McEnroe Not Ready to Serve Chang : Masters tennis: It takes three sets, but 30-year-old veteran beats 17-year-old again to advance to semifinals.

The first time he played John McEnroe last year in Paris, Michael Chang said he felt like the kid carrying McEnroe’s rackets.

So on the occasion of their fourth meeting, it is perhaps noteworthy that the would-be racket-carrier sees something of a change in roles coming right up.

“I’m hoping soon he’ll be carrying mine,” Chang said.

And for a few moments Thursday night at the $3-million Nabisco Masters in Madison Square Garden, it appeared such a role reversal might be taking place sooner than expected.

Chang, who was one point away from 0-5 in the third set, caused some very anxious moments for McEnroe, but not enough of them. McEnroe prevailed, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, in 2 hours 44 minutes to reach the semifinals.

Also in the semifinals is Ivan Lendl, who defeated Aaron Krickstein, 6-1, 6-3. Lendl and McEnroe play tonight to decide the winner of their group and Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg meet to settle the winner and runner-up of their group.

The McEnroe-Lendl loser plays the Becker-Edberg winner in one semifinal and the reverse makes up the second of Saturday’s semifinals.

It took Lendl 20 minutes to win the first two games and seemingly about 30 seconds to close out the match against Krickstein, who is winless in their five meetings.

“He’s scary,” Krickstein said. “I think he’s the best player in the world--at least against me. Hopefully, he’ll win Wimbledon and retire.”

McEnroe, 30 years old and 13 years Chang’s senior, may have aged a little bit as he was forced to an extra set for the first time by Chang.

There were 18 break point opportunities that cropped up for Chang, who cashed in just three of them, a rejection of opportunity that cost him the match.

However, Chang had his moments and even McEnroe had to admit that.

“It was a real dogfight,” he said.

In their previous matches, one of the dogs was a pup. But after falling behind two service breaks for 4-0 then 5-1 in the third set, Chang nearly evened the match.

He eventually broke McEnroe in a momentous eighth game after McEnroe won an argument with chair umpire Gerry Armstrong over McEnroe’s favorite nemesis, the electronic service line machine.

Trailing, 3-5, Chang won his service game to 4-5 and held two more break points for 5-5, but he missed three more break point chances. Chang may have had another at deuce, but he mistimed a short ball that had clipped the net cord and banged the ball long with McEnroe hopelessly trapped at the net.

That lost opportunity troubled Chang. “It was just bad luck,” he said.

McEnroe whipped a backhand volley winner crosscourt to give him a second try at match point, which he cashed in with a forehand volley crosscourt.

His work done, McEnroe retired to the training room to get a rubdown. McEnroe had barely avoided a letdown and he knew it.

“He’s so low to the ground and gets to so many balls, he just attacks the court,” McEnroe said. “He’s got incredible legs.”

“If (Chang) is as strong mentally in five years as he is now, he should be very happy,” McEnroe said.

There was an example of Chang’s mental process early.

“He won the coin toss and he thought about what to call for like 15 or 20 seconds,” McEnroe said. “For him, I think it was some kind of intense thing.”

McEnroe’s reaction?

“I asked the chair umpire to penalize him for delay of game,” McEnroe said. “But Gerry said the guy has 30 seconds. They always have an answer.”

McEnroe has always had an answer for Chang, too, but Chang said he will persevere.

“At this point, he’s still better than I am,” Chang said. “But . . . hopefully, it’s just a matter of time.”