‘American Son’ is an informative look back at an American success story: Michael Chang

There has never been a sports star quite like Michael Chang, and there likely never will be again.

His story is improbable, but it is also distinctly American for those who believe in the promise of this country. The New Jersey-born son of Taiwanese immigrants came out of nowhere to become the youngest male tennis player to win a Grand Slam title, capturing the 1989 French Open at 17. The feat remains so remarkable that you wonder why it took so long for Chang to get a comprehensive mainstream documentary.

Well, he finally has one. Chang is the focus of the latest 30 for 30, American Son, which premieres Monday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. This documentary was supposed to be released last year but was delayed. American Son is worth the wait as director Jay Caspian Kang ambitiously weaves the narrative around immigration, race, the 1989 French Open, and Tiananmen Square.

There is plenty to unpack. Any one of these subjects is worthy of a deep dive. Chang is connected to all of them as his rise came at a time when there were few Asians on the tour and there were protests and demonstrations in Beijing which culminated with several deaths on June 4, 1989. Navigating all this would be challenging as an adult. Imagine doing so as a teenager.

One of the more moving parts of American Son is Chang discussing a letter he received from Arthur Ashe right after turning pro. Ashe described the unique pressures that minority tennis players face. Ashe was the first African-American male to win the US Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon. If there was anyone who understood what was coming for a young Chang, it was Ashe. In the letter, Ashe urged Chang to be pleasant and smile. Why? As Ashe wrote in the letter: “Do you think I being Black would have survived 10 minutes if I had acted like John McEnroe?”

Chang and Ashe were never simply tennis players. They were symbols of hope, pride, and achievement. That’s a tremendous responsibility that carries a heavy burden. They were expected to represent much more than themselves, but because they looked different from many of their fellow athletes, they were also targets.

Kang’s film highlights the microaggressions and some of the more overt acts of racism. Betty Chang, Michael’s mother, who in some ways is the true star of this documentary, vividly recalled a fellow mother spitting in front of her after a match.

Even now decades later, Michael Chang doesn’t seem comfortable at all talking about the racism he faced. It’s clear from Kang’s portrait that the young and old Chang would prefer to stick to tennis. There is plenty of that information in American Son. After all, it’s a sports documentary, and you must show Chang the tennis player not just Chang the symbol.

The highlight of American Son is Chang recounting the 1989 French Open, one of the most surprising runs in tennis history. En route to becoming a champion, he beat Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, and Stefan Edberg. His fourth-round triumph over Lendl remains a legendary match. Chang became the first American to win at Roland-Garros since 1955.

After the triumph, Chang said: “God Bless everybody, especially those in China.” His victory took place days after the Tiananmen Square massacre. 

Chang never won another Grand Slam. In 1996, he reached the final in the Australian Open and the US Open. Still, American Son details his impact on the sport. Today, more Asians are playing tennis than ever before. Being a symbol wasn’t easy for Chang, but it’s also something he can be proud of.

American Son premieres July 29 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and will stream on ESPN+.