US OPEN

August 31, 1999

Michael Chang

USTA: Questions for Michael.

MICHAEL CHANG: Well, I think whenever you win a first-round match, it's a step in the right direction. I think comparatively, it's been a pretty good summer. I've been able to get some matches under my belt, which has been nice. It's helped my confidence a little bit. Today was a tough one, but it's nice to be able to get through today.

MICHAEL CHANG: Nope, nope, can't do that. You know, I don't know if it's going to be one match, if it's going to be gradual. I think it's difficult to say. There have been times in the past where I have thought things would start to turn around, but they didn't go the way that I had planned. That's okay.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think the US Open is particularly special for the Americans. Obviously, this is our Grand Slam event. We know we have the crowd really behind us and supporting us. I think obviously New York is very unique Grand Slam-wise, just in the setting and the way that the US Open is played. Each Grand Slam has a little bit of a different flavor. I think the US Open is always a place that is filled with a lot of excitement, a little bit of chaos and a heck of a lot of great tennis, a lot of great evening matches. It's just characteristic -- if it's characteristic of the US Open or whether it's characteristic of New York.

MICHAEL CHANG: To be honest with you, there were times when I was very, very frustrated, times where it did cross my mind: This is something -- maybe we should start to think about other things. I think those times really only happened when I was really very frustrated and very discouraged. I think once I started to really think about things, you know, come to my senses, I realized that this is something that I still love very much. I know this is still a place where God wants me to be. I continue to work at and continue to persevere at it. It's taken quite a bit of time, but it's okay.

MICHAEL CHANG: I don't know. I don't feel the same heaviness, I think, when I was in LA. Things are a little bit different now. I've learned a little bit. Learned a lot, actually. Like I said, it's been a pretty good summer, so that helps. I'm just pretty much trying to take things in stride.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think a lot of it is perspective. A lot of it is attitude. I think part of it is maybe not putting so much pressure on myself in certain ways. I think one of the tough things is that I'm a perfectionist. When I'm used to being at a certain level or certain ranking, when I'm not able to maintain that or be in that position, I always feel like there's something wrong, something I'm doing that's not quite right. I feel now like my perspective has changed. It's a little bit more relaxed. I realize that I am, you know, indeed very, very blessed to be able to come out and be able to do something that I really enjoy for so many years. I think this is like my 13th US Open, and I still really enjoy it. I think it's very easy to, you know, forget about those things. It's very, very easy to forget, you know, about the good things when you have a lot of bad things or difficult times that you go through in life.

MICHAEL CHANG: I mean, it's a possibility. You know, I think it is -- you know, it's a possibility. I don't know what the future holds. Yeah, I mean, that's a possibility.

MICHAEL CHANG: Actually, I think Phillip is a very talented player. I think he's very similar to me in many ways: Size-wise, obviously being a Chinese-American, same kind of upbringing in a certain way, going through, winning Kalamazoo, doing very well there. I think for me, it just worked out that we were able to hit a few times in LA getting ready for the tournament in LA. I don't feel like I've really taken him under my wing. I feel like obviously there's a certain commonality there that's a little bit unique. I don't know exactly what he's going to do as far as the future. I think he has a bright future ahead of him. He's had some tough draws, though, playing Krajicek here, playing some guy named Sampras at LA. That's tough. He's like, "Wow, this is the Pro Tour." He's going to have his chances. It will be good for him to be able to get out there and play some, you know, see how he does, make his decision from there.

MICHAEL CHANG: Sure. I feel like -- to be honest with you, I think for All-American players, for all the up-and-coming American players, the guys like Courier and Agassi, Pete, Todd, all of us, you know, we're pretty open to the younger American guys. If they come to us and ask for suggestions or comments, stuff like that, I mean, we're more than happy to share our information or share what we know. It's seen probably more so during Davis Cup than any other time. But then again, us Americans, we practice a lot together.

MICHAEL CHANG: Well, I think it's been a combination of things. I think injury played a little bit of a part of that. I think -- I think just trying to get back into the swing of things. This year, I haven't had to deal with injuries, which has been great. But, you know, tennis hasn't quite been where it has been in the past. It's taken me some time to make that progress and get back to where I was. Yeah, I mean, like I said, it's a little bit tough to pinpoint. I can't really say it's one thing because I think it's been a combination of some things.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think Pete's scenario must be pretty serious. Obviously, he's not going to jeopardize a US Open unless it was something that was definitely career-threatening if it wasn't taken care of. I've known Pete to play through some tough times. Actually, he's played through Wimbledon, I remember, one year, where he had some shoulder problems and was thinking about pulling out. He didn't pull out. Ended up going on and winning the event. I'm sure Pete has some good people. He always has some good people there to take care of him. He's been on the Tour for quite a long time. He's been free from those serious injuries, which has been very, very good for him. I'm sure he'll take good care of his body and be back soon.

MICHAEL CHANG: No, I don't feel like I'm quite there yet. I'm having fun trying to get back there. That's good.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think you can say it's part of it, part of it's the body. But I think maybe a more accurate analysis would be: That's life. I don't know too many people who have gone through life where everything's been rosy. They may think everything is rosy for a period of time, but, let's face it, everybody has their ups and their downs. Unfortunately, you hate to have to go through the downtimes, but it's part of life, and you need to get through them somehow.

MICHAEL CHANG: I think for me, to be honest with you, I think it's been a strengthening of my character and my faith, to be totally honest with you. I think when all is said and done, I'll be able to look back and say there was a heck of a lot of good that came out of it.

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