Hong Kong's Coleman Wongis making a name for himself at the Miami Masters. The 20-year-old player with a wild card stunned the 13th seed Ben Shelton 7-6, 2-6, 7-6 in two hours and 16 minutes, earning his career-best victory.
ADVERTISEMENT
The younger player wasted a 5-2 advantage in the decider and two match points. Shelton did everything to emerge at the top, standing two points away from the win but suffering a challenging loss to world no. 182.
Ben dominated the second set and clinched 11 points more than his rival. Coleman trailed behind the first and second serve and faced eight break points. He got broken three times and had to dig deep to remain competitive after converting one of three break opportunities.
Shelton performed well and finished the duel with a 47-30 ratio. Wong responded with 36 winners and 33 unforced errors, mainly from his forehand. The American forged a 42-30 lead in service winners, while nothing separated them from the baseline and at the net.
ADVERTISEMENT
They kicked off the duel with seven fine holds. Ben generated two break points in the eighth game, and Coleman saved them with service winners. A player from Hong Kong closed the tenth game after a deuce, landing a volley winner at the net for more drama.
The set went into a tie break, and Shelton stepped in early on. The American landed a forehand winner in the third game for a 3-0 advantage. Wong kept his composure and claimed two points on the return to erase the deficit.
The younger player cracked a forehand down the line winner for 5-3 and drew the rival's mistake in the ninth point for three set points. Ben sprayed a forehand error on the first, dropping seven straight points and falling 7-6 behind after 50 minutes.
The 13th seed took charge in the second set. He served well and delivered two breaks. Coleman missed a routine forehand in the first game and fell behind. Shelton held at 15 in the fourth game and made another push on the return in the next one.
ADVERTISEMENT
The American drew the rival's mistake with a sharp return, providing his second break and moving 4-1 in front. Ben served for the set at 5-2 and closed it with a service winner, taking the set in style and introducing a decider after an hour and 19 minutes.
Wong saved two break points in the first game of the final set to end his downfall. A left-handed missed a backhand in the sixth game, losing serve and falling 4-2 behind. Coleman provided a fine hold in the seventh game for a 5-2 lead and served for the win at 5-3.
Shelton raised his level and delivered a break at love with a backhand down the line return winner, reducing the gap and extending the battle. Ben served to stay in the match at 5-6 and faced two matchpoints. He denied them with winners and held to introduce a tie break.
ADVERTISEMENT
Wong moved 2-1 in front before missing a smash in the fourth point. Shelton moved 4-3 up with a service winner before Wong fired a forehand winner and a booming serve for a 5-4 lead. The American grabbed the tenth point with a crafty smash winner.
Ben sprayed a forehand error in the 11th point and offered his rival a match point. Coleman seized it with a service winner, falling to the ground and starting an emotional celebration.
