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Chang Says Goodbye to Tennis After Loss

Posted on: Tuesday, 26 August 2003, 06:00 CDT

Michael Chang played his final match before retirement with the same flair and energy he's shown for years - his feet just didn't move as quickly at age 31 as they used to.

Chang, feisty as ever, lost to 15th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-3, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 on Tuesday in the first round of the U.S. Open., then walked back onto the court and waved goodbye to a standing ovation in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"Am I supposed to be able to explain my emotions?" Chang said. "New York has been such a special place to me. This is the only tournament I was able to play 17 straight times in my career.

"I started my career here as a 15-year-old, and New York welcomed me. No doubt in part because I was born in Hoboken, New Jersey."

Chang stayed in the match with behind-the-back trickery, booming first serves and just the emotion from an adoring crowd.

Gonzalez overpowered the former French Open champion with 15 aces and 62 winners. Chang, who received a wild-card entry into the tournament, won the French in 1989 at 17 and had a top ranking of No. 2.

Chang announced in January the Open would be his last event. He said his inability to maintain a high level on the court led to his decision. Plus, playing 15 years on the pro tour has taken its toll.

"He's one of the gutsiest players who's ever played," John McEnroe said.

Chang said it was important to have fun in his final season regardless of his results. He won only two matches in 2003.

"I think it was emotional for me," Chang said. "I think I try to keep my mind on other things in order to be able to keep my composure out there. I really think if you walk away from the tour feeling like 'I should have done that and should have done that' and you have regrets and don't walk away with a smile, something's not right."

Second-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne defeated Aniko Kapros 7-5, 6-3 in the second meeting between the two aggressive baseliners who kept pounding away in long rallies until someone hit a winner or committed an error.

Henin-Hardenne lost to Kapros in the first round of the 2002 French Open.

"The first match is always tough, especially in Grand Slams," Henin-Hardenne said. "I tried to forget about what happened last year at the French Open."

They each made several spectacular saves on balls that seemed untouchable and Henin-Hardenne hit 27 winners against the 129th-ranked Kapros. Kapros, a qualifier, broke Henin-Hardenne's serve twice in the 54-minute first set, but Henin-Hardenne began putting more pressure on her opponent and won 14 points at the net.

In other women's matches Tuesday, No. 15-seeded Ai Sugiyama beat Conchita Martinez Granados 6-1, 6-0; No. 32 Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian defeated Marlene Weingartner 6-3, 6-1, and Mary Pierce advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Stephanie Gehrlein. No. 30-seeded Magui Serna defeated Cho Yoon-jeong 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

In men's play, 11th-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan beat Cyril Saulnier 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4); No. 33 Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Roko Karanusic 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-3, and eighth-seeded Rainer Schuettler eliminated Wayne Arthurs 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. No. 28 Yevgeny Kafelnikov beat Kristof Vliegen 3-6, 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-2.

Henin-Hardenne lost 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 in her only previous meeting against the 19-year-old Kapros.

With Serena and Venus Williams sidelined with injuries, there has been much hype about the chance for an all-Belgian final between Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion, and world No. 1 Kim Clijsters.

"It's still very early to talk about any player who can win this tournament," Henin-Hardenne said.

The top-seeded Clijsters defeated wild-card Amber Liu of the United States 6-2, 6-3 in 1 hour, 2 minutes Monday night to reach the second round. Clijsters has never won a Grand Slam.

"It was hard in the beginning," Clijsters said. "I didn't play a match since I lost in Toronto. Playing another night match is always a little bit different."

Especially when your match is the prelude into an emotional retirement tribute for one of the game's greatest: Pete Sampras.

After Clijsters and Liu cleared out of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Sampras formally bid farewell to tennis, crying for several minutes during a long standing ovation from fans who held signs and screamed, "We love you, Pete!"

After the ceremony, sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, Clijsters' boyfriend, beat Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

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