Jim Courier and Lindsay Davenport Slam ‘Silly’ Rule After American Tennis Ace Forced to Forfeit Australian Open Prize Money
Michael Zheng will be able to pocket the full prize money he will earn from the Australian Open due to an NCAA rule.
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Jim Courier, Michael Zheng, Lindsay Davenport (Image via Tennis Temple, Tennis Now, X/Ivy League)
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American tennis ace Michael Zheng won his career’s biggest prize money after reaching the second round of the ongoing Australian Open. The qualifier in playing his career’s first Grand Slam main draw event.
In the first round, he knocked out compatriot Sebastian Korda after a five-set battle to schedule his second-round clash with Frenchman Corentin Moutet. Thanks to his first-round win, he pocketed $150,000. But he will not claim the entire prize money, as he’s still a student at Columbia University in New York.
It’s because of the controversial National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rule that prevents the collegiate athletes from collecting the full prize money earned in tournaments. So Zheng, who has yet to turn professional, is allowed to earn only up to $10,000 per year.
While discussing this on Tennis Channel, Lindsay Davenport and Jim Courier slammed the NCAA rule and said something needs to be done soon so that the amateurs are not forced to forfeit huge prize money.
It’s great to see so many of these players, but they have tough decisions to make when you start to earn this kind of big money. There’s only so much you can take as an amateur. You cannot take prize money unless it’s for your expenses, so it’s kind of silly. You can get paid millions.
Lindsay Davenport said
The two-time NCAA champion wants to complete his semester. At the press conference after knocking out Korda, he said he will go back to college when his campaign in Melbourne ends. He wanted to turn pro after winning his first NCAA title in 2024, but deemed it best to finish his degree first.
Only if we had any lawyers in America who could figure this out… We need more lawyers, maybe that’s the problem.
Jim Courier said
Prior to the season’s first Major of the season, the 21-year-old played the qualifying rounds of the US Open three times (2023, 2024, and 2025). Zheng’s second-round opponent, Moutet, went past Tristan Schoolkate in the previous round.
Lindsay Davenport backs Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open
Both four-time Grand Slam singles champions, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, will be chasing their third title at the Australian Open. The former, in fact, is competing as the two-time defending champion, and another win will make him only the second man after Novak Djokovic to complete the three-peat in the event in the Open Era.
Sinner beat Daniil Medvedev in 2024 and Alexander Zverev in 2025. Sabalenka lifted the title for the first time in 2023 by beating Elena Rybakina and defended it the following year by going past Qinwen Zheng. She made the final last year as well, but suffered a three-set defeat at the hands of Madison Keys. Lindsay Davenport has backed both the top players to win their third trophy at Melbourne Park.
I think I’m going to just go straight down the line. Go Sinner, go Sabalenka. They’ve been the best players here at Melbourne Park the last three, four years or so. There’s nothing in Sabalenka’s form that would lead me to believe otherwise. Sinner, so good on hard court. So I think I’m playing it safe.
Lindsay Davenport told Tennis Channel
The Belarusian ace went past Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah in the first round to schedule a second-round clash with Zhuoxuan Bai. Sinner received the walkover from Hugo Gaston and will face James Duckworth in the second round.
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