Former French Open champ Chang to grace MOKL

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Grand Slam champion Michael Chang will be in town when the Malaysian Open tennis tournament begins on Saturday at the Putra Indoor Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Chang will be travelling here with his disciple and US Open runner-up Kei Nishikori.

The Malaysian capital holds a special place in Chang’s heart as this was where he won one of his 34 singles titles in 15-year career back in September 1993.

Chang thumped Sweden’s Jonas Svensson 6-0, 6-4 in the final to pick up his fourth title of the season that year.

The 42-year-old American, however, will not only be here to guide world No. 8 Nishikori of Japan gun for his second title of the season, but has also agreed to conduct a special clinic for the Malaysian Davis Cup team’s players and coaches on Sept 25.

The clinic will focus on strategy, mental conditioning and “how to be a champion”, and is part of the ATP 250 event’s efforts to raise the standard of tennis in Malaysia.

The RM3.23mil tournament has also attracted some other big names – like world No. 6 Milos Raonic of Canada and Latvia’s world No. 13 Ernests Gulbis.

There is bound to be more excitement with the wildcard participation of three young rising stars – Japan’s Taro Daniel, Filip Krajinovic of Serbia and Omar Jasika of Australia.

Daniel and Krajinovic advanced through the qualifying rounds to make the main draw at the recent US Open while Jasika is a US Open junior singles and doubles champion.

The final qualifying wildcard has gone to 16-year-old Koay Hao Sheng of Kedah.

He will join compatriots Syed Mohd Agil Syed Naguib, Mohd Assri Merzuki and Mohd Ashaari Zainal Abidin in the singles qualifying rounds on Saturday.