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The Prodigy

 

When Michael Chang first burst onto the tennis scene in 1987 as a 15-year-old pro, no one was quite sure what to make of him.

It wasn’t long before Chang established his presence among the best in tennis. He had been on the pro tour little more than a year when, at 17, he stunned the world by upsetting tennis greats Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg on the way to his first Grand Slam title -- the 1989 French Open. His name was entered in the history books as the youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam event.

"It came much earlier than we’d ever dreamed," says Chang. I don’t think the tennis world or anyone else expected it. But the Lord has His way of working things."

As he received the winner’s trophy at the French Open, Chang addressed the crowd of more than 60,000 at Roland Garros, thanking everyone who had played a part in his success. He concluded by thanking Jesus Christ, saying, "Without Him, I’m nothing!" Along with the cheers came boos and whistles. TV commentators, coaches, and even other players criticized him for "dragging his religion into everything." They advised him to keep his personal beliefs to himself.

"I’ve just received so much joy, so much love, and so many blessings from the Lord," he explains. "When something good happens to you, you want to share it with people!"

Plenty of good things have come Michael’s way. In his nine years as a pro, he has captured 23 tournament titles and earned more than 12 million dollars prize money.  A model of consistency, he has held a Top 10 ranking for 5 of those 9 years. In fact, in 1995 Chang finished in the Top 10 in the ATP rankings for the fourth consecutive year, joining Goran Ivanisevic and Pete Sampras as the only players to achieve that feat.

Early in Chang’s career, the media routinely characterized his matches with allusions to the biblical struggle between David and Goliath. At 5’9"

and 150 pounds, Chang appears to be at a disadvantage in a game in which size usually equals power. He constantly faces the threat of being outgunned and overpowered by bigger, taller players. But with guts and determination, he has earned his place among the world’s best, working hard to turn his weaknesses into strengths.

Finding that balance in physical conditioning is, for a professional athlete, a key ingredient to success. For Michael, his spiritual conditioning is even more crucial. "Trying to stay close to the Lord can be very difficult to do by yourself, so you ask the Lord to help you. You ask Him to be your first love and your first priority. Life will have its ups and downs, but regardless of what’s happening in our lives, if we’re focusing on Him, we’ll have the joy that He gives us."

"I have a lot of admiration for my family, particularly my parents," says Michael. "There has been a lot of sacrifice, a lot of love -- not only in the way they’ve done things for us, but also in their own relationship."

In the world of professional sports, where athletes often grab more headlines for their outrageous behavior than for their athletic prowess, Chang refuses to conform. Going against the flow, he patiently and consistently lives out the faith he professes.

"I’ve been fortunate in that I became a Christian the first year I was on the Tour. Before all the fame and money, the Lord was there teaching me His way first. The wonderful thing is that I look back at my life and I can see that even when I wasn’t a Christian, He was looking out for me.."

To Michael, that means making a difference in the lives of others. One way he touches lives is through his Tennis Stars of the Future program in Hong Kong. Since 1992, the program has provided equipment and coaching to more than 3,000 children -- many of them underprivileged.

"I love kids!" he says. "They always hold a special place in my heart. They’re innocent and enthusiastic and easy to talk to." Whenever he gets a chance to talk to children, Chang reminds them to work hard in school.  Emphasizing the importance of a good education, he has set up the Chang Family Tennis Scholarship Fund at the University of California, Berkeley.

At 15, Chang entered the tennis scene full of promise and principles. Nine years later, his accomplishments -- both on and off the court -- speak for themselves. Even his critics have to admit that Michael Chang is a man who practices what he preaches.

In this day and age, that makes him a rare, valuable commodity in professional sports. t

The Story of Michael Chang

Excerpts from a Sports Spectrum article “Holding Serve”, by Christin Ditchfield

IBF World Rankings

as of July 2006

Men Singles

1. LIN Dan - China

2. LEE Chong Wei - Malaysia

3. Peter GADE - Denmark

 

Women Singles

1. ZHANG Ning - China

2. XIE Xingfang - China

3. XU Huaiwen - Germany

 

Mens Doubles

1. Jens ERIKSEN/Martin LUNDGAARD HANSEN - Denmark

2. FU Haifeng/CAI Yun - China

3. CHAN Chong Ming/KOO Kien Keat - Malaysia

 

Womens Doubles

1. GAO Ling/HUANG Sui - China

2. YANG Wei/Zhang Jiewen - China

3. LEE Kyung Won/LEE Hyo Jung—Korea

 

Mixed Doubles

1. Nova WIDIANTO/Lilyana NATSIR—Indonesia

2. ZHANG Jun/GAO Ling - China

3. LEE Jae Jin/LEE Hyo Jung—Korea