Podcast: Michael Chang on Coaching Kei Nishikori, Lessons from his Career

On this week's episode, host Jon Wertheim talks with Michael Chang about his coaching position, career, the French Open and much more.
Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images

On the Beyond the Baseline Podcast, Sports Illustrated executive editor, Tennis Channel commentator and host Jon Wertheim takes fans between the lines with tennis commentary and exclusive interviews with the top players and newsmakers on the ATP and WTA tours.

On the latest edition of the Beyond the Baseline Podcast, host Jon Wertheim talks with Michael Chang.

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A few weeks out from the 2018 French Open, Wertheim talks with Michael Chang about how the season has been for him so far, how he got into coaching, his relationship with Kei Nishikori and what he's done to help him elevate his game and change his mentality, and much more.

As one of Panda Express’ honorees for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May​, Chang also talks about his own career, specifically in regards to the treatment he received as a tennis player, what he had to overcome as an Asian tennis player, his relationship with young Asian tennis players today and and how his physical build impacted his career. Chang also talks about the place of a player of his stature—about 5’10', 160 pounds—in today’s game and what makes a great champion today.

Listen below and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher.​​​​

Check back next week for another episode of Beyond the Baseline.


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Jon Wertheim
JON WERTHEIM

Jon Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and has been part of the full-time SI writing staff since 1997, largely focusing on the tennis beat , sports business and social issues, and enterprise journalism. In addition to his work at SI, he is a correspondent for "60 Minutes" and a commentator for The Tennis Channel. He has authored 11 books and has been honored with two Emmys, numerous writing and investigative journalism awards, and the Eugene Scott Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Wertheim is a longtime member of the New York Bar Association (retired), the International Tennis Writers Association and the Writers Guild of America. He has a bachelor's in history from Yale University and received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in New York City with his wife, who is a divorce mediator and adjunct law professor. They have two children.