Many of the world's most famous and classic novels start with the gripping tale of a boy and follow his development through life's obstacles with anticipation and delight as the young man grows into a true gentleman.
Michael Chang has not had to endure the same turmoil as Oliver Twist
or David Copperfield, but the 31-year-old American always has been a gentleman on and off the court.
And the 17-year story of his career came to its conclusion this week with a first-round loss at the US Open.
Chang has inspired a generation from California to China as he evolved from a 15-year-old boy wonder at Flushing Meadows to a man with upstanding Christian values.
What Chang lacked in height at 1.75m compared to many of his peers, he made up for in heart and spirit.
Supported by his ever-present family, including his brother and coach, Carl, Chang captured 34 ATP titles - a feat equalled only by Andre Agassi among active players - including one Grand Slam championship and seven Tennis Masters Series shields.
Two words that can be used to describe many of Chang's early achievements in a nutshell are "youngest ever."
At 15 1/2, he was the youngest to win a main draw match at the US Open, beating Paul McNamee, after taking a wildcard while still an amateur ranked No 920 in the world.
A month later, he became the youngest to reach an ATP semifinal, in Scottsdale.
After winning his first title in San Francisco in 1988 without dropping a set, he went on to become the youngest Roland Garros and Grand Slam champion at 17 years and three months, defeating Stefan Edberg in a thrilling five-set final.
His fourth-round victory over Ivan Lendl will also be remembered for years.
Chang, cramping in the latter stages, fought back from two sets down and served underarm at one stage before winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in a 4h 27m marathon.
Not since Tony Trabert in 1955 had an American conquered the fans so much in Paris.
Chang rose to No 6 and later became the youngest to enter the top five in the ATP rankings.
In the 1990s, he evolved from a young star to a seasoned professional, challenging for every major title on the ATP circuit.
The first of his seven Tennis Masters Series shields came in 1990 in Toronto, where he beat Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and Jay Berger to win the title.
Later in the year, he helped the United States win the Davis Cup.
Two years later, he won consecutive TMS shields in Indian Wells and Miami, and reached the US Open semifinal, losing to Edberg in a 5h 26m battle, the longest match in the history of the tournament.
Between 1993 and 1996, he won 16 titles, 10 of them in Asia.
He reached Grand Slam finals at Roland Garros (lost to Thomas Muster), the Australian Open (lost to Boris Becker) and the US Open (lost to Pete Sampras), reached a career-high No 2 in the world and came within one match of reaching No 1 at Flushing Meadows.
A model of consistency, he won 66 matches in 1993 and 1994, and 65 matches in 1995 and 1996.
After reaching four consecutive finals in Cincinnati in that period, Chang claimed the last of his Tennis Masters Series shields in Indian Wells in 1997, a year in which he won five titles and spent most of the year at No 2 in the world.
In 1998, he won two more titles in Boston and Shanghai to extend his tournament-winning streak to 11 years - the longest on the ATP circuit - which came to an end in 1999.
After beating Jan-Michael Gambill in Los Angeles in 2000, he joined Agassi as the only active players to win titles in three different decades.
As Chang played his 17th and final US Open this week, he looked back on his career.
"I think there are a lot of things that will bring a smile to my face," he said. "I believe I have been very blessed with having the opportunity to have played on tour.
"For me as an individual and for my family, I think God has blessed us with more than we could have ever imagined.
"To be able to play on the tour is one thing, but to have an opportunity to win a Grand Slam and reach a career-high No 2 ranking was my wildest dream coming true.
"There have been a great number of people we have met along the way and we have great memories - memories that will be with me for the rest of my life.
"I've played a lot of memorable matches. It will be difficult to top the match I played with Ivan [Lendl] in the fourth round at the French Open in 1989.
"It was a match that defined my career. It gave me a tremendous amount of confidence at such a young age.
"It taught me that no matter where I was in a match, that although I might have been down, I was never out of it."
As Chang looks forward to joining his father and brother Carl in real estate in the Denver area, he says he has no regrets about his decision.
"The decision to retire now was something that was decided over a period of time.
"It was something that I really thought about during the off-season and I feel like the timing is right.
"My career really started at the US Open and it's the only tournament I will have played 17 times in my career.
"I played once as an amateur, as a 15-year-old. It's where I started it and where I'm happy to finish."
Not only has Chang been one of the most successful players of his generation, he also will be remembered for his admirable status as a role model for Asian American youth and as one of the most caring athletes on the circuit.
Now, he will have time to concentrate on his fishing - and the Michael Chang Family Foundation with commitment to Christian values and family community.
Michael Chang
Born: 22/2/72, Hoboken, New Jersey.
Height: 1.75m.
Weight: 75kg.
Plays: Right-hand.
Turned pro: 1988.
Tour singles: 662 victories, 312 losses.
Tournament wins: 34.
Grand Slam: French Open (1989)
Many of the world's most famous and classic novels start with the gripping tale of a boy and follow his development through life's obstacles with anticipation and delight as the young man grows into a true gentleman.
Michael Chang has not had to endure the same turmoil as Oliver Twist
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.