Michael Chang burst on to the tennis scene in 1989 with his French Open victory just one year after going pro. Competing in one of the greatest eras of men’s tennis, he regularly battled other greats including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Jim Courier. In the lead up to the Legends Cup — a round-robin match between Chang, Agassi, Courier and John McEnroe (Chang plays Courier tonight) — we spoke with the living legend about tennis past and present.
How do you feel about returning to Toronto to play once again?
I’m really excited to get to go back to Toronto, it’s such a beautiful city. I had the honour of having won the event in 1990. Training-wise it’s been very good. I’ve got quite a few events coming up in the fall, so I’m working hard. I definitely want to bring my best tennis to Canada. I’ve gotten a chance to play in Toronto a few times. It’s very easy to enjoy and get around. I’ve been there and enjoyed the city a great deal.
Out of the other three guys in the Legends Cup, who do you least like to play against?
To be totally honest, I relish the opportunity to play those three guys. When you grow up playing them, there’s an extra fire that I cannot explain. Everybody wants to beat everybody. We’re all friends and get along — Pete [Sampras] and Andre [Agassi] maybe not so much these days [laughs]. It’s always exciting. I don’t have to pump myself up to get ready for these matches. Playing John [McEnroe], you have to be up for that match, as he comes out with intensity that is hard to explain. John loves to win and he’s in great shape.
Can you tell us about your win in 1990 at the then Canadian Open?
That was a good tournament for me, obviously. I played Andre and Pete along the way. It was 7-5 in the third [against Agassi] and I was cramping pretty badly. Andre was saying if they were out there for another 15 minutes he would’ve had to call 9-1-1 for me. The temperatures can get very hot and humid.
And how about Pete Sampras, could you have imagined back then that he would go on to win so many Grand Slams?
We all knew Pete was very talented, but I don’t think anyone expected him to become the champion he did. He never won a junior title. He didn’t have a great record in comparison to Jim, me or Andre. His game excelled after he turned pro. His game matured, and he played with a lot more power. It just goes to show you, there’s no set road to becoming one of the great champions of tennis. We’ve all taken different paths, different roads and reached success in different ways.
Are there any Grand Slams you think you should have won?
I think I had a great chance in 1997 to win the US Open. I got unlucky because I had a couple of five-setters earlier. Pete had lost early, and that was a great opportunity for me as well. Pat [Rafter] was playing some great tennis and that was a great opportunity for me.
Do you have any interest in coaching the Chinese national team?
My desire to become coach for the Chinese team was to help the Chinese players get ready for the Olympic Games. I’ve got a very soft and warm heart for the people of China. In late 2006, I contacted the Chinese tennis association offering to help young Chinese tennis players prepare for the Olympics. Unfortunately, the head of the Chinese tennis had her own agenda and didn’t want me to be a part of that.
How are you finding fatherhood? [Our daughter] is a little over seven months old. We’ve been having so much fun with her. She’s learning to try and crawl a little bit and she’s able to sit up and grab balls and stuff like that. It’s a lot of fun. [My wife] Amber and I smile so much when we look at her and see her laugh. She’s such a blessing and such a joy. I do put her on my lap and we watch tennis together. With Amber being such an accomplished tennis player herself, we’d love to see her pick up the sport as well. Nowadays it’s tough not to push your kids too hard, hopefully we’ll have a good balance of teaching her the sport and enjoying it. If I had a choice I’d love for her to play tennis.
Have you had a chance to see the Canadian player Milos Raonic?
I got a chance to watch him earlier in the year when he was doing very well. Obviously he’s a very talented player, a very dangerous player. Hopefully with his reach and surgery he’ll be healthy soon. He’s definitely an upcoming talent that Canada can be very excited about in the coming years.
Recently Li Na said how much she enjoys playing in Toronto. Do you share her view?
I totally agree with her. Part of the reason why I enjoy playing in Toronto is that there are a lot of Chinese people that come out and support you. On top of that, we can go out and get great Chinese food as well.
Li Na’s success is definitely going to change the tennis map in China. Fair to say the Chinese have always focused on Olympic-profile sports. Now it’s starting to expand out more with Yao Ming as basketball’s becoming more popular. With tennis doing so well, people are now going to be looking for tennis courts to play on. For Chinese players, it’s very exciting. Relatively speaking, tennis is new in China. Tennis is only going to grow in a nation that’s so large.
The Legends Cup begins today at the Rexall Centre and concludes Sunday, August 14.