Double crown
Hard Rock Golf Course was unusually quiet.
Tezuka Kunimitsu stood behind the baseline, took the ball from the caddie, and quietly thanked him in English.
The agile caddie was momentarily at a loss, waving his hands and quickly retreating to his position on the sidelines.
Tezuka raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, then gently tossed the tennis ball to the ground with his right hand, and with his left hand holding the racket, bounced the ball a few times to check the felt hardness and rebound of the ball.
Those calm yet sharp eyes remained fixed on the opposite half of the court, observing the opponent's positioning and considering the angle of their serve.
If you look closely, you'll see that even after a high-stakes game, his breathing maintained a remarkably steady rhythm.
Even though his opponent Azarenka is known in the tennis world for her powerful backhand and terrifying stamina, he was able to hold his own in terms of physical strength.
Previously, audiences perceived Tezuka as a player who was more technical and tactical. Even in the Australian Open, he had some weaknesses, such as a lack of power. Now, it seems that he has quickly made up for those weaknesses.
He never repeats the same mistake he made in a single game.
Just like he once said in a post-race interview, "Every mountain I climbed gave me a gift."
Kunimitsu Tezuka was a player who had both exceptional talent and tremendous effort.
Not to mention, he has already beaten Azarenka once.
With the score at 1-0, and the Masters tournament being a best-of-three format, Tezuka only needs to win this one set to lift his second ATP 1000 Masters trophy of the season!
With the score at 5-3 in the second set and 40-30 in the tiebreaker, Tezuka has reached match point.
Just one goal away!
Both the audience at the venue and those watching online held their breath in anticipation.
Tezuka didn't keep them waiting too long.
"Bang--!"
A backhand cross-court shot of extreme difficulty, the ball bounced at an odd angle after touching the sideline, Azarenka's massive body stretched to its limit, but the racket was ultimately just a hair's breadth away.
Before the audience and referees could react, Kerber on the sidelines had already clenched his fist excitedly and shouted, "Beautiful!"
All those months of backhand practice paid off! That ace was absolutely beautiful! She's certain it was the cleanest and most decisive scoring shot of the season!
The referee was half a second slow to announce—
"Game, Set and Match, Tezuka!"
The announcement of victory was broadcast throughout the stadium via microphone.
After a brief silence, deafening cheers and applause erupted!
Tezuka defeated the world number two in straight sets, becoming the youngest player in history to win the Sunshine Doubles title!
"Tezuka—!"
"Tezuka—!"
"Tezuka—!"
The shouts went from scattered to unified, his name resounding throughout the North American hard courts, long dominated by Europe and America, celebrating a victory destined to be etched into tennis history.
When everything had settled down, Tezuka finally showed his emotions, clenching his right fist firmly to celebrate this victory that was of great significance to him.
Amidst the continued cheers, he walked to the net and shook hands with Azarenka.
Alarenka's face showed resentment, but also genuine respect. Looking at this formidable opponent who was much younger than him, he issued a challenge: "The next time we meet should be at the French Open, and I will definitely not lose to you then."
Tezuka had regained his composure and nodded slightly: "I look forward to our next encounter."
The moment he lifted the crystal trophy symbolizing his Miami Open victory, he was surrounded by countless flashes of light, and a deafening roar of praise echoed in his ears.
The situation is even more exaggerated online.
"The strongest contender for the Grand Slam title", "the challenger to the world number one ranking", "the perfect combination of technique and power"... various titles were eagerly bestowed upon him.
However, as his career reached new heights, another subtle voice quietly emerged and fermented online.
The incident stemmed from a photo taken earlier during the semi-finals.
That was a snapshot taken by the camera after he won a game. The snapshot technique was mediocre, but it captured the atmosphere perfectly.
In the photo, he tilts his head slightly back, sweat dripping from his chin. His eyes, filled with intense focus, appear exceptionally deep and sharp, even carrying a hint of wild aggression. Meanwhile, his white tennis shirt, soaked with sweat, clings to his body, outlining a powerful and beautiful physique, the tension almost leaping off the screen.
This photo, with its stunning visual impact and overwhelming charisma, was originally only circulating within fan circles. Today, it has quickly gone viral due to the trending topic of his prediction of winning the final. It's the kind of photo that people who don't watch tennis will click to take a look at.
As a result, most subsequent serious news reports chose this photo as their accompanying image.
The photo was quickly shared widely on social media platforms.
"Are those face and body real?"
"Do you tennis players eat this well?"
"—I'm in love! Let me show you my new boyfriend!"
"That's the destructive power of the ascetic type!"
As these newly arrived fans began frantically digging for more information about him, they were surprised to discover that this contestant, who possessed both good looks and talent, had a completely blank private life.
There were no scandals, no messy social media posts, and even the interviews were conducted with the utmost restraint, like diplomatic language.
This pristine cleanliness, ironically, aroused an even stronger sense of curiosity.
Soon, a clue was unearthed: a photo of him checking in with a girl at Narita Airport.
Unfortunately, it's just a photo of his back, so you can't see his face clearly.
Thus, the speculation that "Tezuka Kunimitsu may have a girlfriend outside the entertainment industry" began to spread among the rapidly expanding fan base and social media.
"He definitely has a girlfriend! He's just keeping it well hidden!"
"With that look in his eyes and that aura, how could he possibly be single?"
"Why not go public? Is it because you're not that serious about the girl? Are you afraid of upsetting your fans?"
"Maybe they've already broken up, or maybe they were just dating?"
These voices initially rippled in a small circle and were quickly suppressed by Tezuka's team. However, with his victory and the explosive increase in attention, these speculations began to be seen by more people.
Some people began to analyze the audience at each of his games with great certainty, trying to find his girlfriend who wasn't in the entertainment industry; others even started searching for any woman he might have had any contact with.
Kerber's brow furrowed even more as he looked at the news that could no longer be suppressed.
Originally, Tezuka didn't care about these online noises and intended to filter out these distracting comments. However, since they affected people he cared about, Tezuka would not ignore them and they needed to respond as soon as possible.
And even if she wanted to hide it, the reporters at the upcoming press conference wouldn't help her.
After thinking for a while, Kerber still took his tablet and knocked on the locker room door.
"Please come in."
Kerber opened the door and saw Tezuka intently texting on his phone, and couldn't help but sigh again.
Judging from his gentle aura, you could tell who that long message, which was still being edited, was addressed to.
"You played quite well in this final." Kerber chose this sentence as her opening statement, but what she said next was less pleasing: "Before the press conference, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Tezuka had just finished editing the message and clicked send when he looked up at his head coach and team leader, signaling her to continue.
Kobel handed over the tablet computer, his expression serious. "This is news from the internet. You'd better take a look first, and then think about how to answer the reporters in the most advantageous way."
Seeing that she looked unwell, Tezuka had some guesses in his mind.
Despite the team's efforts to filter information, he could sense that the gazes surrounding him were more complex than before. Beyond scrutinizing his skills, there was also a growing interest in his private life.
Just like the look in the eyes of the staff member who had previously stopped Atobe, there was also a strange excitement in them.
Even though he was mentally prepared, the moment the online comments came into view, those targeting Melodia still made him unable to control his anger, and the air around him turned cold.
Kobel wasn't surprised by his current state. Even she couldn't help but be angry after reading those outrageous remarks, let alone Tezuka. However, she still dutifully reminded him, "This is only part of it. If it's not handled properly at the press conference later, it might get even worse. Especially the public opinion in your country, which has completely gone astray."
After a long pause, Tezuka's deep voice finally rang out: "I know."
"What do you think?" Kerber observed his expression. "Do you need the team to issue a statement, or just let it go? This 'suspected' state only gives them endless room for imagination. Public curiosity is traffic, and those unscrupulous gossip media will do anything for traffic."
In the past, Tezuka would have chosen to go public without hesitation, but in the current situation, exposing Melodia to the public too early could bring her enormous pressure and distress.
"No response is needed for now," he finally said, his voice low but firm. "Let's give it the cold shoulder."
Kerber sighed and put the tablet away: "There really isn't a better way. However, you should be prepared that if more conclusive evidence is captured later, public opinion may get out of control."
"I know." Tezuka closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "I'll handle it."
He has no intention of being shackled by public opinion; Melodia is his bottom line.
Unsurprisingly, questions came one after another at the post-match press conference.
At first, it was a routine inquiry. The reporter asked, "Tezuka, having defeated top players one after another, does this mean that you have the ability to compete for the world number one spot?"
"I will continue to work hard and focus on every match." Tezuka's answer was as meticulous as ever.
"Does Tezuka have any other tournament plans before the French Open begins?"
"No, we will do our best to prepare for the French Open."
However, the next question subtly changed the atmosphere: "We've noticed a lot of online discussion about your private life lately, especially the speculation that you 'may' have a girlfriend. Do you have anything to say about this? Will this affect your focus in the upcoming matches?"
Tezuka glanced at the reporter who had posed the leading question, his voice calm and devoid of emotion: "My private life has nothing to do with tennis. I will not let off-court factors affect my matches."
This statement seemed to suppress any further probing at the press conference, and the questions then returned to his championship win and subsequent match schedule.
Despite being familiar with the process, Tezuka felt unusually tired after the press conference and the meeting with the organizers.
He didn't arrive at his hotel room until the early hours of the morning. Only after leaning back on the sofa did he close his eyes and catch his breath for a moment.
In the quiet room, longing grows wildly.
He opened his eyes again, picked up his phone, and almost instinctively opened the saved video.
Seeing her quiet demeanor, engrossed in her book, my tense nerves finally relaxed.
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