Coleman Wong Becomes First Men's Tennis Player From Hong Kong To...

Last Updated:August 26, 2025, 06:22 IST

Wong who had already scored a notable first by battling through qualifiers to reach the main draw, extended his New York fairytale with a 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win.

Coleman Wong becomes first men's tennis player from Hong Kong to win a Grand Slam singles match in open era. (Picture Credit: AFP)

Coleman Wong made history at the US Open on Monday, becoming the first man from Hong Kong to win a Grand Slam singles match in the Open era with a straight-sets victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic.

Wong, 21, had already achieved a significant milestone by battling through qualifiers to reach the main draw. He continued his New York fairytale with a 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win at Flushing Meadows.

The win marked another triumph for tennis players who train at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca. Wong’s close friend Alexandra Eala had become the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam singles match in her opening round on Sunday.

“I’m still soaking it in, because it’s a big moment for me, my family, and the people of Hong Kong back home. It means a lot," Wong said shortly after his win, revealing that he had already received a congratulatory text message from Spanish legend Nadal.

Wong began playing tennis at the age of five, first picking up a racket at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park tennis courts when his elder sister fell ill and was unable to attend a lesson. Wong took her place, and the rest is history.

He later trained at the Hong Kong Sports Institute at Sha Tin before moving to Nadal’s academy at the age of 17.

His transition from Asia to Europe was aided by fellow Nadal student Eala, who was courtside on Monday to watch Wong’s victory.

“At first, it was tough because it was Covid times when I moved there," Wong said of his move to Spain. “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 adjust. I’d never been to Spain before, and I barely went to Europe before. So from being a little kid from Hong Kong all the way to Spain, it was tough."

Wong first showcased his talent earlier this year, defeating Ben Shelton—seeded six in New York—in the second round of the Miami Open Masters event.

Since then, Wong has struggled to make much impact at ATP level, mostly exiting in qualifying rounds at events, including the French Open and Wimbledon.

“To be honest, it’s not easy. I mean, everyone has 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 will carry this mindset into the later rounds 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."

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Location :

New York, United States of America (USA)

First Published:

August 26, 2025, 06:22 IST

News sports Coleman Wong Becomes First Men's Tennis Player From Hong Kong To...

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