Australian Open star banned from £112,000 prize money after huge surprise

College tennis star Michael Zheng caused one of the shocks of the Australian Open first round on Sunday as he overcame fellow American Sebastian Korda. Zheng came out victorious in five sets, winning 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 6-3. The result saw former quarter-finalist Korda crash out of the first Grand Slam of the year at the first hurdle. Zheng will face Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the second round. Despite his success, rules state that the 21-year-old will only be able to take a fraction of his prize money because he is still a college player. Coming through both qualifying and the first round has seen him earn $150,000 (£112,000), but college tennis rules limit the prize money that can be earned by players to $10,000 (£5,000). There is, however, some uncertainty over the rules, with Zheng admitting he was unsure post-match. “I feel like it's gotten blurrier than it used to be in some ways in terms of the line between turning pro and staying in college,” he said. “I still have one more semester at Columbia, which I do intend to finish. So whenever my run here is done, I'm going back to school. “I'll talk to our head coach, try to figure out, you know, what's the deal with the prize money, if I'm allowed to take it or not. “I'll try to figure that out after the tournament's over, I think. I'll try to figure that out after the tournament's over, I think. “I've heard rumors that I'm allowed to take it because it's my senior spring. But I want to make sure to double check, make sure there's nothing wrong with eligibility if I take it. I don't want to get in trouble or anything. Stay up-to-date with the latest Tennis news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy Tennis news, scores and tournament results plus selected offers and competitions We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy Zheng majors in psychology at the University of Colombia and is a two-time NCAA champion. He considered turning professional after his first NCAA title, but decided to finish his studies first. There is currently legal action being taken against the rules over prize money, led by NCAA college tennis star Reese Brantmeir, but it will not go to trial until late this year. Current rules allow athletes to sign name, image and likeness deals but put the limit on the prize money that they are able to take.