The Miami Open is heating up, and it’s giving fans a taste of new talent! Surely, you must have heard of Coleman Wong. The 20-year-old came into the tournament as a wildcard ranked No. 182 in the world and achieved the biggest win of his career by upsetting the No. 13 seed, Ben Shelton. This placed him in rare territory as the second-lowest ranked male player to reach the third round in Miami, ever. Isn’t that impressive? But behind every rising player is a coach guiding them to the top! So who’s the brains behind Wong?

Wong’s journey to the Miami Open has been supported by his coach, James Allemby, the Lead coach for the Rafa Nadal Academy Pro team, since September 2021. Allemby, a former Futures player and Nadal’s sparring partner, took on the coaching role just as Coleman snagged his first boys’ doubles Grand Slam title at the US Open.

Having honed his skills for the past five years working directly alongside tennis luminaries like Toni Nadal, Gustavo Marcaccio, Gabriel Urpi, Marc Gorriz, Tomeu Salva, Pedro Clar, and Joan Bosch, Allemby brought a wealth of experience and a disciplined approach to Wong’s training, demonstrating the courage to have the difficult conversations necessary for his progress.

Prior to his current role as the lead coach at the Rafa Nadal Academy, Allemby spent six and a half years coaching at the academy’s location in Manacor, Baleares, Spain as a “Tennis Coach”. As per his LinkedIn profile, he holds GPTCA Level A and RPT Level 4 certifications, demonstrating his coaching expertise.

Fun fact: A student at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar since age 17, Wong, a self-confessed Rafael Nadal fan, has even practiced with the 22-time Grand Slam champion. Wong’s introduction to the academy wasn’t without its difficulties, as he confessed to receiving blunt and critical feedback from the team upon his arrival. “They viewed me as starting from the bottom,” he said, describing his younger self as a player with few weapons: “I just served. I’d just go like, BANG, and that’s it. I didn’t have anything else. Now, slowly, slowly, I think I’m more ‘all around.’”

The coach sees his role as multifaceted, balancing the line between being a supportive friend and a demanding mentor. Under Allemby’s guidance, Wong’s ranking skyrocketed from 1,366 to a career-high of 128. At the Miami Open, Wong, ranked No. 182, etched his name in Hong Kong’s tennis history as the first male player representing the city to defeat a Top 20 opponent since the inception of the ATP rankings in 1973.

Which is no easy feat. How did he do it?

Coleman’s coach gives him advice on how to take down Shelton

After Coleman Wong’s dominant first-round victory against Daniel Altmaier, where he won in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, all eyes were on his next challenge: Ben Shelton. Knowing the American’s powerful lefty serve, clocking in at an average of 126 miles per hour and peaking at 150 mph, coach James Allemby had a clear strategy.

“[Coleman Wong Chak-lam] needs to be flawless on the first serve and a goalkeeper when receiving if he stands any chance of beating world No 14 Ben Shelton in the Miami Open on Saturday,” Allemby stated. Allemby emphasized building on the lessons learned from a challenging start to the 2025 season.

“[This is our sixth week now in a row, and we’ve made a point of learning lessons from each week and then building on those and not falling into the same traps,” Allemby explained. He stressed the importance of Wong serving well and maintaining quality throughout the rallies, especially when facing Shelton’s formidable serve and net play. And guess what? It worked!

Allemby’s push paid off, as he delivered an upset that no one saw coming! The 20-year-old wild card upset Shelton, the 13th seed in the tournament, in a thrilling match on Saturday local time, winning 7-6(3), 2-6, and 7-6(5). With the victory, Wong – ranked 182nd in the world – proceeded to the third round at an event ATP Masters 1000, for the first time in his career. The rising star was clearly emotional after his victory.

After the match, Wong said, “I always trust myself to play in these big stages,” and dedicated the win: “This is for you Hong Kong.” He acknowledged the support he’s received, stating, “My parents, my coaches, my team. They really helped me a lot from highs and lows. They know that I’m struggling and came in here, not easy.”

Now, the 20-year-old is set to face Australia’s Adam Walton! Can he keep up his momentum and make it far at the 2025 Miami Open? Share your thoughts in the comments below!