Coleman Wong clinched the biggest win of his career in the second round of the 2025 Miami Open, taking out 13th seed Ben Shelton 7-6(3), 2-6, 7-6(5) in a thrilling matchup. The Hong Kong native's tennis journey began in a manner many would describe as fate.
Ranked 182 in the ATP rankings, Wong took a tennis lesson at the age of five which was meant for his elder sister Elana. However, when she fell ill, their parents didn't want to waste the money and that is how the 20-year-old's journey started.
“I really liked it. 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,” Wong told ATPTour.com.
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Wong's father is a school principal, his mother is a teacher, and Elana, his elder sister, works in the banking sector, making Coleman the only professional athlete in his family. The Hong Kong native moved to Spain to train at the Rafael Nadal Academy at the age of 17, a big decision his parents allowed him to take for which he is grateful to them.
“They didn't have any picture of it, and they let me go,” Coleman 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.”
Well, it looks like the decision paid off as the 20-year-old has already burst onto the scene with his heroics at the Miami Open, where he received a main draw wildcard. He came into the Masters 1000 with an 11-10 record in 2025 and kicked off his campaign with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Daniel Altmaier and has now followed it up with yet another staggering win against the home favorite Ben Shelton.
What makes these achievements even sweeter for Won is the fact that he made his Masters 1000 main draw debut at the Miami Open last year but suffered an opening round exit to Laslo Djere.
However, Wong isn't a player whose hunger will be sated with these two wins.
"I like to win. I want to be the best, and I want to see what my limit is" - Coleman Wong
Coleman Wong has boldly stated his ambition is to become the best. He wants to know what he is capable of producing and has an insatiable desire to better himself. He feels this mindset to work hard stems from his love for tennis.
“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.”
Speaking on representing Hong Kong at the biggest stages of tennis, Coleman Wong is on a mission to the world realize that even Hong Kong can produce high-quality talents that can take on the world. He is also the highest-ranked Hong Konger in history having a carer-high ranking of 128.
“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.”
Coleman Wong will look to continue his dream at the Miami Open against Lucky Loser Adam Walton in the third round.
