Michael Chang’s playing career narrowly missed overlapping with Novak Djokovic’s, something you sensed he was slightly wistful about when discussing that fact on this week’s episode of The Sit-Down.
Chang played his last match at the 2003 US Open, less than a year before Djokovic debuted on tour in 2004 in Umag.
Instead, Chang has admired Djokovic’s legendary career from the sidelines, even coaching against him when working with Japanese star Kei Nishikori.
LISTEN: Michael Chang on The Sit-Down
The American revealed he was in awe of Djokovic, who endures at the top of the sport as many of his rivals wind down their careers.
"I'm not sure Novak's going to stop yet, actually. Actually I don't think he's going to ever stop,” laughed Chang, a former world No.2 and the Roland Garros champion in 1989.
"What he's done is just absolutely incredible.
"We've had this generation of players; Roger, Rafa is winding his career down, Andy just retired, Serena retired not that long ago. I mean, you've got these incredible players.
“And thankfully, we've got great young talent that are able to take their place, and they're doing a great job. I mean, how can you not enjoy watching Alcaraz out there? He's winning, but he's smiling at the same time. Jannik Sinner is just an incredible talent, very humble, and has got all the different kinds of shots.
“So how do you not enjoy watching this new generation kind of grow and mature and really start to take their place?”
However, they haven’t completely taken their place, given Djokovic’s achievements in 2024.
At the recent Paris 2024 Games, Djokovic achieved his long-held goal of winning Olympic singles gold, spectacularly turning the tables on Alcaraz, who’d won their Wimbledon final less than a month earlier.
The world No.2 next turns his attention to the US Open, where he is the defending champion and targeting a record 25th Grand Slam singles title.
Should he win, Djokovic would become the oldest major singles champion in Open-era history.
"At the same time, what Novak is doing, and what he has done, is mind-boggling. Absolutely mind-boggling,” Chang said.
“Even these past few months. For him to play at the French, get surgery immediately after his last match there, and then to go and to play and get to the finals of Wimbledon is one thing.
“But then to come back and beat Alcaraz, on clay, at the Olympics, at Roland Garros, I mean, I have no words for it. It's just incredible, and he's doing it at 37 years old.
“It's just phenomenal.”