Tennis Phenom Coleman Wong Blazing Trails in US Open

Wong is enjoying his ride into the third round of the US Open

The US Open has started and already Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko was eliminated in the first round.

But there's another dark horse to cheer for -- 21-year-old Coleman Wong Chak-lam.

The Hongkonger has made history not only to qualify for the US Open, but to also to be the first to make it to the third round!

Bruce Wong (far left) is so proud of his son

Earlier today the world No. 173 Wong upset No. 85-ranked Australian Adam Walton 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in three hours.

There were huge cheers for Wong when the match ended, and he looked in disbelief that he has made it this far.

"I'm swinging it, I'm feeling good," Wong said with a big smile. "This is my first main draw, first best of five, first everything. For me, for Hong Kong, for my team, everything is very new, so, no pressure.

"This is something that I dreamed of. For every tennis player, to keep going in a slam, it's one of the biggest tournaments in the world. So, at the moment, I'm still digesting, I still need to calm down, but I'm really happy."

After the match he used his coach's phone to call his parents to come to New York to watch him play this weekend. His father Bruce is a primary school headmaster, and his wife a teacher, both busy gearing up for the school year that starts on Monday.

Wong will meet No. 15 Rublev in the next match

Bruce Wong told RTHK he didn't have high expectations for his son, but him making it into the third round has made the family proud.

"It was really unbelievable for most of the Hong Kong people, like myself. Of course we're very happy, not only because of the result but the performance," the father said.

"In these few months, there were so many ups and downs, a lot of struggles. We're so happy we can see some good results at this moment."

Wong, who trains at Rafael Nadal's tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain, will next meet Russian Andrey Rublev, ranked No. 15.

"For me, I just want to go out there, enjoy, and I'm in the third round of the US Open, so I don't need to think so much," Wong said. "I just want to go out, enjoy the atmosphere, feel the vibe, and... stay as long as I can, because this is tough. Everyone is so good, everyone is so tough to play, so this means a lot to me."

Wong has an awesome attitude about being in this major tennis tournament -- relishing every moment, and trying not to put too much pressure on himself. He is the underdog, but at the same time totally blazing trails and giving Hongkongers someone to be proud of on the world stage.

Hongkonger Makes into the Main Draw at US Open

Wong is the first Hongkonger in the main draw at US Open

When the US Open starts this weekend, it will be very interesting to watch, not just the debut of Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, fresh off her win at the National Bank Open in Montreal, but also the first Hongkonger to reach the main draw of the American tennis tournament.

Coleman Wong Chak-lam, 21, beat Brit Billy Harris 6-3, 6-4 to qualify for the US Open.

"At the moment I don't know what I'm thinking," Wong said immediately after his historic win. "It was tough last night. I didn't sleep the best knowing how close I was.

Wong (left) won US Open boys doubles in 2021

"I know I have the level, and I know I just need to be calm and to play my game. I'm in the main draw and I want to go for more."

In the first round Wong may encounter the likes of Jack Draper, Ben Shelton, or Andrey Rublev in the first round that starts on Sunday.

It won't be Wong's first rodeo, as he won the boys' doubles championship in 2021. 

Nevertheless, according to the Hong Kong, China Tennis Association, Ip Koon Hung was the last player from Hong Kong to compete in the main draw of the men's singles at the US Open back in 1947.

Ip and another man, Edward Tsai both representing Hong Kong have ever reached a tennis major in the Open era -- most recently in 1954.

Ip was the first when he played at Wimbledon in 1951, and did it again the following year.

Meanwhile Tsai managed to reach the second round in 1953 and 1954, the last time a Hongkonger appeared at a slam.

Mboko Beats Osaka to Win National Bank Open

Canada's new tennis darling Mboko who won the NBO today

Tennis phenom Victoria Mboko has catapulted from No. 333 nine months ago to No. 25 following her win over Naomi Osaka 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 at the National Bank Open in Montreal.

Mboko had the crowd nervous when she lost the first set, but she powered through her wrist injury and as fans cheered her on, this may have unnerved Osaka, and Mboko used this to her advantage to defeat her in the second and third sets.

She gave a shoutout to the fans in the stands

"It's been an incredible week here in Montreal," Mboko told the crowd in a post-match ceremony. "Montreal, je vous aime!"

She got praise from Prime Minister Mark Carney and Billie Jean King among others.

What's not to love about this an amazing fairytale run for Mboko, who was a wildcard entry into the tournament. But now she has been assured a spot in the US Open -- where she has never played before.

Mboko is the youngest of four children, her parents originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The family moved from North Carolina where Mboko was born to Burlington, Ontario, where all four kids learned tennis, with their tennis dad. Two of her siblings played at the college level, but Mboko has gone the furthest.

Osaka (right) visibly upset following the match

A former coach describes her as very athletic on the court, hitting hard like her idol Osaka, but Mboko has the mental ability to mistakes aside quickly and focus on the present, which makes her very resilient.

She is now the No. 1 Canadian women's tennis player and after winning the National Bank Open, takes home $750,000 in prize money.

Unfortunately Osaka was a bit of a sore loser, not congratulating Mboko on her win. Nevertheless, Osaka has done well this tournament too, getting this far since giving birth to her daughter Shai in July 2023. She has changed coaches a few times and perhaps is more settled now.

Mboko could play in the Cincinnati Open which started today, or withdraw and focus on the US Open which starts on August 19.

Mboko Blazes Trail in Canadian Tennis

Mboko fought hard in the semifinals to win tonight

She did it -- again!

Tennis phenom Victoria Mboko rallied hard to defeat Elena Rybakina 1-6,  7-5, 7-6 (4) in the semi-finals and the Toronto teen will meet four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the final on the National Bank Open in Montreal. 

"Incredible match, thank you to everyone for supporting me," Mboko told the sold-out crowd in French. "It was really difficult, but anything can happen."

Osaka (above) meets Mboko tomorrow in the final

Indeed!

Mboko is the fourth Canadian woman to reach the final at the Canadian Open, the last one to do that was Bianca Andreescu in 2019.

The 18-year-old Mboko is also the first Canadian player to defeat three former women's singles Grand Slam champions in a single WTA event in the Open Era, and has a spot in the US Open.

This fairytale run will help move Mboko up to at least 34th in the world rankings, a massive jump from outside the top 300 at the beginning of this year.

Unfortunately Mboko doesn't have much time to rest -- she suffered a wrist injury during her match against Rybakina -- and will face Japanese-born Osaka tomorrow in the final.

Regardless of what happens tomorrow, Mboko is on everyone's radar and has quickly become a trailblazer in Canadian tennis!

Canadian Victoria Mboko Stuns Coco Gauff in Montreal

Mboko excited with her stunning upset over No. 1 seed Gauff

Canadian women's tennis has gotten more exciting these days, and tonight may be a sign of what's to come.

Torontonian Victoria Mboko, who is 18 years old, definitively defeated No. 1 seed Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 in a stunning upset at the National Bank Open in Montreal today.

Mboko, who climbed from No. 333 to No. 85 this year, crushed the American in only 62 minutes, and advances to the quarterfinals on Monday.

Gauff (left) beat Mboko in May at Italian Open

The teenager entered this tournament as a wild card and is the last Canadian standing in the singles draw, for both men and women.

Mboko thrilled the sold-out crowd in Montreal with her deft placements of the ball, making it near impossible for Gauff to return.

When Gauff had an enforced error, leading to Mboko's victory, she covered her face with her hands, in shock that she'd done it.

"I don't even know what to say still," she told reporters an hour afterwards.

"I was kind of shocked about it all. Everything kind of came so fast. There were so many people. I feel like tonight I'll let it soak in a bit more, but I'm still kind of on a high, a little bit.

"I'm super happy, and I'm just really content with how things went today and that I get to move on to the next round." 

Three months earlier Gauff beat Mboko at the Italian Open in Rome and today the teen said she had flashbacks of that match.

Mboko in shock, crowd shouted in delight

"I just remember when she kind of came out playing even better and stepped it up a bit better when I played her in Europe, I was thinking about that. I kind of wanted to step my game up a little bit more and make sure I matched whatever she was producing and I wanted to stay right there with her."

Mboko sure did and more, while Gauff could not find her rhythm, with several enforced errors.

Now Mboko is waiting to see who the winner will be in the match-up between Zhu Lin of China and Jessica Bouzas Maniero of Spain.