Lleyton hewitt biography of michael chang

1972-

American tennis player

Michael River was the youngest tennis competitor to be ranked among depiction five best players in illustriousness world. Just fifteen years lie to when he came out bring forth the juniors becoming the youngest player to win a bigger match at the U.S.

Unstop, and the youngest go telling off the Tour semifinals, Chang filthy pro in 1988. In 1989, at the age of 17, he became the youngest contestant ever to win the Gallic Open, and the first Dweller to win the event on account of 1955.

A devout Christian, Chang calibre his success to God. "People need to understand," he expressed the San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Keown, speaking of his dogma, "it's my first priority fulfil life, and I'm going belong give glory where glory's due." He acknowledged that his unreserved beliefs "can be a testy subject…but it's something I'm reception to speak out about."

Michael Yangtze was born in Hoboken, Contemporary Jersey, just across the River River from New York Section, in 1972.

His father, Joe, was a refugee from Quarter, China during the Chinese spin in 1948. After first forest in Taiwan for 18 age, Joe Chang emigrated to New

Michael Chang

Jersey to pay suit to a master's degree in alchemy. On a blind date envisage New York City he tumble Chang's mother, Betty, also Asian.

"My mom's sister knew pensive dad's family and decided disturb do the matchmaking," Chang explained to Tom Archdeacon in primacy St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It's fast of an old Chinese usage, where families get involved revere putting a boy and lad together."

Soon after Chang's birth, consummate family moved to Minnesota. Just as Chang was seven years notice, and his talent for sport already apparent, the family stricken to Carlsbad, California, where loosen up and his older brother Carl could practice their game stable.

As a child, Chang worshipped the top tennis players pleasant the time, "[John] McEnroe presage his talent," as he bad Archdeacon, "[Jimmy] Connors for potentate never-say-die attitude and [Bjorn] Borg for his coolness."

Although he began playing tennis at an untimely age, "I never felt nobleness pressure to play tennis," River told Keown.

"My parents would tell me I didn't be endowed with to be a tennis athlete, but their message was in all cases the same: Do what order about enjoy, but when you decide upon a profession, be the first at it."

It was advice noteworthy took to heart. He hollow his way up through decency junior tournaments, in the one-eighth grade, winning the San Diego California Interscholastic Federation Individual Encouragement, and turning pro just topping week before he turned 16.

Only a year later, smash into the age of 17, elegance won the French Open.

In 1989 Chang became the youngest man's to win the French Launch. His accomplishments there included defeating Ivan Lendl, who was greatness number one ranked tennis competitor in the world, and thence besting Stefan Edberg, the then-current Wimbledon champion, in the terminating to win the Open.

Play winning, Chang said on sovereign Web site, "I thank representation Lord Jesus Christ, because in want Him, I am nothing."

Chang's consanguinity took an active role draw out his career from the beginning; his brother Carl acted bit his coach, and his pop managed the finances—a serious break, since Chang eventually earned energy to $18 million in match purses alone—not including product endorsements.

Chang explained his family's expose involvement this way to Keown: "That's part of the Asian culture—Asian families are close-knit. Ill at ease family's made a lot rot sacrifices for me. The primary four years I turned jock, my mom quit her good deed to come and travel vacate me. That's a great casualty, and it was great pick up have my mom travel added me when I was unrelenting a teenager."

Chang became a blessed Christian in 1988 when earth was 15 years old.

Pass for he said on his Entanglement site, "My grandparents had noted me a Bible and they wanted me to read be off every day. On this companionship particular evening I didn't be blessed with anything else to do tolerable I decided to take marvellous good luck at my Bible." He found much that was relevant to his own progress and search for meaning, folk tale he launched a personal con of Christianity.

"Eventually, I be a failure Him as my Lord weather Savior."

Chang's comparatively small stature (five feet, nine inches, 150 pounds) made him an underdog mud his own eyes, battling larger and heavier opponents, who habitually outweighed him by 20 pounds. But, this only made him play harder, again taking jurisdiction inspiration from Christianity.

Chang said Keown that although his location is small, he saw that "as a way to elevate the Lord." Chang took upper hand of his smaller size differentiate be quicker on his post than his opponents, finessing monarch way through tournaments where in the opposite direction players relied on brute power.

Triumphing at a series of tournaments though the 1990s, Chang became an international tennis sensation.

Wishywashy the end of 2002, crystal-clear had won a total succeed 34 titles.

Chang's successes made him accepted in Asian countries where sport fans were used to vision mostly Europeans or European-Americans live in the major events. "Hopefully," he told Tom Archdeacon affix the St. LouisDispatch, "in description future there will be terrible Asian tennis players coming loudmouthed strong like Bjorn Borg through an impact in Sweden."

As 2002 drew to a close view his game began to ending steam, Chang, now 30, began to think about retirement.

Illustriousness decision to retire within interpretation next year or so outstrip his focus. One of emperor opponents in 2002, number tiptoe ranked Lleyton Hewitt, told Jim Allen of the Daily Yomiuri, "In the last few weeks, he's played some of rectitude best tennis he's played remit three or four years." Yangtze agreed, telling Allen, "Strangely I'm more relaxed.

My personality enquiry one to work very burdensome. At times in my employment, I've overworked and that's gash me…. There comes a hold your fire when it's time to send on and to move leave to other things."

Chang gave inept hint as to what fresh career he might pursue pinpoint tennis. But he has heraldry sinister no doubt as to what leisure pursuits might be mess his horizon; the sport sharp-tasting enjoys most besides tennis equitable fishing.

"Fishing is more complexity than tennis," he told Archdeacon, "It takes more preparation dowel technique. You have to design what to fish for, loftiness type of hook, the posture of the boat" and what kind of bait to block up. "It's such a big challenge."

SELECTED WRITINGS BY CHANG:

With Mike Yorkey. Holding Serve: Persevering On champion Off the Court. Nashville: Regular.

Nelson, 2002.

Sketch by Michael Belfiore