Michael Zheng Beats Travaglia 7-5, 7-5 to Reach Roland-Garros Final Round
Michael Zheng is one win from the Roland-Garros main draw after beating Stefano Travaglia 7-5, 7-5 in Paris. The 22-year-old American moved into the final round of qualifying and kept alive his push toward a maiden appearance in the tournament's main field.
Zheng and Travaglia in Paris
Zheng had to work through two tight sets, but he handled both at the right moments and finished the match in straight sets. Travaglia, a veteran with experience on the biggest stages, forced Zheng to stay sharp throughout, and the result sent the American through to the last qualifying round.
After the match, Zheng said, "He’s a veteran (Travaglia), been out here for a while, and he's had a lot of success, so I knew he was gonna be a tough match. He's played on the biggest stages, so I'm just happy to do it,"
From Columbia to No. 146
The win fits into a fast rise that has moved Zheng from "around 700 something" to the 140s. He is now ranked world No. 146, finished a psychology degree at Columbia University, and missed his university graduation ceremony because he was in Roland-Garros qualifying.
That climb has come with results across levels. Zheng won back-to-back NCAA college tennis championships in 2024 and 2025, then started working with coach Ruan Roelofse last summer. He said, "I started working with him last summer and that's basically when I started taking off with the pro results. I think I was ranked like 700 something and then all of a sudden through the summer and fall, I'm up to 140, 150, so a lot of credit is to him,"
Jesper de Jong awaits
Zheng's recent run has already stretched beyond college tennis. He won three consecutive ATP Challenger titles last season and into 2026, navigated three rounds of Australian Open qualifying in January, and reached the Melbourne main draw before beating Sebastian Korda in five sets in his Grand Slam debut.
He also reached the Wimbledon 2022 boys' singles final, giving this Paris run another layer of weight. Zheng said he was surprised by the crowd in Paris and hoped they would keep coming, while the next hurdle is top seed Jesper de Jong in the final round of qualifying.
