October 7, 2024 • 15 mins
In Part 2 of their sit-down with Michael Chang, Viv and Matt chat to the former world No.2 about his success in Asia where he won 12 of his 34 career titles, including the first edition of the Beijing tournament in 1993. Chang recalls the enormous support he received in the region and reflects on how the sport has evolved there in the 30 years since, including the construction of purpose-built venues. After his playing days, Chang eventually moved into coaching and discusses how he jumped at the opportunity to work with Japanese star Kei Nishikori, a player he helped guide into the top five and the 2014 US Open final.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Sitdown.
I'm Ntrolope, a writer for oz open dot.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Com and I embraced you it from the AO Show
and I'm here filling in four viv Christi, who's currently
in Shanghai. So let's get started. Why are we sitting
down with Michael Chang this week?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Matt, Well, we've actually already sat down with him, but
we thought it would be cool to split out interview
with him that we did during the US hard court
season into two parts because a really cool thing about
Chang's career was his success in Asia. More than a
third of his career titles came in Asia. Amazing, yeah,
incredible record, and he had enormous support there, which he
talked about in the interview, and he won the very
(00:38):
first edition of the China Open, which was played in
nineteen ninety three. So we thought it might be cool
to get his thoughts on Asian tennis how the game
has grown in that region, working with Japan's Kane is Hikori,
and we thought we'd bring you out this week while
those players are all playing there. So here is the
other thing we wanted to chat to you about was
(00:59):
your success in Asia. You won twelve titles there. Looking
back at your history, why do you think he was
so successful there?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I mean Asia with for me, it was just, uh,
it was so easy to play and it didn't really
matter I guess to what part of Asia, whether I
was in Japan, I think it was probably most difficult
to play me. I would say, uh, probably in China
and in Hong Kong, just because of the crowd support
(01:26):
that I got there, you know, and I it was crazy,
and it's even you know, it's it's tough to describe,
and in some instances it didn't really necessarily feel like
a tennis match because the crowd was was so you know,
was pulling for me. You know, my days over there
were we're pretty crazy just to go to go do
(01:49):
normal things. Actually was was very difficult, but it was
obviously very exciting at the same time. And you know,
I just think whenever you're you're in situation where you're
playing and the crowd is just you know, cheering for
you and they're always behind you. For me, I really
enjoyed that I thrived on that, and you know, I
(02:12):
just played some of my some of my best tennis
you know, over in Asia, and you know, relatetionous the
opportunities to to always go back back in the day,
we used to actually go twice a year. Now actually
it's only once a year, but we used to go
twice a year, once in April and then coming back
again in October. So so I did spend you know,
(02:34):
quite a bit of time over there, you know, playing tournaments.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
That's amazing how the calendar has changed. I guess the
Asian swing is still that septempoc tiber times post Us Open.
You won the first China Open in nineteen ninety three,
and I think it was a completely different tournament than
it might have been on like indoor carpet.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Or something like that.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, what do you remember about that tournament and what
tednis was like in China then, because that was very
early day.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Oh, it was very different. You know.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now obviously you've got these uh, you know, these beautiful
stadiums and and uh, you know, basically these tennis facilities.
I mean when I played, when I played in Beijing
and and uh and you know shop well, Beijing actually
it was probably been one of the first ones, and
it was played almost like in a almost like in
a in a basketball like arena almost and it was
(03:26):
it was.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Not that big. It It probably only seeded maybe.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Maybe twenty five hundred people, you know, and uh, you know,
they didn't really have pure tennis facilities like they do now.
You know, obviously we've we've had the Shanghai you know Masters,
You've got huge tournaments in different parts of of China.
So when I first came out, there were no tournaments
(03:52):
in China. There was one tournament in Hong Kong. And
it took some time before, you know, before a particular
a couple of particular promoters really kind of took took
tennis by the helm and said, hey, I'm gonna start
bringing tennis tournaments to to China.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
It took a little while, but they did a good job.
And and you.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Know, in fact, the uh you know, Michael Leveno, who
who is still running uh, you know, the tournament in Shanghai,
you know, was running a lot of those tournaments.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
You know, back in in in the day when I
first started playing.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I just had one other thing you made me think of,
were there any Chinese players?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Then there were Chinese players, they weren't certainly as well
known and certainly didn't do do that well. A lot
of times they would be offered, you know, wild cards
obviously to play, but there were very few that I
don't think there were any that I can think of
that were in.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Inside the top two hundred. I think, Yeah, Michael.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
What have you made of the growth of tennis in
China to you won that title to A two years ago?
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah, I mean it's been exciting to be honest with you,
you know, and I know that uh, you know, leading
a success obviously, you know, I think spurred a lot
of a lot of kids to pick up the sport.
And uh, interestingly enough, tennis actually among amongst.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Diplomats actually was very very popular back in my day.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Sometimes I would have to go to events and say, hey,
you know, this particular diplomat wants to play tennis, and
I'd be kind of taken back a little bit, like, oh,
he knows how to play tennis. I'm thinking, okay, maybe
I'm giving a beginner a lesser or something like that.
And I get on the court and I mean, these
guys can play, and it's it's obvious that you know
that they they know how to play, They've played for
(05:50):
quite some time, they understand the game. But I think
for the general public, not that many people were playing tennis,
and so to be able to see tennis, you know,
pick up in the in the universities and people you know,
having interest to going to to.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Learn the sport.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And and obviously now you've got you know, quite a
few different academies. You've got academies that are being started
by you know, you know, by teams coming from Europe
or teams coming from from the US.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
It's a whole different ballgame.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So what what it was back then, uh, you know,
where it was just really kind of a an introductory
sport is now mainstream.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
You know, it's uh, it's it's it's huge.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
And you know, all these different provinces obviously are are
investing their time and their effort and their and their
funds into you know, trying to create champions coming from
their particular region.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
And it's great to see.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Chris Clary interview that Matt referenced earlier, you commented on
seeing Asian names in junior draws and in junior draws
to cheats and he said, it's special because I played
a role in part of that and in helping some
of these young kids maybe believe that Asians can go
out there and play these sports and do well at it.
In terms of your career legacy, how high does that sit?
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Well, I mean for me, it's I mean for me,
and I mean not not just in the States, but obviously,
you know, like I said, in in Asia as well.
You know, I've taken time to you know, introduce the
sport to uh two kids obviously wherever wherever I go.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
But I'm going to have you know, a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Influence in in the in the Asia Pacific rim I'm
gonna have a little bit more influence with some of
the you know, some of the Asian children, you know, naturally,
and you know, I think it's a I think they
gain a little bit of confidence in certain situations where
they're like, gosh, I'm looking and I'm seeing Michael in person.
He's really not that big, that much bigger than I am.
(07:53):
He's not that much stronger than I am. You know,
if he's able to go out there and be successful,
you know, why can't die?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
You know, in the United States, I I don't think
that sports was ever really a big focus. Obviously it's
changed now, you know, the general mentality for for Asian
families and their children would be education music that would
be more of the tendency. But but now, you know,
(08:22):
you have a lot of a lot of success and
in a lot of other sports, and you know, people
are starting to realize that, you know, in order to
go and and you know, get into a great college.
You you it's great to be smart, but it's even
more beneficial if you've got other other qualities or other
interests or other hobbies that you're really really good at
(08:42):
that can also you know, help you become more more
well rounded as a person. And sports is a is
a great way to uh obviously connect people. You know,
sports is also an unbelievable way to you know, to
work on different characteristics in your in your in your
personhood and uh and you learned a lot, a lot
(09:05):
of lifelong lessons, you know, certainly through the sport of tennis,
and I can imagine through other sports as well.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Is it just a coincidence that in your coaching career
you worked with a player of Asian descent in Kani
sha kori or was that something that you always targeted
and wanted to set out to do.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I did actually target it. I did not actually seek
the coaching position to work with K. But when the
opportunity did come around and I was asked to the
possibility of working with K, I I jumped at the
opportunity because you know, at that particular time, there really
weren't a whole lot of you know, Asian men that
(09:45):
have done that have done very well. You know that
at that time, I think Paradorn had gotten into the
top ten. You know, Cecil had played you know, some
some good tennis Cecil Mammet, but there weren't a whole
lot of uh, you know, Asian men doing well. So
you know, at that particular time, you know, K had
(10:06):
been ranked in the top twenty I think for for
the last couple of years, and you know, for one
reason or another, you know, had difficulty breaking into the
top ten. And and so I looked at it more
as as an opportunity to help, you know, a talented
young Asian player and try to be able to go
out there and and uh and help him in his
(10:27):
game and and uh you know, have an influence on
him as a as a person, to help him, you know,
help him strive and become the best player that that
he can be. And and obviously was exciting to be
able to see him, you know, that first year not
only break into the top ten, you know, reach number
four in the world, but also get to the finals
(10:49):
of the US Open.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
So yeah, it was you know, certainly.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
A you know, exciting time and uh, you know for
me and and Amber, you know, our youngest daughter at
the time was really really young. But even even that,
to have my daughter be at all these Grand Slam events,
be at all the biggest Masters one thousands tournaments around
(11:16):
the world, I'm grateful for it because she loves tennis. Now,
she's thirteen years old now and she's playing you know
a lot of you know girls sixteen another tournaments nationally,
she's playing some international tournaments, you know, and I'm thankful
to Kay for giving her that opportunity to be, you know,
(11:37):
in that kind of situation. Honestly, if you have any
young person, then they're getting a chance to watch you know,
matches on center court and all the Grand Slams and
all these big venues. How do you not fall in
love with the sport of tennis. Yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
You mentioned obviously before Michael, you'll weed at Roland Garross.
So that was in nineteen eighty nine. Do you consider
that your brightest triumph or with the other like bigger
milestones of highlights that came later in your career for you.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I mean, I've had a lot of you know, great
accomplishments and big milestones. I don't think anything will ever
top the French Open in eighty nine. I think, had
I actually even won another Grand Slam, if I had
won the US Open in ninety six, I actually don't.
I don't know if if, if, if, that would be
(12:26):
bigger than winning the you know, the French Open in
eighty nine.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
I think I still think people.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Would know me for for the eighty nine victory, so,
you know, just in the in the way that it
was played, you know, in the situation in Tiannemn, was
was happening during the tournament.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
I mean, there were just.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
So many things going on that that it wasn't just
about you know, tennis.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Those those couple of weeks amazing, Thanks so much. It
was really cool.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You've got great recall, so it was really great to
hear all of those different, you know, decades and stories.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
I really enjoyed that.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Yeah, I think it's some aspects when you've when you've well,
you love tennis.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
You're so passionate about it.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Some of these things are just still so so vivid
in your mind, even though they happen some so, you know,
quite a number of years ago.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
So amazing.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
I'm going through a different phase now with tennis. But hopefully,
you know, hopefully I'll be back out on those Grand
Slam courts. Uh uh, you know, watching my daughter, my son,
you know, play somewhere down the road.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
That'll be uh, that'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That'd be amazing.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
It's wonderful that I love tennis so much. You must
be really proud.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And my wife is a tennis player as well, so yeah,
So I mean, you know, regardless, I think that if
they play professionally, great, but you know, first things first,
you want them to be passionate about something that that
that means a lot to you. And let's face it,
I mean, tennis is really a sport for a lifetime
and and you know, just to have the opportunity to uh,
(13:55):
to play all around the world, you know, use the
sport to to meet so many different people is such
a wonderful thing. And all the leafe lessons you learn
along the way.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
How interesting that just his performance through Asia and then
winning in nineteen eighty nine at the French Open, now
rolling Garross. I was four years old when he won that,
and I really do remember his name because obviously he
went well into the nineties playing top tennis as well,
and those were my peak years of sitting with my
(14:29):
parents watching tennis.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Yeah, well, I'm a very similar age to you. I
was around that age in eighty nine. And yeah, I
started watching tennis in the mid nineties and Chang's actually
one of the first players I ever saw play, because
I don't think i'd heard of tennis and it came
on at the ninety six Australian Open and I got
hooked on it as a primary school kid watching and
Chang made the final that year. So I watched a
lot of his tennis then, and yeah, remember him through that,
(14:52):
through that era. So it's kind of cool to talk
to someone that you kind of watched growing up. For me, actually, yeah,
you get to meet them, it's really little special. Yeah
all right, Well, we'll be back again next Monday with
another episode of The Sitdown. In between now and then
you can join John and Bree and the team on
the next episode of the aoshow weekly on Thursday.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Details for how to contact.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Us are in the show notes below, and please, as
we always ask, subscribe, rate and review. See you next week, Bri.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Thanks for having me. Bye,
Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Sitdown.
I'm Ntrolope, a writer for oz open dot.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Com and I embraced you it from the AO Show
and I'm here filling in four viv Christi, who's currently
in Shanghai. So let's get started. Why are we sitting
down with Michael Chang this week?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Matt, Well, we've actually already sat down with him, but
we thought it would be cool to split out interview
with him that we did during the US hard court
season into two parts because a really cool thing about
Chang's career was his success in Asia. More than a
third of his career titles came in Asia. Amazing, yeah,
incredible record, and he had enormous support there, which he
talked about in the interview, and he won the very
(00:38):
first edition of the China Open, which was played in
nineteen ninety three. So we thought it might be cool
to get his thoughts on Asian tennis how the game
has grown in that region, working with Japan's Kane is Hikori,
and we thought we'd bring you out this week while
those players are all playing there. So here is the
other thing we wanted to chat to you about was
(00:59):
your success in Asia. You won twelve titles there. Looking
back at your history, why do you think he was
so successful there?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
I mean Asia with for me, it was just, uh,
it was so easy to play and it didn't really
matter I guess to what part of Asia, whether I
was in Japan, I think it was probably most difficult
to play me. I would say, uh, probably in China
and in Hong Kong, just because of the crowd support
(01:26):
that I got there, you know, and I it was crazy,
and it's even you know, it's it's tough to describe,
and in some instances it didn't really necessarily feel like
a tennis match because the crowd was was so you know,
was pulling for me. You know, my days over there
were we're pretty crazy just to go to go do
(01:49):
normal things. Actually was was very difficult, but it was
obviously very exciting at the same time. And you know,
I just think whenever you're you're in situation where you're
playing and the crowd is just you know, cheering for
you and they're always behind you. For me, I really
enjoyed that I thrived on that, and you know, I
(02:12):
just played some of my some of my best tennis
you know, over in Asia, and you know, relatetionous the
opportunities to to always go back back in the day,
we used to actually go twice a year. Now actually
it's only once a year, but we used to go
twice a year, once in April and then coming back
again in October. So so I did spend you know,
(02:34):
quite a bit of time over there, you know, playing tournaments.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
That's amazing how the calendar has changed. I guess the
Asian swing is still that septempoc tiber times post Us Open.
You won the first China Open in nineteen ninety three,
and I think it was a completely different tournament than
it might have been on like indoor carpet.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Or something like that.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, what do you remember about that tournament and what
tednis was like in China then, because that was very
early day.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Oh, it was very different. You know.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now obviously you've got these uh, you know, these beautiful
stadiums and and uh, you know, basically these tennis facilities.
I mean when I played, when I played in Beijing
and and uh and you know shop well, Beijing actually
it was probably been one of the first ones, and
it was played almost like in a almost like in
a in a basketball like arena almost and it was
(03:26):
it was.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Not that big. It It probably only seeded maybe.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Maybe twenty five hundred people, you know, and uh, you know,
they didn't really have pure tennis facilities like they do now.
You know, obviously we've we've had the Shanghai you know Masters,
You've got huge tournaments in different parts of of China.
So when I first came out, there were no tournaments
(03:52):
in China. There was one tournament in Hong Kong. And
it took some time before, you know, before a particular
a couple of particular promoters really kind of took took
tennis by the helm and said, hey, I'm gonna start
bringing tennis tournaments to to China.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
It took a little while, but they did a good job.
And and you.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Know, in fact, the uh you know, Michael Leveno, who
who is still running uh, you know, the tournament in Shanghai,
you know, was running a lot of those tournaments.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
You know, back in in in the day when I
first started playing.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I just had one other thing you made me think of,
were there any Chinese players?
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Then there were Chinese players, they weren't certainly as well
known and certainly didn't do do that well. A lot
of times they would be offered, you know, wild cards
obviously to play, but there were very few that I
don't think there were any that I can think of
that were in.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Inside the top two hundred. I think, Yeah, Michael.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
What have you made of the growth of tennis in
China to you won that title to A two years ago?
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah, I mean it's been exciting to be honest with you,
you know, and I know that uh, you know, leading
a success obviously, you know, I think spurred a lot
of a lot of kids to pick up the sport.
And uh, interestingly enough, tennis actually among amongst.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Diplomats actually was very very popular back in my day.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Sometimes I would have to go to events and say, hey,
you know, this particular diplomat wants to play tennis, and
I'd be kind of taken back a little bit, like, oh,
he knows how to play tennis. I'm thinking, okay, maybe
I'm giving a beginner a lesser or something like that.
And I get on the court and I mean, these
guys can play, and it's it's obvious that you know
that they they know how to play, They've played for
(05:50):
quite some time, they understand the game. But I think
for the general public, not that many people were playing tennis,
and so to be able to see tennis, you know,
pick up in the in the universities and people you know,
having interest to going to to.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Learn the sport.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
And and obviously now you've got you know, quite a
few different academies. You've got academies that are being started
by you know, you know, by teams coming from Europe
or teams coming from from the US.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
It's a whole different ballgame.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
So what what it was back then, uh, you know,
where it was just really kind of a an introductory
sport is now mainstream.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
You know, it's uh, it's it's it's huge.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
And you know, all these different provinces obviously are are
investing their time and their effort and their and their
funds into you know, trying to create champions coming from
their particular region.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
And it's great to see.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
Chris Clary interview that Matt referenced earlier, you commented on
seeing Asian names in junior draws and in junior draws
to cheats and he said, it's special because I played
a role in part of that and in helping some
of these young kids maybe believe that Asians can go
out there and play these sports and do well at it.
In terms of your career legacy, how high does that sit?
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Well, I mean for me, it's I mean for me,
and I mean not not just in the States, but obviously,
you know, like I said, in in Asia as well.
You know, I've taken time to you know, introduce the
sport to uh two kids obviously wherever wherever I go.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
But I'm going to have you know, a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Influence in in the in the Asia Pacific rim I'm
gonna have a little bit more influence with some of
the you know, some of the Asian children, you know, naturally,
and you know, I think it's a I think they
gain a little bit of confidence in certain situations where
they're like, gosh, I'm looking and I'm seeing Michael in person.
He's really not that big, that much bigger than I am.
(07:53):
He's not that much stronger than I am. You know,
if he's able to go out there and be successful,
you know, why can't die?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
You know, in the United States, I I don't think
that sports was ever really a big focus. Obviously it's
changed now, you know, the general mentality for for Asian
families and their children would be education music that would
be more of the tendency. But but now, you know,
(08:22):
you have a lot of a lot of success and
in a lot of other sports, and you know, people
are starting to realize that, you know, in order to
go and and you know, get into a great college.
You you it's great to be smart, but it's even
more beneficial if you've got other other qualities or other
interests or other hobbies that you're really really good at
(08:42):
that can also you know, help you become more more
well rounded as a person. And sports is a is
a great way to uh obviously connect people. You know,
sports is also an unbelievable way to you know, to
work on different characteristics in your in your in your
personhood and uh and you learned a lot, a lot
(09:05):
of lifelong lessons, you know, certainly through the sport of tennis,
and I can imagine through other sports as well.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
Is it just a coincidence that in your coaching career
you worked with a player of Asian descent in Kani
sha kori or was that something that you always targeted
and wanted to set out to do.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I did actually target it. I did not actually seek
the coaching position to work with K. But when the
opportunity did come around and I was asked to the
possibility of working with K, I I jumped at the
opportunity because you know, at that particular time, there really
weren't a whole lot of you know, Asian men that
(09:45):
have done that have done very well. You know that
at that time, I think Paradorn had gotten into the
top ten. You know, Cecil had played you know, some
some good tennis Cecil Mammet, but there weren't a whole
lot of uh, you know, Asian men doing well. So
you know, at that particular time, you know, K had
(10:06):
been ranked in the top twenty I think for for
the last couple of years, and you know, for one
reason or another, you know, had difficulty breaking into the
top ten. And and so I looked at it more
as as an opportunity to help, you know, a talented
young Asian player and try to be able to go
out there and and uh and help him in his
(10:27):
game and and uh you know, have an influence on
him as a as a person, to help him, you know,
help him strive and become the best player that that
he can be. And and obviously was exciting to be
able to see him, you know, that first year not
only break into the top ten, you know, reach number
four in the world, but also get to the finals
(10:49):
of the US Open.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
So yeah, it was you know, certainly.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
A you know, exciting time and uh, you know for
me and and Amber, you know, our youngest daughter at
the time was really really young. But even even that,
to have my daughter be at all these Grand Slam events,
be at all the biggest Masters one thousands tournaments around
(11:16):
the world, I'm grateful for it because she loves tennis. Now,
she's thirteen years old now and she's playing you know
a lot of you know girls sixteen another tournaments nationally,
she's playing some international tournaments, you know, and I'm thankful
to Kay for giving her that opportunity to be, you know,
(11:37):
in that kind of situation. Honestly, if you have any
young person, then they're getting a chance to watch you know,
matches on center court and all the Grand Slams and
all these big venues. How do you not fall in
love with the sport of tennis. Yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
You mentioned obviously before Michael, you'll weed at Roland Garross.
So that was in nineteen eighty nine. Do you consider
that your brightest triumph or with the other like bigger
milestones of highlights that came later in your career for you.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
I mean, I've had a lot of you know, great
accomplishments and big milestones. I don't think anything will ever
top the French Open in eighty nine. I think, had
I actually even won another Grand Slam, if I had
won the US Open in ninety six, I actually don't.
I don't know if if, if, if, that would be
(12:26):
bigger than winning the you know, the French Open in
eighty nine.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
I think I still think people.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Would know me for for the eighty nine victory, so,
you know, just in the in the way that it
was played, you know, in the situation in Tiannemn, was
was happening during the tournament.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
I mean, there were just.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
So many things going on that that it wasn't just
about you know, tennis.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Those those couple of weeks amazing, Thanks so much. It
was really cool.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
You've got great recall, so it was really great to
hear all of those different, you know, decades and stories.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
I really enjoyed that.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Yeah, I think it's some aspects when you've when you've well,
you love tennis.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
You're so passionate about it.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Some of these things are just still so so vivid
in your mind, even though they happen some so, you know,
quite a number of years ago.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
So amazing.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
I'm going through a different phase now with tennis. But hopefully,
you know, hopefully I'll be back out on those Grand
Slam courts. Uh uh, you know, watching my daughter, my son,
you know, play somewhere down the road.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
That'll be uh, that'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
That'd be amazing.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
It's wonderful that I love tennis so much. You must
be really proud.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And my wife is a tennis player as well, so yeah,
So I mean, you know, regardless, I think that if
they play professionally, great, but you know, first things first,
you want them to be passionate about something that that
that means a lot to you. And let's face it,
I mean, tennis is really a sport for a lifetime
and and you know, just to have the opportunity to uh,
(13:55):
to play all around the world, you know, use the
sport to to meet so many different people is such
a wonderful thing. And all the leafe lessons you learn
along the way.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
How interesting that just his performance through Asia and then
winning in nineteen eighty nine at the French Open, now
rolling Garross. I was four years old when he won that,
and I really do remember his name because obviously he
went well into the nineties playing top tennis as well,
and those were my peak years of sitting with my
(14:29):
parents watching tennis.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Yeah, well, I'm a very similar age to you. I
was around that age in eighty nine. And yeah, I
started watching tennis in the mid nineties and Chang's actually
one of the first players I ever saw play, because
I don't think i'd heard of tennis and it came
on at the ninety six Australian Open and I got
hooked on it as a primary school kid watching and
Chang made the final that year. So I watched a
lot of his tennis then, and yeah, remember him through that,
(14:52):
through that era. So it's kind of cool to talk
to someone that you kind of watched growing up. For me, actually, yeah,
you get to meet them, it's really little special. Yeah
all right, Well, we'll be back again next Monday with
another episode of The Sitdown. In between now and then
you can join John and Bree and the team on
the next episode of the aoshow weekly on Thursday.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Details for how to contact.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Us are in the show notes below, and please, as
we always ask, subscribe, rate and review. See you next week, Bri.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Thanks for having me. Bye,
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