Australian Open players earn £75k for reaching the first round, rising to £113k if they make the second round, and another star who celebrates his birthday next week is set to miss out on a lump sum
Michael Zheng is set to miss out on over £100,000 of his Australian Open prize money despite making it to the second round in his Grand Slam main draw debut. After triumphing over Sebastian Korda, a former quarter-finalist in Melbourne, in the first round, the American qualifier had to retire during the fourth set of his subsequent match against 32nd seed Corentin Moutet.
Zheng, who celebrates his 22nd birthday next week, clinched the first set 6-3, but was defeated in the following two sets 6-1, 6-2. He took a medical timeout at the start of the third set and received treatment on his left leg before deciding to carry on.
However, after struggling on, the Columbia University senior retired just two games into the fourth set, both of which he lost. In November, Zheng made history by becoming the first back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association champion in 13 years. Yet less than two months later, NCAA rules will restrict his prize money, as college athletes are only allowed to earn $10,000 (£7,440) per year.
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After his victory over Korda, Zheng touched on the topic. He stated: “I feel like it’s gotten blurrier than it used to be in some ways in terms of the line between turning pro and staying in college.
“So whenever my run here is done, I’m going back to school.
“I’ll talk to our head coach, try to figure out, you know, what’s the deal with the prize money, if I’m allowed to take it or not. I’ll try to figure that out after the tournament’s over, I think.
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“I’ve heard rumours that I’m allowed to take it because it’s my senior spring, but I want to make sure to double-check, make sure there’s nothing wrong with eligibility if I take it.
“I don’t want to get in trouble or anything.”
His school have said they are already on the case. Front Office Sports reports that a Columbia spokesperson said the university is ‘working with the NCAA to see exactly what is permissible.’
Zheng is the most recent college player to pocket substantial prize money at a Grand Slam.
Maya Joint gave up more than £100,000 after reaching the second round of the US Open in 2024, whilst still a college athlete at the University of Texas, before turning professional months later.
She is now a claimant in legal action filed by University of North Carolina tennis player Reese Brantmeier, who collected $50,000 from the United States Tennis Association in March of that year.
The case is scheduled for trial in November and claims that the NCAA’s prize-money restrictions amount to illegal price fixing.
