The International Tennis Hall of Fame has named Michael Chang as a Global Ambassador for the organization. Chang, who famously became a major champion at age 17 when he won the French Open, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008, in recognition of his remarkable tennis career. Chang’s new role with the Hall of Fame was announced at the China Open in Beijing this week.
As a Global Ambassador, Chang will play an active role in the Hall of Fame’s efforts to promote the history of tennis to fans around the globe and to celebrate the inspiring stories of its greatest champions.
“Being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame was a very special moment for me and my family. I had the great fortune of looking up to many great champions from around the world who came before me, and to have my career be honored alongside them as part of tennis history is an honor that I treasure. History has a great opportunity to inspire, and with the sport’s stars today coming from all parts of the globe, I look forward to working with the International Tennis Hall of Fame to share tennis history around the world and hope that we can inspire a next generation of players and fans,” said Chang.
In particular, Chang will work with the Hall of Fame to raise awareness for the organization and its mission in the Asian region, where interest in tennis has increased tremendously in recent years and continues to surge.
Chang said, “Not everyone has a chance to go to Newport, to visit the museum and to experience the inductions there. This is an opportunity for me to educate people, particularly in the Asia Pacific Rim, about how special the Hall of Fame is, and also about how important it is to understand tennis history. It’s especially important because tennis in China is huge now. History is being made in tennis in China right now.”
International Tennis Hall of Fame CEO Todd Martin commented, “Michael is, and has always been, a tremendous ambassador for our sport. We look forward to working with him to promote tennis history around the world.”
Chang is the third Hall of Famer to take on the role of serving as a Global Ambassador for the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Previously, Martina Hingis and Guga Kuerten have been Global Ambassadors, taking part in outreach efforts ranging from youth tennis clinics to media events to social media activation.
Chang is one of 252 people from 23 nations who have received the ultimate honor in the sport of tennis – induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In addition to his French Open title, Chang was a three-time finalist at Grand Slam events. He won 34 career titles, marked by at least one title every year for 11 years between 1988 and 1999. Chang was a member of the U.S. Davis Cup team, and played an instrumental role in capturing the title for the United States in 1990. He is currently the coach for Japan’s No. 1 player, Kei Nishikori.
“The work that the International Tennis Hall of Fame does is really important to our sport and its future. When you walk through the museum there, it’s amazing to see all the great champions, memorable moments, and influence on world culture that tennis has delivered. However, there are many tennis fans who may not be able to make the trip to Newport, and I’m really looking forward to working with the Hall of Fame to bring the organization’s mission and message out to fans around the world in other ways,” said Chang.
