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Healthy Chang still eyeing No. 1

MELBOURNE, Australia -- After struggling with injuries in 1998, Michael Chang returned to the Australian Open with a new approach but the same lofty goal to be No. 1.

A step slower but a year wiser, the former No. 2 arrived a month early in Australia to prepare for the year's first major.

In his opener, Chang, 26, showed no signs of any knee or wrist injuries in his 7-6 (9-7), 6-3, 6-3 win against Brett Steven.

''Last year was very difficult, one of the most difficult in my career, '' Chang said. ''But I never considered quitting the game. It was hard waiting for the injuries to heal, but I knew that it would just be a matter of time before I came back. There was a lot of uncertainty and times I got down, but the forced vacation gave me time to reassess things and relax.''

After an impressive 1997 season in which he skyrocketed to No. 2, Chang hoped to dethrone Pete Sampras with even more training.

Instead, the American suffered injuries to his stomach muscle, knee and left wrist.

The wrist tendinitis, which was his first major injury in 10 years, lasted eight months and forced him to consider surgery.

''The doctors told Michael that he needed surgery, but Michael wouldn' t have it,'' said Chang's father, Joe. ''He would have been out four months and didn't want that.

''He tried to play with it, but word traveled quickly on tour and the guys went right at that left wrist in hitting everything to his backhand. But Michael learned to deal with the setbacks and matured a lot.''

After a string of early exits in the fall, Chang stopped playing for nearly a month.

He spent his injury-induced vacation at his new waterfront home in Mercer Island, Wash., fishing, breeding rare fish (African cichlids) in his 10 aquariums and singing in a local church group called the ''Worship Team.''

Once his wrist began taking to treatments, Chang started working out with the trainer for the NBA Seattle Supersonics.

While compatriot Pete Sampras extended his offseason through January to recover from a strenuous fall, Chang was eager to return to action.

''Some guys like Pete can take time off without worries, but I need to keep playing and stay match-tough,'' Chang said. ''I can still win a grand slam and be No. 1. It will take a few more months and lot more matches before I am playing my best, but I've improved my serve and solidified every other aspect of my game.''

Chang's next opponent, Mark Philippoussis, believes Chang might be slowed but won't be easily stopped.

For the first time in his career, Chang is unseeded at the Australian Open and certainly considered the underdog against the strapping Australian star.

''Michael may have lost a step or two in the last year,'' said No. 14 seed Philippoussis, who edged Chang in a tune-up exhibition last week. ''But Michael is still a fighter. He still makes you work for everything. So, I will have to play well because he is not going to give it to me.''

Andrea Leand, Healthy Chang still eyeing No. 1. , USA Today, 01-19-1999, pp 13C.

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