US Open: Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong eyes top 100 spot after 5-set battle with Rublev
Young Hongkonger wins army of new fans and turns his attention to breaking into world top 100 after realising he can ‘scare the big guys’
Coleman Wong said he had his sights set on breaking into the world top 100 after his historic run at the US Open came to an end in an enthralling five-set tussle with Andrey Rublev.
The Hongkonger served notice of his improving game, taking the first and fourth sets and sending down 25 aces, but ultimately could not get past the world No 15, losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in New York on Saturday.
In a week of firsts for the 21-year-old, his first time going the distance in a grand slam won him an army of new fans, who cheered every point won over the course of more than three hours on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre’s Grandstand court.
The world No 173 delighted a packed crowd with some superb shots, his signature disguised drop shot repeatedly leaving Rublev scrambling at the net.
Wong returns to Hong Kong on Monday ahead of playing in a Davis Cup match against Uzbekistan next month, before joining the ATP Tour’s Asian swing. Confidence in his game will not be an issue.
“I’m getting closer, and I’ve proved to myself that I can do it,” Wong said of his rankings goal. “I need to keep believing. I can see that I have the potential and I can scare the big guys.