Local star Coleman Wong Chak-lam stormed into his first Hong Kong Tennis Open quarterfinal with a dramatic comeback victory over Canada’s Gabriel Diallo, after a 2 hour 29 minutes battle that electrified a weekday crowd.
Ranked 150th, Wong faced the world 40th Diallo and showed early nerves, dropping the first set 1–6 after losing three straight games from mid-set.
He regrouped in the second, trading heavy blows before sealing it 7–5 under pressure.
The decider turned feverish with Wong leading 5–2, was pegged back to 5–5, then produced a break in the 11th game and held his nerve from deuce to clinch it 7–5, completing the turnaround.
In the post-match interview, Wong said it was unreal to enter his first quarterfinal at the home stadium.
“I didn’t want my first ATP quarterfinal to end in a loss somewhere else. Let’s keep pushing and keep chasing the dream,” he said.
He said that beating his friend and doubles partner was special, as both pushed each other to the limit, and it makes for a great match for the fans.
Asked how he bridged the ranking gap, Wong credited mindset, saying that his coach had been encouraging him throughout the match.
“[You had to] Believe you can compete—and beat them. Now I’m in the last eight, I know I can keep climbing,” Wong said.
He urged fans to invite friends and pack the stands again, as he will be facing the seventh seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy on Friday.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui was in attendance to cheer Wong, while singer Eason Chan made it three straight days at the tournament.
Law later posted congratulations on social media, hailing Wong’s comeback win over a player ranked 110 places higher, which sent him into the Hong Kong Open quarterfinals, describing it as “another historic milestone for the hometown favorite.”
