Monday, March 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Then, as Chang saw Ulihrach zipping the ball by him in the opening set of their Newsweek Champions Cup title match Sunday, he grew more than a little worried that he might be the young Czech's next victim.
"When we first came out, he was hitting unbelievable," said Chang, the Henderson resident who came from a first-set loss to take a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory for his second consecutive Champions Cup title.
"We were trading groundstrokes and all of a sudden he ripped a backhand, down-the-line winner just from nowhere. I just kind of stood there. ... Once I saw those first few shots, I said, 'I better get my act together.' It really took me a good two sets to figure out his game."
Looking confused against a player he had not faced before, Chang got off to a rocky start, losing his service to open the match, then letting Ulihrach dictate the pace for much of the first set.
But Chang made some hasty adjustments, began hitting to Ulihrach's forehand more, and finally began to play his own style, keeping the ball in play until a tiring Ulihrach began to make mistakes.
Chang broke service to take a 5-3 lead in the second set and, although he never really dominated the match afterward, at least clearly had the edge.
"That was a tough match. I think that was pretty evident," said Chang, who also won the Champions Cup in 1992.
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