By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, June 29, 2026
Photo credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty
Wimbledon—Decisive tiebreakers demand commitment.
Driven the distance by home hero Cameron Norrie, American Michael Zheng stung his forehand with conviction creating stirring closing power.
The 144th-ranked qualifier Zheng out-dueled former Wimbledon semifinalist Cameron Norrie 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(10-4) on No. 2 Court to win his Wimbledon main-draw debut.
At the outset, British fans were chanting “Let’s Go Cam! Let’s Go Cam!”.
By the end of this pulsating four-hour thriller, fans were shouting “Michael! Michael!” saluting the 2022 Wimbledon boys’ finalist for the finest performance of his pro career.
It is Zheng’s second career Tour-level victory coming five months after he surprised Sebastian Korda at the Australian Open for his first win.
“First of all, thank you so much to the crowd. It was an unbelievable atmosphere—this is what you dream of, you know,” Zheng said. “I’m just really honored to be part of a match like this. It means so much.
“This is what every kid dreams of to play on a court like this against such an accomplished player. It’s an amazing feeling.”
It’s a foreboding feeling for British tennis.
Last night, British women’s No. 1 Emma Raducanu withdrew from the tournament with a right leg injury.
Today, former world No. 4 and perennial British hope Jack Draper pulled out of SW19 with a recurrence of his left arm injury.
Home heartbreak hit a new crescendo today. British No. 1 Norrie, who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year, suffered his sixth straight loss—and first five-set loss at SW19.
In a match of college all Americans—Zheng won the NCAA championship twice for the Columbia Lions while Norrie was the No. 1 ranked college player during his days playing for TCU—the 22-year-old Zheng was better on the biggest points today.
The slender Zheng, who has qualified for the first three majors of this season, served with more authority and played more proactive tennis in the final tiebreaker today. If you’ve seen Zheng play previously, you know he’s a creative baseliner.
Today, Zheng showed all-court acumen, worked the one-handed slice low to Norrie’s forehand and won 32 of 49 trips to net.
Zheng zapped 21 aces against 4 double faults and dropped serve only once in five sets. In contrast, the left-handed Norrie hit six aces against 10 double faults and dropped serve four times.
“Definitely not easy,” Zheng said of severe fifth-set stress. “I just tried my best not to show it. I’d been serving so well that I really had [opportunities] throughout the match. When it doesn’t go your way, it’s a little frustrating. At the same time, I’m trying to refocus and win.”
Though Norrie’s flat backhand struck with a bit of sidespin can unsettle opponents—and caused some framed forehand replies from the American early—once Zheng found his range on the forehand, he was whipping that shot with menace. Zheng cracked 74 winners on the day—28 more than Norrie.
At 5-all in the fifth set, Zheng flicked a forehand pass crosscourt for a break point. Norrie’s next drive crashed into the tape and crawled over on the American’s side as Zheng slipped and fell to the lawn trying to change direction.
The 22-year-old Zheng knocked off a backhand volley to force the fifth-set match tiebreaker after three hours, 51 minutes of play.
The tiebreaker was even at 3-all, when Zheng found a higher level. Zheng flashed a forehand down the line for 5-3 then Zheng smacked three forehand winners
Firing two more forehand winners brought Zheng to 7-4 then Zheng drilled a forehand winner crosscourt for 9-4,
The following 14-shot rally ended with a netted Norrie forehand as Zheng thrust his arms toward the sky.