Chapter 1668: Friendship off the court
- "Gawain, what is it like to beat Murray on the center court?"
As you can imagine, there was another storm waiting for the post-match press conference, but for Gawain, it was an honor and a pleasure: no matter how difficult it was, it would not be as difficult as facing two consecutive match points against Murray at the Centre Court of Wimbledon.
"Believe me, it's not easy."
"But if I could do it all over again, I'd go through it all again, from the first point to the last point. Of course, if I could win in three sets, I wouldn't refuse..."
Confident, straightforward, honest, even too honest, so much so that the reporters at the scene were not sure whether they should laugh when Gawain made a joke in the second half of the sentence. They looked at each other with only one thought in their eyes: Are all young people nowadays so direct? Forget Kyrgios, but Gawain is also like this, directly rubbing salt into Murray's wounds? "I mean, this is Wimbledon, he is Andy Murray, and we are playing such a match on the center court. This is a magical experience. For me, everything is fresh and vivid, and every minute and every second of the game is a special experience."
"Here, I have to face a great player and an excellent audience. At the same time, I am in the most historic and traditional venue in the world. Standing in 2015, I look back at the past 100 years of history and feel the historical heritage of this sport."
"I mean it sincerely, and no one should miss it."
I see!
The reporters suddenly realized what was going on. After a brief moment of shock and surprise, they were instantly overwhelmed with surprise and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. But after they came to their senses, they had to sigh that Gao Wen was indeed the one who could easily control the atmosphere and rhythm even when facing reporters.
"And of course, winning is the cherry on the cake. I love it."
Hahahaha! Burst of laughter.
This technique of first criticizing and then praising turned a potentially dangerous and boring question into something beautiful, and the press conference room was filled with laughter.
Of course, this is still not over; but I'm not sure if it's because of Murray, or because of the etiquette that Gawain showed at Wimbledon this year, or because Gawain won the recognition of reporters with practical actions after making history again, but I can clearly feel the cordiality of the atmosphere.
There was no aggression, no chasing, and the questions were entirely about the game, which was definitely something new.
"Gao Wen, may I ask, what were you thinking when you faced match point in the fourth set? How did you turn the situation around? What were you thinking when you had match point in the fourth set tiebreak and the fifth set? How did you always perform more brilliantly and powerfully on key points?"
“Enjoy the game.”
Gao Wen did not hesitate and gave an answer directly, and then the corners of his mouth rose.
"I know this answer is boring, just like the answer given by Chicken Soup for the Soul, but in fact, this is how I act when I am competing."
"Today's game was very, very close. Andy didn't give me many chances throughout the whole game. But at the same time, I think I also performed well. Facing Andy, I played at my best level. Everything went according to the pre-match tactical layout, so I have no regrets."
"When I faced match point in the fourth set, when I had match point in the fifth set, it was the same for me."
"I believe that in such a close game, it won't be surprising who wins in the end. I have no regrets. It all depends on the performance in the key points. Everything is possible. So, whether facing a match point or getting a match point, I only have one thought."
"Enjoy the game, don't give up halfway, keep fighting throughout, that's all. I can accept any result calmly."
"Oh, I just sounded really cocky and arrogant, maybe I should say that again."
As he was talking, Gao Wen began to look up at the sky and mutter to himself. His last sigh successfully made the entire press conference room burst into laughter.
Amidst the laughter, Gao Wencai continued.
"The game is over. I am sitting here as a winner. Anything I say would be like showing off. If the result of the game was different, maybe my attitude and words would be different."
"But personally, what I look forward to is that even if I lose, I hope I can still say those words, so during the game, that's what I did, and I enjoyed it."
There was some sparse applause at the scene. Not everyone applauded, but it was obvious that some reporters liked Gao Wen's response very much.
Not only Chinese and Asian journalists, but also British journalists are no exception. Journalists from The Times have set an example.
"Gawain, this game was not easy for Andy or the British fans. After the game, Andy went through a turbulent moment of emotion, and it was obviously not easy for him to accept it. You stayed at the scene and applauded Andy. What did you say to Andy afterwards?"
"ha."
Gawain chuckled and then waved his hand gently.
"There's nothing special about it. It's just one player's admiration for another. I think you all should not have forgotten that I was a participant in this game, so I know the hardships and difficulties better than anyone else. I have nothing but admiration for him."
“So, when I saw Andy, it was actually like seeing myself.”
“I just did some basic moves.”
On this side, Gao Wen responded with a humble and low-key attitude.
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On the other hand, Murray gave Gao Wen the highest praise at the press conference.
"I like Gawain, and I am grateful to Gawain at the same time."
"When I saw Gao Wen, I knew that he was just like me. We both love this sport and give our all in this game."
"He understood how I felt, not as a winner looking down on a loser, but as a player looking at another player."
"In fact, at that moment, I wavered. I didn't want to lose here. I hated losing here, but after being eliminated in the quarterfinals here for two consecutive years, I began to doubt myself, my passion for this sport, and my significance as a player. This was not easy."
Even at the post-match press conference, Murray's struggle could still be felt, with a hint of pain in his expression.
It was not a loss to the other Big Three, but a loss to two young players, Dimitrov last year and Gao Wen this year. The consecutive stops were indeed a blow.
"Then Gawain showed up there."
"I sincerely thank you. Whether as a professional player or as an ordinary person, Gao Wen is a partner worth making friends with. Maybe you will see me appearing on Gao Wen's training ground in the future. Anyway, you should all be familiar with me."
Is this, self-mockery?
After the other three giants, Murray began to become Gao Wen's training partner?
Sure enough, Murray is still Murray. He never loses his sense of humor even when he is in a low point. His ability to be funny in serious situations is truly unique.
(End of this chapter)