INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Michael Zheng was able to walk away with his six-figure Australian Open payday after all.
The Columbia University senior told Front Office Sports on Thursday that he’s accepted his winnings—about $150,000—for advancing to the second round of the Grand Slam tournament in January. Under NCAA rules, it was unclear whether Zheng, a two-time NCAA singles champion, could take the prize money and continue playing for the Lions this year before he graduates in the spring.
NCAA rules limit the amount of prize money players tennis players can receive. The rules state: “Once the individual has reached the $10,000 limit in a particular year, he or she may receive additional prize money on a per-event basis, provided such prize money does not exceed the individual’s actual and necessary expenses for participation in the event.
Zheng said in January that he wanted to “double-check” whether he could take it without punishment. After a first-round loss at the BNP Paribas Open, the senior said any risk of losing NCAA eligibility would come next year—when he’s already graduated and turned professional.
“I can take it just because the way the rules are stated, it’s the calendar year, the prize money,” Zheng told FOS. “So if I took it, and I’m technically a pro, because I’ve taken more money, I wouldn’t be eligible for next year. But I’m graduating and I don’t plan on playing another year of college.”
Zheng said Columbia University officials continue to coordinate with the NCAA on the interpretation of the rules. “But I’m pretty sure I can keep the money,” he said.
A Columbia spokesperson told FOS that after a review of the rules, they determined that Zheng could keep the money if he spent it on tennis-related expenses by the end of the year.
The NCAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Late last month, court filings showed that the NCAA reached a settlement with UNC star Reese Brantmeier and former University of Texas star Maya Joint on a landmark class action lawsuit. The tennis players sued the NCAA over its prize money rules for tennis players, calling the restrictions “illegal and unenforceable.”
The details of the settlement are not yet known.
Zheng confirmed he intends to go pro after receiving his psychology degree from the Ivy League institution. But he continues to balance playing professional tournaments with his college career, and plans to fly out of Palm Springs on Friday to play for the Lions on Saturday in New York. He received a Wild Card into the main draw at Indian Wells, his first ATP 1000 event.
Zheng also confirmed that he is “not making any money in school” despite the changes in NIL rules since 2021. “It’s just the way it works in the Ivy League and through tennis, obviously,” Zheng said.
But the 22-year-old said his loss Thursday to world no. 62 Vit Kopriva shows he needs to continue to develop in college: “I have a couple more months left before I graduate, so might as well get the degree to have that peace of mind and just give the pro tour a shot after.”
