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Michael ChangMichael Te Pei Chang (張德培; Pinyin: Zhāng Dpi; born February 22, 1972) is an American professional tennis player, best known for winning the French Open in 1989. Tennis Career A brilliant junior tennis player in his youth, Chang won his first national title, the USTA Junior Hardcourt Singles, at the age of twelve. He went on to set several "youngest ever" records on the junior and professional circuits. Chang shocked the tennis world in 1989, becoming the youngest ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open at the age of 17 years and 3 months. He defeated Stefan Edberg in a memorable five-set final, winning 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. However his victory is best remembered for an epic five-set encounter with Ivan Lendl in the fourth round (see below). Chang became the first American man to win the French Open since 1955. (Chang's victory marked the start of an era in which a new generation of American players - which also included Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Andre Agassi - would come to dominate the game.) Chang won a total of 34 top-level professional singles titles between 1988 and 2000. He reached three further Grand Slam finals after his famous 1989 French Open triumph - losing the 1995 French Open final to Thomas Muster, the 1996 Australian Open final to Boris Becker, and the 1996 US Open final to Pete Sampras. Chang was also a member of the US team which won the Davis Cup in 1990, beating Australia in the final. His career-high singles ranking was World No. 2 in 1996. Chang retired from the professional tour in 2003. The Classic Match vs Ivan Lendl (French Open, 1989) Michael Chang's most famous match took place on the way to winning the French Open title in 1989. In the fourth round, he faced the World No. 1 and three-time former champion Ivan Lendl. Conventional wisdom made Lendl the heavy favourite to win the match against the 17-year-old Chang. Everything seemed to be going to expectation when Lendl comfortably took the first two sets 6-4, 6-4, and then broke Chang's serve in the opening game of the third set. Then Chang's fight-back began. He broke back immediately and went on to claim the third set 6-3. Part way through the fourth set, Chang experienced a severe attack of leg cramp. Fighting to stay in the match, Chang resorted to some novel tactics. For a period he began taking all speed out of the match by playing "moon balls", and he wolfed down bananas and drinks at every opportunity. Lendl, who was known to be one of the least easily phased players to grace the court, completely lost his rhythm. He began to swear at the umpire and the crowd, especially after losing a point when Chang shocked him by delivering an under-arm serve. Chang later explained, "I was trying to break his concentration. I would do anything to stay out there." Barely able to stand, and screaming with pain after many of his shots, Chang continued to battle on. Despite being on the verge of physical breakdown, he fought his way into the position of a 5-3 lead in the fifth set with two matchpoints on Lendl's serve. Aiming to break Lendl's concentration one more time, Chang stood well inside the baseline, almost at the T-line in the centre of the court while waiting to receive Lendl's serve (normally an almost suicidal position when facing an opponent's serve). The tactic worked as Lendl produced a double-fault to give Chang victory. Chang won one of the most memorable matches in tennis history 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in four hours and 37 minutes. Chang sank to his knees and broke down in tears at the conclusion of the match. Seven days later he would go on to become the youngest male champion in French Open history. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/1999/french_open/news/1999/05/22/tenyears_changfrench/index.html Grand Slam Finals Wins (1) Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final 1989 French Open Stefan Edberg 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 Runner-ups (3) Year Championship Opponent in Final Score in Final 1995 French Open Thomas Muster 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 1996 Australian Open Boris Becker 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 1996 US Open Pete Sampras 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 Personal & Family Life Chang was born in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1972 to Joe (張洪笙) and Betty (董良因, ne Tung). His parents both grew up in Taiwan (though were born elsewhere) and were educated in the United States, where they met. (Betty moved to the US in 1959 and Joe moved in 1966. They were introduced by a mutual friend.) Betty was the daughter of the Republic of China's ambassador Michael Tung (董宗山) and was born in New Delhi, India. Joe was born in Chaozhou, Guangdong and moved to Taiwan at 7. Michael's Chinese name was chosen by Joe, and his English name by Betty (who named him after her father). Chang dropped out of Grade 10 at San Dieguito High School in Encinitas, California, after passing his GED in February 1988 in order to pursue a professional tennis career. A devout Christian, Chang and his family established the Chang Family Foundation in 1999 "to introduce the Good News of Jesus Christ to the World". In 2001, Chang served as a goodwill ambassador for the 2008 Summer Olympics (Beijing) bid committee. He currently lives in Mercer Island, Washington and likes to fish and tend to his African orchids in his free time. He published Holding Serve: Persevering On and Off the Court in 2002. See also: Taiwanese American, Chinese American Further Reading - Michael Chang: Tennis Champion (1993) by Pamela Dell ISBN 0-516-04185-1
- Holding Serve Persevering On And Off The Court (June 4, 2002) by Michael Chang, Mike Yorkey ISBN 0-785-26656-9
External Links Chang, Michael Chang, Michael Chang, Michael
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