggling a final semester with a breakout moment on one of tennis’s biggest stages. The Montville, New Jersey native carved out a name for himself last season by lifting three ATP Challenger Tour trophies in Chicago, Columbus, and Tiburon and cracking into the Top 200 in the world rankings.

And while Zheng couldn’t advance past the second round this time, his run still felt like a victory. He may not have added another win to the record books, but he certainly won the hearts of the crowd and more along the way.