NEW YORK -- When Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan, in the midst of his signature post-victory bowing sequence, turned to the south baseline, the roiling red sea of humanity above him roared. The Srich-a-fans pounded their Thai Boom-Boom Sticks together and Srichaphan acknowledged them with a broad smile.

	Paradorn Srichaphan reached his second consecutive round of 16.

They wear red, the color of victory and luck in the Thai culture, but they are not exclusively Thais. China is represented, as are Japan and Vietnam and India, plus a smattering of Caucasian Americans.

"I think for me, I'm not just representing Thailand, my country," Srichaphan said earlier this week, "but I feel that I'm representing all Asian countries, especially in Asian tennis."

And that means, in the context of today's global strategies to penetrate the great sleeping cash cow that is Asia, that Srichaphan is the great, fervent hope of men's tennis, et al.

That's a lot of pressure on a 24-year-old's shoulders.

So far, he hasn't betrayed any nerves. Srichaphan has quietly glided into the round of 16 at the U.S. Open, dropping only one of 10 sets. On Saturday, he muscled 19-year-old Spanish player Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in a match that was surgical in its precision. (Next up, Lleyton Hewitt, who won an abbreviated match over Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, who retired after 42 minutes trailing 1-6 and 0-3. The 2001 U.S. Open champion has struggled this year, and he lost to Srichaphan last year in Tokyo.)

And so, it wasn't even 1 p.m., and Srichaphan was finished with his workday. That's because his matches are beamed live to Thailand, which is 13 hours ahead. His first three matches have all been played at 11 a.m. here so that they would air at midnight back home in Bangkok. Even King Bhumibol Adulyadej watches along with the rest of the nation. The king's such a big fan that after Srichaphan won his first ATP title -- a first for a Thai player -- Adulyadej asked for the Long Island trophy. Srichaphan presented it to him during a private audience. When Srichaphan repeated his Long Island title last week -- with Thailand's ambassador to the United Nations, Chuchai Kasensarn, in the audience, the athlete said he would give the King that piece of hardware, as well.

The ATP has been paying attention. Traditionally, there have been tournaments in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo, but this year a tournament has been hastily added in Bangkok the week after Davis Cup semifinals.

"That's why they have a tournament," Srichaphan explained, "because they have me to play that tournament. Roddick's going to go, Moya, Ferrero are going to go -- and me."

Asia is showing signs of channeling more money into sports and tennis, in particular. The 2008 Beijing Olympics are likely to act as a catalyst in this respect. Michael Chang and his family have been approached to help China with growing the game and Chang seems inclined to help.

Srichaphan has now gone farther here at the National Tennis Center than ever before and finds himself in the second Grand Slam fourth round in his career, and his second consecutive with this year's Wimbledon. His success is appropriately juxtaposed against the retirement of Chang this past Monday.

When Chang won the 1989 French Open, Srichaphan was 9 years old, the youngest of three brothers in a family of tennis players. He felt an immediate connection.

"That time, I would say I don't know much abut tennis," Srichaphan said. "I just know one thing, that he look just like me. He's Asian. I mean, he could do it. He's the one that put me, making me think if he can do it, I can do it. So I always look up to him as my idol."

At age 17, Srichaphan first met Chang while playing the U.S. Open as a junior. Srichaphan spoke to Chang at his first professional tournament in Singapore, but his first substantive conversation came in Hong Kong. It was his first year on the ATP and he was traveling alone for the first time.

"Excuse me, Michael," Srichaphan said. "What is E-ticket?"

You just go to the airport, Chang told him, and tell them the name.

Now, virtually everywhere, they know the name. His big forehand and matching serve have carried him to the No. 11 ranking in the world. Back in April, Srichaphan reached No. 10, becoming the first Asian man to crack the top 10 since the birth of the rankings computer in 1973.

With Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn in the women's round of 16, things have never been better for tennis in Bangkok, where Tanasugarn lives.

What would a Grand Slam mean for Thailand?

"Is huge," Srichaphan said, closing his eyes for a moment to, perhaps, visualize the possibility. "I mean, Grand Slam. Especially this one. I hope there is going to be more and more younger junior players coming up.

"When I was a kid, I'm looking up to Michael Chang, which, you know, he's Asian. That's why I'm really thinking that I can do this."

Greg Garber is a senior writer at ESPN.com.