I'm not so sure about that, by that I mean two extra majors is greater than 14 extra tournaments. Also bear in mind Chang won two extra Master Level Tournaments. It's debatable and I can see either side. Anyway that's not important for this thread. Did you pick Chang or Kuerten? I think Chang is better on more surfaces if you compare both careers but Kuerten is superior I believe at his best on all surfaces.
Chang was never able to flat-out DOMINATE the field on *any* surface. To me, he was tennis' jack-of-all-trades, master of none, baseliner.
He along with Muster, was tennis' most consistently pugnacious competitor, but unlike Kuerten, Muster, and Bruguera...truth be told, it was as Agassi said. Of all the top guys, Chang was the guy he felt like if he played well, he was going to win.
Chang was a guy who could clean up at the lower tier tournaments and even the masters, but when it mattered most at the slams; he needed almost somewhat of a miracle to go all the way. Sooner or later, one of the full-size guys who was "on" that day, was going to walk all over him.
His biggest edge at the regular events, was that he wasn't a flaunting tanker like many of the other top guys periodically were. He seemed to ALWAYS give a darn, ALWAYS compete to his maximus, did not know the meaning of quit.
Tennis is like a game of tug of war, of *wills.* When you look at clips of your favorites when they were at their absolute best, you see their eyeballs in constant Jim Carey vigilante mode...they all coked out and stuff, they soooo focused in on NOTHING but the ball. That's what the greatest level of tennis capable on planet earth at any given time requires. An almost super human level of LIFE OR DEATH focus. The second you lose even just the *tiniest* bit of that, you're pretty much finished at the top level. The best way to describe the feeling is one of, *hanging in* the point, at ANY cost...vs. (when the interest wanes a little), finding a way to subconsciously *bail out* of points, a little more freuqnelty, with ever growing frequency, as you get older and more disillusioned that this game of ball isn't the only thing in this life worth living for anymore.
Chang didn't quite have Rios' handy level of talent to overcome his height discrepancy.
He made up for that by trying harder than everyone else on a *consistent* basis. But when pretty much ANY of the full-size MEN decided to NOT bail-out on a match with him, they were probably going to win...no matter how hard he tried. So long as they were willing to hang-in there and be as tenacious as him *for a day*, my bet was on them. It would not matter if you're talking about a primarily caly-courter, either. The ability to DOMINATE the field on ANY surface is almost IMPOSSIBLE to do. It should not be dismissed so easily by Hall of Fame committees. It's quite an accomplishment, it means something more than what a reporter or politician can do. You don't just STOMP out the best specimens in the world, to the point that it's NOT a fluke, unless you've got something a little extra special up your sleave. It's just NOT possible.
Chang never had that. I would take the DOMINANT clay court ability guy over Chang on any surface, IF he was giving it his all that day, feeling fresh, etc. Because that's just the reality. Guga, Muster, Bruguera, it doesn't matter. If at their absolute best for a day vs. Chang at his, no matter the surface, the MAN is going to win over the little boy without the once in a lifetime "gift" in his hands like a Rios. Rios is a precious gem, with the attitude of a snot. Chang was a pugnacious bull dog in the body of a pint size mighty mouse...mighty mouse, yeah, but still this is real life yo, and Mike Tyson is probably going to pummel Urjijah Faber even if he does take his conditioning more seriously. Weight classes DO matter in tennis, ESPECIALLY at the highest level. By then, EVERYBODY'S skills are so maxed out compared to everyone else on the planet, that hairline weaknesses get magnified by the fans as these really big deals, when they're really not. Courier's backhand for example was MIGHTY solid thunk of SWAT, by ANY standard...it's only against the VERY best that chinks in the armor can even begin to show.
Really, the way I see it = Rios = BJ Penn, the only guys who if EVERYTHING were clicking in their life, they were taking their training as seriously as all, they could *maybe* compete outside of their weight class for a day and look dominate...*but* that's only for so long. There's only so much that the smaller specimen can take on, before their body simply caves in on them. It simply takes too much ENERGY out of you. You have to have that little more talent wise that CAN'T be taught to even be stupid enoug to think you can do it.
Chang on the other hand had EVERY BIT AS SPECIAL a *mental fortitude* that simply could not be matched. It's just as rare in a generation to find someone who has that level of grit and determination, as it is to find that rare talent.
Ultimately, though, there are limitiations to both. And I think history has born that out now.
When it comes down to it thought, I was not in the LEAST surprised when, Rafter MAN-stomped/crushed/trampled...walked all over, the helpless little fighting spirited bug, that Chang usually ultimately rendered into at the slams. Sooner or later, one of the manly men was going to walk all over the little dude in the stroller with a cane, who knows how to use it...it didn't really matter in the end, 'cept that once. Which is why Chang is most importantly able to live with it. His result was ultimately as inspirational, and non-duplicable as any in history. He had a MOMENT, and in his mind not a selfish moment...it was a shared moment, that he felt meant something to people who REALLY needed it at that particular time. I'd say, his was a heroic career...not a "legendary" one (who cares, genuine perspective changes all). Everyone should have their life flipped upside down, it changes everything...if you see that heart triumphs over accomplishment everytime. Nirvana on, dudes! Like, cowabunga.