Wong reflects on his tennis journey
March 22, 2025
Andrew Eichenholz/ATP Tour
Coleman Wong, the top player from Hong Kong, is the son of two educators. By Andrew Eichenholz
Coleman Wong became a tennis player by complete coincidence. Now, the Hong Kong native is one of the brightest young talents in the sport.
The 20-year-old’s tennis journey began aged five when his older sister by two years, Elana, was meant to take a private lesson at Victoria Park, home of the Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open. She fell ill and their parents, Bruce and Dora, did not want to waste the money, so Coleman took the lesson.
“I really liked it,” Wong recalled to ATPTour.com. “I was a bit out of shape, I was a bit chubby and at first it was just for keeping fit. Then, slowly, I grew.”
Fifteen years later, Wong is competing in the Miami Open presented by Itau, one of nine ATP Masters 1000 events. His smile left no doubt regarding the emotions the rising star felt after he defeated Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday for the biggest victory of his career.
“It feels unreal. This year I’ve been struggling a little bit, playing tougher tournaments. That’s why I’m not winning a lot,” Wong said. “Maybe sometimes I win a round and then I lose second round, playing some really good players. But I’m really happy to get one of my biggest wins in my career. For me, it means a lot, and I really hope it’s the first of many.”
The No. 182 player in the PIF ATP Rankings was full of gratitude when discussing his special moment. Wong was sure to thank the tournament for providing him with a main draw wild card, his team and his family. He made clear how many people have supported him.
Wong does not come from a sporting family. His father is a school principal, his mother is a teacher and his sister works in the bank industry, so Coleman is the outlier as a professional athlete.
Aged 17, Wong spoke to his parents and decided to move to Spain to train at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar. The then-teen told his parents he would not be able to become a professional without making the move.
“They didn’t have any picture of it, and they let me go,” Wong said. “I really, I really need to thank them as well. It’s a big sacrifice, because I don’t see them at all. I probably see them a few times a year.”
Wong has not physically been with his family since the first week of the season in Hong Kong. It was special to compete in the ATP 250 event.
“Being from Hong Kong, it means a lot, because Hong Kong, we had two gold medals in the past few years in the Olympics, [so] many people are starting to like sports,” Wong said. “So I’m really happy. I feel like they’re always behind me, supporting me, and I really hope that I can inspire someone.”
It has now been around four years for Wong at Nadal’s eponymous academy and he has been able to train with the Spaniard on a half-dozen occasions. One memory sticks out, and it did not occur in Mallorca. When Nadal last won the Australian Open, in 2022, Wong earned the boys’ doubles title with Bruno Kuzuhara. They had a chat on the practice court.
“He congratulated me. We have a picture together, holding the trophy, my doubles,” Wong said. “He said, ‘You’re in the right path, because we have one of the best coaches’, and I believed him.”
Tennis has become more than just a sport for Wong. It is a place where he can forget about anything going on off the court and just work on his game.
“I like to win. I want to be the best, and I want to see what my limit is. I’m still searching for it,” Wong said. “The best in this journey is I can always challenge myself every time. Every day, I want to improve. So I think this is one of the points that my coaches really liked about me, because I really like to work. But I always say it’s not enough, not enough. So that’s why I think if I don’t like tennis, I cannot do that for sure.”
Wong will certainly try to enjoy the experience of playing home favourite Ben Shelton on Saturday in Miami. He hopes to continue making a name for himself and Hong Kong.
“I want them to know that Hong Kong can also have a professional tennis player,” Wong said of the fans. “We don’t believe in that yet, but I want to tell them that even a small city like Hong Kong can still produce someone that can play against the world.”
