US Open: Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong ‘playing without pressure’ after reaching third round
Hongkonger serves up another upset at Flushing Meadows with defeat of world No 85 Adam Walton. Up next is Andrey Rublev
Coleman Wong Chak-lam marched into the third round of the US Open and said he was “playing without any pressure”, despite doing something no Hongkonger has ever achieved.
The world No 173 continued his fairytale run at Flushing Meadows on Thursday, serving up another upset to down Australian Adam Walton in four sets at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre.
Wong reeled off 21 aces and 54 winners in an impressive performance on Court 10, triumphing 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in three hours.
The first man from the city to reach the main draw of the men’s singles at a grand slam since the Open era began in 1968, he is now the first player from Hong Kong to reach the third round of a major.
Patricia Hy-Boulais, who was born in Cambodia and represented Hong Kong early in her career, reached the second round of the women’s singles at the Australian Open in 1987, before switching her allegiance to Canada the following year.
“I’m swinging it, I’m feeling good,” Wong said. “This is my first main draw, first best of five, first everything. For me, for Hong Kong, for my team, everything is very new, so, no pressure.