Zheng takes Tiburon Challenger crown in flawless week

Michael Zheng boarded his red-eye flight back to Columbia University with some newly minted silverware in his carry-on bag — the Tiburon Challenger men’s singles trophy.

Zheng, a senior at the school and the defending NCAA Division I men’s singles champion, defeated fellow American Tyler Zink in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, on Oct. 5 at the Tiburon Peninsula Club. The 21-year-old didn’t have much time to savor the victory, though — he had to head to the airport to get home in time for a Spanish test the following morning.

His win came one day after the tournament’s doubles final, in which the top-seeded pairing of Finn Reynolds and James Watt, both of New Zealand, defeated Americans Benjamin Kittay and Joshua Sheehy Oct. 4 in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. The doubles win for Reynolds and Watt marked sweet revenge for the Kiwis: They lost to Kittay and Sheehy in the final at the Las Vegas Tennis Open on Sept. 27.

Both matches were the culmination of the weeklong tournament that began Sept. 28. Players in the Challenger Tour are trying to earn enough points to become eligible to enter the ATP Tour and Grand Slam tournaments, which include Wimbledon and the Australian, French and U.S. Opens.

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