Mario Ancic on Michael Zheng: 'It's distinctive what he's doing'

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Mario Ancic on Michael Zheng: ‘It is distinctive what he is doing’

Former World No. 7 supplies unique perception into Zheng’s sport, mindset and success

January 20, 2026

Top-of-the-line tales of the Australian Open has been the breakthrough of Michael Zheng, the Columbia College senior who certified for his first main most important draw earlier than upsetting Sebastian Korda to succeed in the second spherical.

The 21-year-old will not be the one one who has a reference to each Columbia and the ATP Tour. Mario Ancic, the previous No. 7 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings who surprised Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2002 and made the semi-finals two years later, attended Columbia Legislation College and graduated in 2015.

The Croatian stays based mostly in New York as a Principal on the personal fairness firm One Fairness Companions. The 41-year-old follows the Columbia tennis staff intently and over time and has gotten to know its gamers, together with Zheng.

“I feel it is distinctive what he is doing, and he is a really humble particular person, very humble child,” Ancic instructed ATPTour.com. “What all these guys are doing: Going to lessons — very intense — competing amongst the very best and the brightest within the nation and internationally, after which nonetheless committing to being a part of the programme that is High 10 within the nation is nothing wanting inspirational.”

Ancic is in shut contact with head coach Howard Endelman and heard about Zheng earlier than he even started enjoying for the Ivy League establishment. In 2022, Zheng reached the Wimbledon boys’ singles last.

“He got here closely recruited. I consider he already had some nice ends in junior Grand Slams and I used to be very excited to see that any individual with loads of success already at ITF [level] dedicated to come back to play for Columbia,” Ancic stated. “I really keep in mind him since he was a freshman. We talked, I met his household. He has an awesome household behind him and it was clearly very thrilling to talk to him and play with him and see his success since.”

Ancic at all times thought the two-time NCAA singles champion had an awesome sport getting into faculty, and received the sense that Zheng was a tough employee who was very dedicated.

“He by no means rushed something. I see loads of junior gamers are like, ‘I’ve received to be on ATP, I’ve received to do that, I’ve received to do this’. He took time to develop his sport,” Ancic stated. “I feel he developed bodily, which is at all times essential.”

The Croatian pointed to Zheng’s work to grow to be stronger and add muscle with the assistance of the Columbia teaching workers as necessary to his improvement as a participant.

“I feel that helped him additionally to develop some greater pictures and extra weapons. His questions have been at all times, ‘What do I want to take action I can compete with professionals?’” Ancic stated. “I’ve seen him develop that sport, develop greater pictures, a much bigger sport that may successfully assist him ‘damage’ different gamers with some greater weapons. And I feel that is a testomony to him, his household, and the programme.”

Not solely does Ancic perceive the tennis facet of what Zheng goes by, however he’s one among few who can put his toes in his fellow Lion’s tutorial sneakers. Not solely has Zheng been coaching laborious to enhance on the tennis court docket, however he has achieved so whereas shining within the classroom.

“It is a dedication. You reside in New York. They’ve lessons, they reside on campus. It’s on 116th Road, and the tennis courts are on 218th Road. So it isn’t like the whole lot is simply there. It’s a must to commute,” Ancic stated. “New York will not be the simplest metropolis to commute [in], so the times are lengthy. I do know the blokes… the staff can be learning previous midnight, early mornings, preparing for lessons, however nonetheless absolutely dedicated to do their finest on the tennis court docket.

“Commuting forwards and backwards between the tennis centre and the campus, and simply going by the rigorous tutorial program is simply one thing that’s outstanding and what Michael was capable of obtain to play at that stage going by this programme and simply representing the Lions in the absolute best methods, it simply makes us all very proud.”

Ancic understands what it takes to succeed on and off the court docket. When a participant who beat Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray glows about somebody like he did about Zheng — who subsequent faces Corentin Moutet in Melbourne — it speaks volumes.

“He is at all times had an awesome manner about him, believing in himself and at all times giving his finest, combating. You at all times knew with Michael that he will give all of it on the court docket. That is simply one thing that at all times resonated with me once I was watching,” Ancic stated. “This child is a real instance of a student-athlete. He is dedicated to the programme, he is dedicated to the lessons, and he is dedicated to the staff in a way that each time I watch him play, he at all times would give 100 per cent.

“In fact, when you’ve gotten that mentality, there’s many instances in a tennis match the place you’ve gotten this chance to win them. In case you are steady, if you’re mentally sturdy, alternatives come up in a tennis match. He at all times had that expertise inside himself.”

Did You Know?

One other Croatian, former World No. 3 Marin Cilic, watched half-hour of Zheng’s opening win towards Korda. Cilic stated concerning the faculty star: “Actually, actually attention-grabbing. A participant [who] has received a really numerous sport. There are loads of issues that he does effectively. You continue to see that it is a work in progress, that permit’s say if he works himself the following two, three, 4 years, that he can positively turn into an awesome participant. What I liked about [him] was [he was] enjoying for the primary time in a Grand Slam, enjoying a man, Sebastian, who’s a incredible participant, and having such unimaginable composure and in addition a bodily capacity and psychological capacity to remain and to win in 5.”