Miami Open: Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong makes history, becomes first player from city to reach main draw
- Wong beats world No 97 Sumit Nagal in three-set thriller to qualify for main draw of ATP Masters 1000 tournament
- 19-year-old will take on world No 35 Laslo Djere from Croatia on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium
Coleman Wong Chak-lam made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Hong Kong player to make it to the opening round of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, a result that also takes him into the top 200 in the world rankings.
The 19-year-old saw off India’s Sumit Nagal in a three-set thriller to come through Miami Open qualifying at Hard Rock Stadium, setting up a clash with world No 35 Serbia’s Laslo Djere in the first round on Friday.
Presently ranked a career-high 212th, Wong is projected to reach 188th in the world when the rankings update next Monday, although that would be higher if he beat Djere.
Michael Cheng Ming-git, president of the city’s tennis association, said Wong’s recent results, which included reaching two ATP Challenger finals last year were “unprecedented feats for a player from Hong Kong”.
It was, Cheng said, further proof that Wong could “compete at this level”.
“We congratulate Coleman on this accomplishment, which puts Hong Kong tennis on the global map,” Cheng added. “His success is a source of pride for our entire tennis community, and we hope that his achievements will inspire a new generation of Hong Kong tennis players to pursue their dreams.
“He has great work ethic, approaches the game the right way, and is improving everyday. But at 19 years of age, his best is yet to come.”
Hong Kong’s rising star was on the back foot early against Nagal, losing the first set 3-6, but Wong, who reached a career-high singles world ranking of 215 on March 4, turned up the heat under the Miami sun with a dominating second-set performance, winning 6-1.
The two-time junior doubles grand slam winner, who fired down 16 aces compared to Nagal’s two, relied on his serve in the deciding set and outgunned his opponent, eventually winning 3-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Before the tie, Nagal, 26, was ranked 97 in the world and could go as high as 92 when the rankings update following the Miami Open.
On Monday, Wong also needed three sets to get passed France’s Hugo Gaston in the first qualifying round, winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in a match where he also had to battle back from the brink.
In the second set against the world 89 with the scores tied 3-3, Wong lost the following three games, eventually losing the set 6-3. He then lost two more consecutive games, trailing 2-0 in the final set.
But Wong showed resilience and the ability to thrive under pressure to secure the win. The youngster became more animated as the set went on, frequently shouting “Come on” and “Let’s go” as he smashed shots on the correct side of the sideline or bagged another one of his 10 aces.
