Even at End, He’ll Always Have Paris

Michael Chang was 17, a skinny, wide-eyed boy with the straight-edge haircut and enough guts for 10 men when he made history and started a glorious run of American men’s tennis.

When Chang won the 1989 French Open, the first American man since Tony Trabert in 1955 to do so, when he served underhand to save his strength while beating top-seeded Ivan Lendl because his legs were cramping, when he limped to victory over stunned Stefan Edberg in the final because the pain from dehydration was overwhelming his body but not his spirit, when the young man of Chinese heritage won a tennis tournament while other boys his age were showing the world special courage at Tiananmen Square, it was part miracle, part magic, part talent.

And it was the first of 27 Grand Slam tournaments won over the next 14 years by Chang, Jim Courier (four) Pete Sampras (14) and Andre Agassi (eight).

“If one of us did something, we all wanted to do it,” Chang said.

The thing is, Chang never won another Slam. He was runner-up three times -- at the 1995 French and the 1996 Australian and U.S. Opens -- but never again a champion.

Chang had the first, though. He was the trend-setter. He brought to Paris in 1989 the attitude that all of his talented, young American group -- which also included Todd Martin and David Wheaton -- brought to every tournament.

“I feel like we gave each other confidence, not just as professionals but even as juniors,” Chang said. “What made this particular class so special was that we knew we were good players. At that point, I don’t think any one of us thought about winning Grand Slams and becoming No. 1 or coming close to being No. 1

“At that point, we were just trying to be the best of the pack. If you didn’t work hard, if you didn’t play well, you were at the back of the pack. No one liked to be there.”

Sometimes being “back of the pack” meant being no worse than ninth in the world. In 1992, Courier finished the season as No. 1, Sampras was No. 3, Chang No. 6 and Agassi No. 9.

Martin said, “When Michael won here in 1989, I think it convinced Andre, Jim and Pete that they could begin achieving similar heights. It gave us all hope we could play on clay.”

Chang played his final French Open match Tuesday.

The tournament organizers honored him by putting his first-round match against Frenchman Fabrice Santoro on center court, where Chang had soaked the clay with his sweat and tears 14 years ago.

He did the same Tuesday but with such a different result. It took 2 hours 4 minutes for Chang to lose to Santoro, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1.

Chang, 31, openly wept into a Roland Garros towel as the crowd gave him a two-minute standing ovation.

“I’ve only cried twice in my career,” Chang told them, “and both times were here on this court.”

Bud Collins, tennis’ most respected commentator and historian, said he never saw a more amazing Grand Slam performance than Chang’s in 1989.

Brian Vahaly, a 23-year-old American who is trying to achieve a bit of what Chang has accomplished, and who fought well before losing to top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, 6-4, 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, remembered being 10 years old and playing a Georgia state junior tournament the week that Chang won the French.

“It was inspiring,” Vahaly said. “The way he played, the way he moved, his incredible intensity. It was remarkable and it started a great run for Americans.

“We were riding in a friend’s van and it had a TV in it, a big deal back then. The picture was really fuzzy, but we would watch Michael’s matches and run into the rest stops to call home. During changeovers at the tournament, I remember shouting to my parents, asking them Michael’s scores.”

Courier, a grinder like Chang, retired four years ago. Sampras, who turned into not only the greatest of Chang’s “pack,” but perhaps the greatest ever, hasn’t played this year and two weeks ago said it is “95%” that he is retired.

Agassi, 33, is second-seeded here and one of only four American men left in the draw after one round. Martin, 32, and Vince Spadea, 28, are two of the others. James Blake is the single representative of what is being called “the young guns” generation left.

There is a sense of desperation about the way Blake, Andy Roddick -- who lost in the first round for the second consecutive year -- Robby Ginepri and Mardy Fish are being pushed as successors to Chang’s generation.

“It would be nice to see another American man do well here,” Martin said. “It would remind guys that success is possible while playing our stereotypical [American] game.”

Martin didn’t mean Agassi winning a second French Open. He meant someone else, a new generation’s Chang. If there is such a person.

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Diane Pucin can be reached at diane.pucin@latimes.com.