MICHAEL CHANG, the youngest male player to win a Grand Slam tennis title, will open an academy in Shenzhen, media reported Tuesday.

The Chinese-American Chang, who is very popular in China, said he aimed to nurture young local players in a bid to bring the level of Chinese tennis up to the international standard, Xinhua quoted him as saying at a press conference Tuesday.

“I have a wish, which is to contribute my experience accumulated from playing in world tournaments to the development of tennis in China,” Chang was quoted as saying. “I believe I have the ability to do that.”

 He planned to open his academy in the Mission Hills Country Club, where there are 51 tennis courts.

 Chang, who retired in 2002, has worked with Peng Shuai, one of China’s tennis hopes in next year’s Beijing Olympics, since March.

After winning the French Open in 1989 at age 17 years and three months, Chang rose to a careerhigh No. 2 ranking in 1996.

He fi nished seven seasons inside the top 10 and won 34 tour titles, also reaching Grand Slam fi nals at Roland Garros in 1995 and at the Australian Open and U.S. Open in 1996.

(SD-Agencies)