Editorial | Coleman Wong joins other Hongkongers making their mark in elite sports
Recent performances at high-level tennis, table tennis and multisport events show a sporting culture is beginning to emerge in the city
That was impressive, but he didn’t stop there. The tennis ace, with a global ranking of 173 at the time, beat 71st-ranked Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round and 85th-ranked Adam Walton in the second to become the first Hong Kong player to reach the third round of a major tournament.
He has worked hard for his success, moving to Spain during the Covid-19 pandemic to play at tennis great Rafael Nadal’s academy and embracing extra-long training sessions to prepare for the US Open.
Wong’s win in New York builds on his shock defeat of world No 6 Ben Shelton in Miami in March. He was the first Hongkonger to win a match at an ATP Masters 1,000 tournament. Now, having fulfilled a dream in New York and gained many new fans, he will need to press on. His future looks bright.
Hong Kong’s table tennis stars have also been in the spotlight. Wong Chun-ting and Baldwin Chan Ho-wah claimed the men’s doubles title at the World Table Tennis Grand Smash in Sweden last month. Their surprise win, beating opponents from mainland China in a thrilling final, shows the city’s players can compete with their rivals from across the border. The victories are uplifting and further burnish Hong Kong’s credentials as a city that can succeed in a variety of sports on the biggest international stages.