#NEXTGENATP Star -student Ten started his 2025 season in Hong Kong. One day the Lefty enjoyed a typical practice at the ATP 250 event when he met former world no. 2 Michael Chang, a triple winner of the tournament, for the first time. That day the couple only shared a short hello.
Tien’s coach at the time, Eric Diaz, put his hand out of the potential of Chang that the 19-year-old helped, which was handy since they live 20 minutes apart in California. Tien, who is now traveling with his Junior Coach, Erik Kortland, started working with Chang The week before Washington and the 34-way Titlist at Tour level will be in the Teen’s Box for the first time when he records a 24-way champion Novak Djokovic in the first round of the US Open.
“I try to help him as well as possible,” Chang told Atptour.com. “This is not always an easy year for players when they come out, and they play the main tour, the first year out, which is really a kind of what it is for him. Last year he played many challengers and did it at the end of the year really, really good. But this whole year was new to him.
“He handled it well and is clearly doing great.”
When Chang met ten at the start of the season, he was the number 122 player in the PIF ATP ranking. Now he is in a career-high world no. 48 and in the elevator. He will try to give Djokovic his first opening-round loss with a major since the Australian Open 2006.
“I love his draw. Of course, Novak is one of the biggest players playing tennis, if not the goat himself. Student has nothing to lose. He has everything to win,” Chang said. “Certainly, growing up, Novak would have been one of the great champions he has seen growing up and he is the last of his group of incredible players: Rafa and Roger and Andy, all of them.
“For [Learner] Getting the chance to play one of them is very special and let’s not deny that Novak is still playing incredible tennis. If Sinner and Alcaraz do not stand in the way, he could easily have added more Grand Slams to his resume. But at the same time, the student has nothing to lose tomorrow night. ‘
Chang pointed out that ten his Home Grand Slam tournament plays and will have the crowd behind him, while Djokovic has not participated since Wimbledon.
“I don’t know how he necessarily goes outside. We clearly expect him to play his best, as he always does, in Grand Slam events,” Chang said. “But this season the student showed that he can give the best players a lot of problems. And he defeats some boys who had defeated Novak Grand Slams in the past and he should gain confidence.”
In particular, ten former world no. 1 Daniil Medvedev shocked in a final set of Tie-Break in the second round of the Australian Open this year on the way to the fourth round. The Lefty competes in his fourth US Open and strives for his first victory after the event. Ten heard of his trek while he returned to his hotel with Kortland in the car.
“For a moment we laughed because I think he got a seed or a top player every year that he has played here so far. He said,” Yes, well, maybe we will get a trek that I can relieve for a year, “said Kortland. “But the way we looked at it is:” Hey, this is an incredible chance. You play, I can say, the goat, perhaps one of the best of all time. But this is an incredible chance of playing someone, perhaps towards the end of their career. You can play on Ashe, you can play a night match, you really enjoy the moment ‘.
“I think that has facilitated him a bit to understand that there is no more interest in this game than any other game we play and make it for the chance that it is and see what happens.”
Kortland is a former national coach at USTA Player Development accompanied by coaching legends, including Jose Higueras, Jay Berger, Ola Malmqvist and Andy Brandi. Now he enjoys the experience to work with Chang.
“I was never a high -ranked ATP player, so to be able to get what that type of player feels on these certain moments, some tactical things [is great]. He also coached Kei Nishikori, who played all these top boys, [reached the] Final of a Grand Slam, played on Ashe, “said Kortland.” So there are many things that Michael will bring for a player and what he sees and feels and may have experienced. But also, he is an incredible coach. ‘
Chang has extensively studied the game of ten. But even before he went through that process, the former world no. 2 noticed while looking at tennis in which ten would run his service.
“I think he’s certainly much bigger now. Of course he has the ability to do that. Now he starts to include that in his game,” Chang said. “I don’t think that has been a difficult transition for him. I actually think he has the ability to get off the ground very aggressively, and he can finish points on the net. He has a good net game, and there is no reason why in a very short period in a very short period in a very short period in all respects can become an All-Court player.”
Chang was one of the best defenders of his era, but he believes it is difficult to play a purely defensive game today because of the firepower and the stars of the ATP tour in their games. He hopes to work with ten in developing those skills and continuing his rise.
The winner of 662 matches at tour level, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, does not have much time to travel with ten, given other obligations, largely spend time with family and travel with his older daughter, Lani, a 14-year-old who will participate in the American open girls later in the Fortnight. But Chang is happy to help ten for various reasons.
“I have always had a heart for Asian tennis, for Asian-American tennis, and I enjoyed my time I worked with him. I feel he has a good head on his shoulders,” Chang said. “To be able to see that another colleague Asian American has the chance to do well on tour, and for me to help some of the experiences I have had, by helping him achieve his goals, I feel that it is a worthwhile thing to do. I am enthusiastic about the chance.”
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