Before We Forget Michael Chang's Accomplishments

Reading Jon Wertheim's mailbag over at si.com this wk, a reader wondered why Chang was usually included in the Sampras-Agassi-Courier axis when people speak of the american 90's tennis stars. Jon reminded the mailer that Chang was the first to win a grand slam of the four which really spurred the others to improve and of course is the youngest french open champion in the tournament's history. Yet hearing these facts and the oft-thrown about no.2 ranking enough and you get numbed into apathy. Here's a little more detailed list of his accomplishments to show just how hard and how great of a player Chang was.

1 Grand Slam Title
4 Grand Slam Semi Finals
5 Grand Slam Quarterfinals
34 Singles Titles/7 Masters Series Shields
24 Final Appearances
Career Prize Money - 19 million
7 Year-end Top Ten Finishes
Career High No. 2 in the world

Head to Head
Chang v Sampras 8-12
v Agassi 7-15
v Courier 12-12
v Martin 5-2


Grand Slam Champion
1989 French Open

Finalist
1995 French Open
1996 Australian Open
1996 US Open

Grand Slam SemiFinal
95,97 Australian Open
92, 97 US Open

Grand Slam QF
90,91 French Open
94 Wimbledon
93, 95 US Open

Singles Titles (34) (Seven Masters Shields)
* 1988 - San Francisco
* 1989 - French Open, Wembley
* 1990 - Canada Masters
* 1991 - Birmingham
* 1992 - San Francisco, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Masters
* 1993 - Jakarta, Osaka, Cincinnati Masters, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing Salem Open
* 1994 - Jakarta, Philadelphia, Hong Kong Salem Open, Atlanta, Cincinnati Masters, Beijing Salem Open
* 1995 - Hong Kong Salem Open, Atlanta, Tokyo Indoor, Beijing Salem Open
* 1996 - Indian Wells Masters, Washington, Los Angeles
* 1997 - Memphis, Indian Wells Masters, Hong Kong Salem Open, Orlando, Washington
* 1998 - Boston, Shanghai
* 2000 - Los Angeles

Reading Jon Wertheim's mailbag over at si.com this wk, a reader wondered why Chang was usually included in the Sampras-Agassi-Courier axis when people speak of the american 90's tennis stars. Jon reminded the mailer that Chang was the first to win a grand slam of the four which really spurred the others to improve and of course is the youngest french open champion in the tournament's history. Yet hearing these facts and the oft-thrown about no.2 ranking enough and you get numbed into apathy. Here's a little more detailed list of his accomplishments to show just how hard and how great of a player Chang was.

1 Grand Slam Title
4 Grand Slam Semi Finals
5 Grand Slam Quarterfinals
34 Singles Titles/7 Masters Series Shields
24 Final Appearances
Career Prize Money - 19 million
7 Year-end Top Ten Finishes
Career High No. 2 in the world

Head to Head
Chang v Sampras 8-12
v Agassi 7-15
v Courier 12-12
v Martin 5-2


Grand Slam Champion
1989 French Open

Finalist
1995 French Open
1996 Australian Open
1996 US Open

Grand Slam SemiFinal
95,97 Australian Open
92, 97 US Open

Grand Slam QF
90,91 French Open
94 Wimbledon
93, 95 US Open

Singles Titles (34) (Seven Masters Shields)
* 1988 - San Francisco
* 1989 - French Open, Wembley
* 1990 - Canada Masters
* 1991 - Birmingham
* 1992 - San Francisco, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Masters
* 1993 - Jakarta, Osaka, Cincinnati Masters, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing Salem Open
* 1994 - Jakarta, Philadelphia, Hong Kong Salem Open, Atlanta, Cincinnati Masters, Beijing Salem Open
* 1995 - Hong Kong Salem Open, Atlanta, Tokyo Indoor, Beijing Salem Open
* 1996 - Indian Wells Masters, Washington, Los Angeles
* 1997 - Memphis, Indian Wells Masters, Hong Kong Salem Open, Orlando, Washington
* 1998 - Boston, Shanghai
* 2000 - Los Angeles


Unluckly, he played the [edit] suddenly-comeback Becker in Australian Open 1996 final (If he won, everything may change!)

I thought Chang would go on to win more GS. He was a good young player, went off the boil for a bit and then came back to make a few more finals.

Another player around the same time was David Wheaton who was quite exciting and around the same age as Sampras, Agassi, Courier and Chang. I liked some of his matches at Wimbledon, he had something different.

It's a shame Chang didn't win more than one Slam. IMO he peaked too early and even though he's the youngest guy to win a Slam (?), that probably cost him other Slams he could've and should've won later on :fiery:

He was always one of my favourites.

The bagel he gave to Stich at RG'95 is one of best played sets ever by a player.