Hong Kong star Coleman Wong poised for career high despite narrow defeat at Delray Beach Open
The 21-year-old lost in three sets in the quarter-final in the US, with his next tournament set to be an ATP 500 event in Mexico
Coleman Wong Chak-lam has been knocked out of the Delray Beach Open following a three-set quarter-final defeat by world No 20 Flavio Cobolli.
Aiming to reach his first ATP 250 tournament semi-final, Wong saved two match points before claiming a 16-point second-set tiebreak, but the Hongkonger twice dropped serve in the decider and ultimately went down 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 in two hours and 14 minutes.
Italian Cobolli will meet Sebastian Korda for a place in the final after the American upset No 2 seed Casper Ruud in three sets.
Wong will move on to an ATP 500 tournament next week in Mexico, where he will face home player Alex Hernandez, the world No 416, in the opening qualifying round.
After winning four matches in Florida, the 21-year-old eventually ran out of steam in a one-sided final set against Cobolli. Wong was broken in the first and seventh games, before Cobolli served out to love in the eighth.
A tight 44-minute opening set swung decisively in Cobolli’s favour in game 12. At 40-30 behind on Wong’s serve, he deftly lifted a backhand beyond his opponent at the net. At set point down, Wong fractionally overhit on his own backhand following a baseline exchange.