Here he comes, your little cutie Gawain is here. After challenging Djokovic at the Australian Open, he is about to challenge Nadal at the French Open, continuing to create hype.
Although it was only a quarter-final match, the level of attention was almost as high as that of the final, especially considering the respective situations and conditions of the two players. The suspense of the outcome was full of unknowns, which once again pushed the theme throughout this season to a new height and ignited people's enthusiasm in a grand and comprehensive manner.
Judging from the head-to-head record, Nadal is currently leading with two wins and one loss, including the only time the two players met on clay in Madrid last month.
However, in the Grand Slam tournaments, Gao Wen won the only meeting between the two players, and the victory at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year started a miracle journey.
So, who could have guessed the end this time at Roland Garros?
From all aspects, the upcoming quarter-final showdown is a classic that cannot be missed, and just imagining it is enough to make your blood boil.
Brush, brush, brush.
All eyes in the audience were focused on Gawain.
Although Gawain defeated Tsonga today and extinguished the last hope of winning the championship on home soil, there is obviously still a lot of things worth discussing about this match; but in the face of the upcoming Huashan Contest, it is not worth mentioning at all, and even the French local media couldn't help but turn their attention to it.
Under the attention of the crowd, Gao Wen raised the corners of his mouth and revealed a faint smile.
"I knew it before the press conference, and that's why I didn't think I was the favorite to win."
Wait, what does this sentence mean? The reporters chewed it over carefully, and then one by one they became excited.
The whole place was in turmoil, with arms raised high like a birch forest.
But in fact, their problems should be similar.
"Gao Wen, what you just said means that you have no confidence in this game and you think the victory may belong to Rafa, is that what you mean?"
The crowd was bustling, and scorching gazes were directed at Gawain like sharp swords. Everyone was so excited that they could hardly sit still, as if there was a hedgehog stuffed on the chair. Although the room was not noisy, everyone held their breath and waited for an answer, but the air was still burning.
Outside, it was raining heavily.
Inside, the heat was rolling.
The window was covered with a thin layer of mist, and the outside world gradually became blurry and hazy.
Carefully feeling the surging burning gazes from the audience, Gao Wen appeared very calm, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
"If I were a spectator, I wouldn't bet on mine."
The joking tone seemed very relaxed, and the surging heat in the press conference room calmed down a little, and people became relaxed again.
Then, changing the subject, Gao Wen once again demonstrated his vigor as a leader of the new generation in understatement.
"But as a player, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a dream match, and I will give it my all."
"In fact, I should be looking forward to this game more than anyone else."
"Facing Rafa at Roland Garros is, without a doubt, a very, very, very difficult challenge..."
The series of "very" made the reporters chuckle softly, because they also felt the same way and fully understood the emotional weight of Gao Wen's words.
"At the same time, this also reminds me that I am still a rookie on the tour, I am still a challenger, and I still have a lot to learn and experience on the court. I should stay sober, stay humble, stay motivated, adjust my mentality and position, step onto the court, and keep improving and moving forward."
"I know that people have high expectations. That kid is the No. 2 in the world. He should perform better and prove that he deserves that position. Believe me, I know. I know everything."
"So, I keep reminding myself that compared to the world ranking, you are still a newcomer, you are still a challenger, you have no right to be proud or complacent. The matches against Dominic and Joe have already sounded the alarm."
"Now, it's Rafa."
"God, what better way to remind you that you are a challenger than to play against Rafa at Roland Garros."
Uncontrollably, all the reporters nodded in agreement.
It's not just Gawain. When he stepped onto Roland Garros, Federer, Djokovic and others were all challengers.
But what is truly commendable is that Gao Wen was able to maintain such a clear understanding.
"As a spectator, I believe Rafa is still the better-looking one. There is no need to lie. Obviously, you also think the same way."
The reporters all avoided looking, and no one could deny it.
"As a player, I believe I still have a chance to win, even if the odds are slim. This is the ultimate challenge that all players dream of, so I will go out with a light load and go all out, showing all my energy without reservation, and then see what happens."
There are no grandiose words or great passion, but between the lines one can deeply feel Gawain's joy and happiness——
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
From the heart.
Gao Wen is ready to take on the most arduous, difficult and extreme ultimate challenge in professional tennis.
In this situation, it is really hard not to think of the scene before the Australian Open final at the beginning of the year: it was also the "Big Four vs. Challengers", it was also facing the ultimate challenge of ATP, and people were not optimistic about Gao Wen. Everything seemed familiar.
Perhaps, off the court, Gawain remains humble, low-key and respectful, and he clearly knows the significance of the game; but the competitive spirit of challenging the limits is burning in his bones. He stays focused, keeps his fighting spirit and maintains his confidence. He goes all out, fights to the end and leaves everything he has on the court.
Those eyes are always bright.
So, from Melbourne to Paris, from Djokovic to Nadal, similar stories, what will be the ending this time? There was a brief blank in the press conference room.
Not because of surprise, but because of excitement.
His blood was boiling and his heart was surging. Although Gawain did not say any grand words, the fighting spirit revealed between the lines once again made people look sideways.
The reporters also became excited. Challenging opponents, challenging their limits, and challenging oneself is the ultimate meaning of competitive sports.
The expectations, which were already high, have now reached a new peak. It is foreseeable that they will once again witness a classic -
Everything is just like when Nadal rose to prominence. People knew that every time Nadal and Federer met, a legendary duel would be born. Then, step by step, the 2008 Wimbledon final is still considered the greatest match in the century of tennis.
Gao Wen is also following the trajectory, impacting the Big Four step by step and creating one classic after another.
Does winning or losing matter?
Of course it is important.
However, there are much more things that are worth people's anticipation, attention and remembrance than winning or losing.
Life is so beautiful that it makes people want to scream and cheer. Looking at Gao Wen in front of them, the entire press conference room was filled with joy and excitement.