The reigning NCAA champion of Singles, Michael Zheng, added an ATP Challenger Tour title to his trophy cabinet on Sunday.
The 21-year-old, who won the NCAA Singles Crown last November, representing Columbia University, triumphed in the Chicago Heren Challenger. The resident of New Jersey defeated Yu Hsiou HSU 6-4, 6-2 in the final and avenge the loss of his last week to HSU at the Lexington Challenger.
Zheng competed in the main drawing via the ATP Next Gen Accelerator, a program that wants to increase the development path for top players in the American collegial system to earn direct access to selected challengers events. Zheng used two of his eight accelerator spots to compete in Lexington and Chicago.
Zheng fell short in his first two Challenger -Final (2023 Palmas del Mar, 2025 Little Rock), but he held his courage to achieve a milestone victory, which pushed him more than 100 places to no. 314 in the PIF ATP Live ranges, making it a new career high.
In other Challenger campaign, Juraj Rodionov and Tour-Veteran Dusan Lajovic each claimed their eighth title at that level.
Rodionov, 26, won De Bonn Open in Germany, where he collected Timofey Skatov 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 in the final past Kazakh Timofey to collect his first Challenger trophy of 2025.
Juraj Rodionov at the Bonn Challenger. Credit: Breakpoint Images/Bonn Open
The 35-year-old Lajovic did not drop a set in Cordenons all week to win the Serena Wines 1881 Maniva Tennis Cup “Internazionali del Friuli Venezia Giulia”. The Serbian defeated Lukas Neumayer 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the champion match.
Lajovic’s Cordenon’s Triumph marks his first title at every level since he won the ATP 250 in Banja Luka in 2023, when he shocked the then World No. 1 and Countryman Novak Djokovic on his way to the title.
A full crowd looks at the final of the Cordens Challenger between Dusan Lajovic and Lukas Neumayer. Credit: Antonio Ros
Kamil Majchrzak van Polen won in house on the Kozerki Open in Grodzisk Mazowiecki. The best seed denied #nextgenatp Dino Prizmic’s search for a third title this season and beat the Croatian 6-4, 6-3 in the final. The 29-year-old is a maximum of number 78 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and approaches his career high no. 75.
Majchrzak, a nine times Challenger champion, has the record for the most challenger titles among Polish players (since 1978).
Kamil Majchrzak celebrates winning for home fans in Grodzisk Mazowiecki. Credit: Pawel Rychter
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