Chang Moves Into Calabasas Challenger Quarterfinals

By Fred Sidhu

Calabasas, Ca. – Top-seeded Michael Chang advanced to the quarterfinals of the $50,000 USTA Challenger of Calabasas with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Alexander Waske of Germany at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center.

Chang, a former French Open champion whose world ranking has fallen to 92, slugged it out from the baseline with the hard hitting German.

From the very first game of the match, Chang pressured Waske, who won a Challenger tournament in Leon, Mexico last week.

Chang fired two aces in his opening service game and then scored an early service break in the next game.

Later in the match, Chang served at 5-3, 30-30 when he put away an overhead smash and then slammed an ace to win the first set.

In the second set, Chang broke Waske in the opening game and again as the German served to stay in the match at 3-5.

Waske, who played collegiate tennis at San Diego State University, came into Calabasas this week ranked 169 in the  world.

Chang advances to the quarterfinals, where he will face sixth-seeded Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark in a match scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m.

Tickets Friday through Sunday are $8 - $12. Children under 18 will be admitted for $5 Friday through Sunday. For ticket information, call (818) 222-2782.

Friday’s quarterfinal’s begin at 11 a.m. Saturday’s semifinals and Sunday’s final, begin at noon.

The USTA Challenger of Calabasas is a $50,000 Challenger event. The tournament is part of the United States Tennis Association Professional Circuit.