US Open: Coleman Wong urged to ‘just go for it’ in third-round clash with Rublev
Hongkonger’s coach James Allemby says only way to beat world No 15 Andrey Rublev is to attack
Coleman Wong Chak-lam’s coach has called on the young Hongkonger to leave nothing on the court when he faces world No 15 Andrey Rublev in the third round of the US Open on Saturday.
Wong battled through three qualifying matches before beating world No 71 Aleksandar Kovacevic and then Adam Walton, ranked 85, at Flushing Meadows to record the city’s best showing in singles at a grand slam.
Allemby said Wong, whose match is scheduled to start at just midnight Hong Kong time, had to use “all the tools he’s got against Rublev”.
“He has to go for it,” the coach added. “There’s no option. If he doesn’t go for it, if he plays passively, then he’s going to lose.”
Allemby said despite the gulf in world rankings, with Wong at No 173, the 21-year-old could take down the hot-headed Russian.
“With Rublev, what you see is what you get,” he said. “He’s not a very versatile guy; he does one thing very well … and we also know he’s got a tendency to melt down.