Michael Chang

Story

Michael Chang was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Taiwanese immigrant parents and grew up playing tennis under his family’s guidance, leaving San Dieguito High School in tenth grade to turn professional as a young teenager.

On June 11, 1989, at just 17 years and 109 days old, Chang stunned the tennis world by winning the French Open — outlasting world No. 1 Ivan Lendl in a grueling quarterfinal so physically demanding that severe leg cramps forced him to serve underhand, before beating Stefan Edberg in the final. He remains the youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam singles title, and was the first American man to win the French Open in 34 years.

Over a 16-year professional career, Chang won 34 ATP titles, reached World No. 2, and reached three additional Grand Slam finals. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008 and remains one of the most recognized Asian American athletes in the sport’s history.

Career Highlights

• 1989 French Open champion — youngest man ever to win a Grand Slam singles title (17 years, 109 days)
• Defeated world No. 1 Ivan Lendl en route to the title, famously battling severe leg cramps
• 34 career ATP singles titles, including 7 Masters titles
• Career-high ranking of World No. 2 (September 1996)
• Three additional Grand Slam finals: 1995 French Open, 1996 Australian Open, 1996 US Open
• Helped the U.S. win the Davis Cup in 1990
• Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008

Photo: James Phelps, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons