Australian Open: Coleman Wong bows out of boys’ singles, but holds on for a spot in the doubles semi-finals

Hong Kong tennis rookie ends a solid run the Australian Open junior singles tournament, losing to seventh seed Edas Butvilas

Wong will now have the chance to make a splash in the doubles semi-finals with partner Bruno Kuzuhara

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Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong (right) after finishing his match in the Australian Open boys’ singles tournament. Photo: HKTA / ArcK Photo

Published: 3:38pm, 26 Jan 2022Updated: 5:47pm, 26 Jan 2022

Coleman Wong ended a brilliant run in the Australian Open junior singles, bowing out to seventh seed Edas Butvilas but a win in the junior boys’ doubles has kept his Australian Open hopes intact.

On a blazing Australia Day match, Wong stepped up to face Butvilas for what would have been a spot in the quarter-finals and a personal record for the surging Hong Kong tennis rookie, but it was not to be.

Butvilas dodged four break points to steal the opening set 7-6 before cruising to a second-set victory with a convincing 6-1.

“Thanks for the support in singles,” Wong posted on social media after his loss, a reply to the support fellow Hong Kong athletes including Olympic medallist Siobhan Haughey have shown throughout his Australian Open run.

Coleman Wong in action during in the Australian Open boys’ doubles tournament in Melbourne. Photo: Hong Kong Tennis Association / ArcK Photo

Over in the boys’ double tournament, however, it was a different story where second seeds Wong and Bruno Kuzuhara put on a spirited performance to advance through to the semi-finals, defeating Italian rivals Daniele Minighini and Niccolo Ciavarella 4-6, 6-0 (10-7).