AU REVOIR MICHAEL

Isn't it so cruel to have a man climb to the career peak so early at his seventeen?

(This article was written in June 2003 in memory of Michael Chang, a greatest Asia tennis player.)

In the beginning of last month, Roland-Garros organizers released a list of male players who, in addition to the other 123 qualifiers, were granted wild cards to the 2003 French Open. The list consists of three French young hopefuls, one Spanish sixteen-year-old tennis prodigy, and, Michael Chang, aged 31, a former champion of this tournament who has announced to retire in the end of the season. M. Chang was scheduled to play the first round at the central court (Court Philippe Chatrier) – the largest stadium of Roland-Garros – on last Tuesday night. This merciful treatment did not give him any luck; it just seemed a considerate arrangement, heralding the one last send-off for the great tennis star. The result of this game is nothing more than expected, Michael was defeated by the host player, Santoro (7-5, 6-1, and 6-1) rigidly, which ended up the Cinderella's fourteen-year wonder in Paris. He wept while the audience stood up with unanimous applause to send him off. “It is the second time my eyes tear during my tennis career,” said Chang.

When, and where, was the first time? Let's retrospect what Michael did at the same red clay court in the 1989 French Open. As a rookie professional, he beat Landl, the No. 1 player in the world from 1985 to 1989, in Round Four. Michael's fans would take delight in talking about this game in which he served underhand (which a professional would never do) due to his badly cramped leg and wan the unbelievable victory. Later, Michael ran into the final and incredibly beat the honored tennis emperor Swede Edberg who had reigned over the tennis circle with seven Grand Slam titles in the 1980s. This stirring victory made M. Chang, at the age of seventeen and three months, become the youngest champion of Grand Slam title in history. No wonder he shed tears when he kissed the significant trophy at that eventful moment. Right in such a momentous occasion, Michael was still concerned about thousands of victims repressed in the Tien-An-Men Square massacre, with “God bless everybody, especially the people of China.” In the same year (1989), a series of democratic movements were spreading over China – the country where his parents come from.

Up to now, Pete Sampras, the invincible player, has swept away all his opponents in the other three Grand Slams – the US Open, the Wimbledon Open and the Australia Open – but can't approach the title in Roland-Garros anyhow, which, he has confessed, is the most regrettable in his career. Andre Agassi who is two years senior to Michael, didn't earn this red-clay championship until 1999, exactly ten years later than Chang. The remarkable achievement in 1989 ought to have brought M. Chang much favor, and he was anticipated to rise as a big star in the coming future.

Unexpectedly, the sole Grand Slam title turns into a cynical epitaph. Among the past fourteen years, he has always participated in these four Grand Slam tournaments with full aspiration. However, he failed time after time. Although he has run to the final of the US Open twice and the Australia Open once, it seemed like a flash in the pan and, merely, left him and his fans long, long sighs. Michael obtained his career highest, ranked No. 2 in the world only behind Sampras, in 1996; he also keeps the record, wining at least one championship in ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) tours for twelve years continuously (1988 – 1999). It's just that his unprecedented honor in Paris, like a curse, makes his second Grand Slam unrepeatable, which covers up all his splendid performance.

Michael began to fall since 2000 and is ranked No. 144 currently. Of course, Michael has ever attempted a comeback. Apart from regular weight trainings, he sought a longer racket, which might improve his skill in resisting the Western mighty, speedy serves. Yet his strategy could be his real fatal weakness as ever. He rarely makes aggressive net approaches, simply defends at the baseline and waits the competitor's unforced errors. This tactic could have worked because there were lots of Mr. Improvisation, e.g. Rios, Rafter, etc., who were used to playing back the ball without due consideration. But when the opponents play more deliberately, Chang’s existed advantage is lost consequently. Moreover, his fastest serve only approximates 165km/h which cannot compete against the Caucasian’s 190km/h. In recent years, he has often been knocked out of the tennis event in Round One. Constant frustration should be the key reason why he conceives to retire.

Instead of the frustration, people will remember his persistency. Just as Agassi has said after defeating Michael in Toronto earlier this year, “He is a respectable competitor, and I’ll miss his swift steps for every score; no matter how you smack the ball, he simply can find a way to send it back; he never gives up any chance.” Michael’s fans would never forget his brave eyes, willpower and restless effort for every game.

Chang never throws the racket to the ground fiercely even though the umpire makes the judgment unfavorable to him. Unlike another Michael – M. Jordan who retired spectacularly from NBA in April, M. Chang keeps low profile in his farewell journey all along. When every celebrated, handsome and rich tennis players are involved in love affairs, he is still alone in the court, except his mother and brother beside. Chang could afford a private jet, a luxurious yacht or mansion (Chang has hustled into USD 35 million in his career), but he didn't. As a loyal Christian, Chang likes to signs autographs for his fans with “Jesus Loves You.” These are his styles. When asked about the favorite thing he desires after the retirement, the gentleman always replies, without the least hesitation, that he would devoted himself to Asian juvenile tennis promotion campaigns. Nevertheless, we would recommend Michael to publish his biography soon so that fans can remain to enjoy in the abiding memory.

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