Friend, tennis coach, dictator: the roles played by man behind Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong
James Allemby expects even more from the 20-year-old, who has risen from 1,366 in the world to a career-high ranking of 128 under his watch
The mastermind behind Coleman Wong Chak-lam’s rise to his highest-ever world ranking said he needs to “wear many hats” as he attempts to push the Hongkonger towards his first Challenger title.
Born in Canada to parents from the UK, James Allemby grew up in France before moving to Spain aged 13. The 34-year-old enjoyed a tennis career playing Futures tournaments – the lowest rung of the men’s professional ladder – and was sparring partner for some of the world’s best, including 22-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal.
Allemby, who is now the lead coach at Nadal’s tennis academy in Mallorca, started working with Wong in September 2021, after the latter became the first Hongkonger to claim a boys’ doubles grand slam title, winning the US Open with Max Westphal.
Despite having built a strong relationship with the 20-year-old over the years, taking him from 1,366 in the world to a career-high 128 in the ATP rankings, Allemby said he was not scared to play the “dictator”.
“In my role, I need to wear a lot of different hats. We spend a huge amount of time together – last year we travelled for 38 weeks,” Allemby said.
“When I have to be the friend, then I have to be the friend. If I have to be the dictator coach, then I have to be the dictator coach. I’ve made it quite clear to him, and I’ve told him repeatedly: ‘I’m not your friend, I’m your coach, and I’m here for the hard conversations.’”
