Coleman Wong made history at the US Open on Monday by becoming the first man from Hong Kong to win a Grand Slam singles match in the Open era, defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic in straight sets 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) at Flushing Meadows after qualifying for the main draw.The 21-year-old’s victory follows the success of his close friend Alexandra Eala, who became the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam singles match on Sunday. Both players train at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca.“I’m still soaking it in, because it’s a big moment for me and also my family, and Hong Kong people back home. It means a lot,” Wong said, noting he had received a congratulatory text from Nadal.Wong’s tennis journey began at age five in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park tennis courts, where he unexpectedly took his sister’s place in a lesson when she fell ill.He trained at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tin before moving to Nadal’s academy at 17 years old.
Alexandra Eala became the first player from Philippines to win a singles match at a major. (AP Photo)
Eala, who watched Wong’s victory from courtside, helped him adjust to life in Europe.“At first, it was tough because it was Covid times when I moved over there,” Wong said. “Alex helped me a lot to get used to the environment because she was there for a long time. It took me, I think, a year to to adjust. I’d never been to Spain before, and I barely go to Europe before. So from being a little kid from Hong Kong all the way to Spain, it’s tough.”Wong showed his potential earlier this year by defeating Ben Shelton, now seeded sixth in New York, during the Miami Open Masters event.However, he has struggled to make significant progress at ATP level, often failing to advance past qualifying rounds at major events including the French Open and Wimbledon.“To be honest, it’s not easy. I mean, everyone have their ups and downs, especially tennis players,” Wong said. “Tennis is one of the toughest sports. I think I don’t know when I’m going to break through. I just need to keep believing.”Wong maintains a positive outlook for his upcoming matches in New York.“I need to keep believing, and I know I can do it,” he said. “I just want to keep going, and let’s see how deep I can go.”
