Michael Stich stopped being just the "other German" when he won Wimbledon in 1991. For a time, Stich even stood higher than German idol Boris Becker in world rankings.
But 1992 was not a gentle year for Stich. It was a year that saw him win only one tournament. His best records in Grand Slam events were two quarterfinal finishes.On Sunday, Stich shook off the slump to cap a remarkable week by beating Michael Chang 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 for the title and $2 million at the Grand Slam Cup. Stich finishes the year ranked 15th in the world, but his four victims in the Grand Slam Cup were all in the top 10.
"It was a good finish to the year and I hope it will be a good start to the next," Stich said. "It means more to me to beat four top-10 players and win the tournament than the money I got."
His victims here also included Stefan Edberg, Richard Krajicek and Pete Sampras.
Stich, who ranked as high as No. 3 after winning Wimbledon, finished 1991 as No. 4. The world rankings will not change after the Munich tournament because it is not sanctioned by the ATP Tour, which compiles the computer rankings.
Stich won the title in the city where he was based until recently, when he moved his residence to Austria. His wife of two months, Jessica, is acting in a television series being shot near Salzburg.
For the sixth-ranked Chang, it was the third year of non-financial frustration at the Grand Slam Cup. The American, the only player to play in all three editions of the richest tournament in the world, ended up as runner-up for the second time in a row.
The compensation was adequate, however. The $1 million check given to the loser brought his earnings for three tournaments to $2,450,000.
"I don't feel that bad actually, I don't feel sorry," Chang said. "It was one of those days, a tough day at the office."
For Stich as well. But for him, it was one of those days when everything worked well.
"He didn't seem to be missing a whole lot, and he was really able to put his whole game together," Chang said.
The biggest payday of Stich's career lasted two hours and seven minutes.
The tournament is the richest in the world and pays $6 million in prize money.
"If the money is there, you can't blame anyone for taking it," said Stich, who was the first non-American to win the title here.