ATP Legacy: Chang Reflects On Historic Sunshine Double

In 1989, Michael Chang won the first and only major tournament of his career, Roland Garros. Three years later, the pride of Hoboken, N.J., did something that may have been even more difficult: He won the coveted Sunshine Double, taking the titles in both Indian Wells and Miami.

“Coming into Indian Wells [in 1992], I was actually not playing that well,” Chang told ATP Uncovered. “So really, just kind of struggling through my matches and all of a sudden something just clicked. My timing clicked, my movement clicked.

“The tide completely shifted.”

Lacking the conventional weapons – a big serve and a forehand to match – Chang had two other vital attributes, brains and quickness. He leveraged those advantages, winning all six matches at the BNP Paribas Open. He dropped a single game in the semi-final over Francisco Clavet and beat Andrei Chesnokov in the final 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.

“Miami’s a little different,” Chang said, “it’s a different flavour. I was really, really pumped to play Jim [Courier]. He’d reached No. 1.”

Indeed, after beating World No. 4 Pete Sampras in the quarter-finals, Chang drew Courier in the semi-finals at the Miami Open presented by Itau. That, too, was a straight-sets victory and only Alberto Mancini stood in his way.

“I had a good record against Alberto Mancini,” Chang said. “I felt like if I played good, solid tennis, I felt like I had a great chance to win that match.”
Chang needed only two sets to lift his second trophy in three weeks, following Courier (1991) as a Sunshine Double champion. Sampras (1994), Marcelo Rios (1998) and Andre Agassi (2001) would follow.

Eventually, Novak Djokovic (four doubles) and Roger Federer (three) would join them in that elite group.

“I think all the players realise you’ve got two huge, back-to-back tournaments,” Chang said. “I think for me to win both Indian Wells and Miami, I think it’s always been a special feat.

“I knew after it was done it was something I’d remember for a while.”