CALABASAS CHALLENGER: CHANG WINS FIRST TITLE SINCE 2000 L.A. EVENT.

Byline: Nevin Barich Staff Writer

CALABASAS - Michael Chang took a step forward Sunday in his bid to once again join pro tennis' elite.

Chang defeated Cecil Mamiit 6-3, 7-5 to win the $50,000 USTA Challenger of Calabasas tournament at the Calabasas Tennis and Swim Center.

It was Chang's first title and finals appearance since July 2000, when he won the Mercedes-Benz Cup in Los Angeles.

``It feels great,'' said Chang, who was the top seed in the tournament. ``Coming into this week I was hoping to just go out and win a match, maybe even string a couple of wins together. Winning this tournament was a major accomplishment.''

Chang, the 1989 French Open champion, was ranked as high as No. 2 in the world in 1997 and won at least one title a year the first 11 years of his career. However, he has struggled in recent years and has been playing challenger tournaments to try to refine his game.

On Sunday, it looked pretty solid. Chang dominated at the start, allowing just two points in his first three service games to go up 5-1. Mamiit, the fifth seed who was a former NCAA champion at USC, staged a brief rally when he broke Chang's serve and managed to hold serve to cut the lead to 5-3.

However, in the ninth game, Mamiit committed three unforced errors to help Chang close out the set. Mamiit had 28 unforced errors in the first set alone and 45 for the game.

``I tried to be a little aggressive at the start,'' said Mamiit, who had beaten Chang in two of their three previous meetings. ``At the beginning it was like I was playing all or nothing. I was just a little too anxious out there.''

Mamiit jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set before more unforced errors allowed Chang to inch back and tie it at 2. Both players held serve until the 11th game, when Chang broke Mamiit with a beautiful crosscourt forehand at the net to go up 6-5. Chang then held serve to win the match.

``I know I'm nearing the end of my career,'' Chang said. ``It's not the beginning or the middle. But when I eventually go out, I want to go out on my own terms rather than be forced out. It's important for me to go out on my own terms.''

In the doubles final, second-seeded Paul Rosner and Glenn Weiner needed nearly two hours to defeat unseeded Justin Gimelstob and Paul Goldstein 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).