"At this moment, I don't want to talk about the game or me, I want to talk about Maddy. This is his moment."

Roar! The entire Arthur Ashe Stadium burst into thunderous applause, cheering for Gawain's opening words.

Gao Wen, keep your word——

He is a supporting role, he is a supporting role, and the spotlight today should belong to Fish. Victory is victory, but beyond victory, this game has more meaning.

"Uh, sorry, I'm not good at situations like this, and I don't want to ruin Madi's moment."

"In fact, Jim, if I choose to leave now and leave the spotlight to Madi, would it be a better choice? After all, I really don't know him."

Ha! There was a burst of low laughter at the scene, including Fish -

Gao Wen was serious. He and Fish did not know each other. Pretending to be good friends at this moment would be hypocritical and unnecessary.

Gawain shrugged slightly.

"Hey, Andy, this should have been your spot, but I figured Maddy hadn't forgotten about the wedding."

Haha, hahahaha!

The whole audience burst into laughter.

Fans who are familiar with Roddick and Fish know that the two are good friends and close friends, but when Fish got married in 2008, Roddick was absent.

Because on the wedding day, Roddick was competing for the championship trophy in the imperial capital.

Therefore, the best man became James Blake, another iconic figure in American men's tennis.

Today, Blake showed up, and Roddick also showed up. They sat in the press seats, ready to present flowers to Fish in the end.

Without warning, Roddick's back was full of arrows and he was caught off guard. He spread his hands with an innocent look on his face to show that he was unaware.

Laughter and whistles rang out throughout Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Fish couldn't help but burst out laughing.

After the game, Fish calmed down instead. He was neither sad nor reluctant. He sat quietly in the dugout, enjoying the moment.

Looking at Gawain, Fish's mouth corners curled up.

"What I want to say is, Maddy, you had your moment, you left your talent, your ability, your genius, your personality on this court, I'm not sure if it will be remembered forever, but there is no doubt that tennis has been enhanced by having you, and it is our honor."

Light and clever, wise and humorous.

Gawain's words easily won applause from the Arthur Ashe Stadium. He did not exaggerate Fish's career achievements, nor did he respond perfunctorily with a polite template. From this, it can be seen that Gawain did think seriously about how to face this game today.

"I still remember Cincinnati in 2010. You beat one Andy, then another Andy, and made it to the final. Facing Roger on the final stage, you were so focused and devoted, hitting one wonderful shot after another, and even Roger applauded you."

"Yeah, you lost that final, two points away from the championship. It was a failure."

“But I wanted to celebrate that failure.”

"Because in the world of competitive sports, there is only one champion and only one world number one, but that's not all."

“It shouldn’t be all.”

“While people remember the winners, they should never forget that behind the brilliant victory lies an opponent who never gave up and fought to the end.”

"In the eyes of some people, it was a loss, but in my eyes, it was the most beautiful, precious and essential part of competitive sports."

"Today, it's the same."

"You came, you witnessed, you fought to the end, you left without reservation, and finally you walked away with your head held high. I hope to be able to look up at your back."

Boom! Boom boom boom! The whole audience applauded loudly and the volume kept rising.

Arthur Ashe Stadium could no longer control itself, and one could even see the bustling crowd of spectators all standing up, forming a black mass.

Slowly, the whistles, cheers and roars all disappeared, and in the end only the applause was left, just the applause, but that was enough.

The mighty thunder roared, stirring the entire venue, and it took a long time for the crowd to calm down.

At the edge of the court, Roddick and Blake also stood up.

Roddick thought he could be calm and even criticize Fish harshly. After suffering a heart attack in 2012, Fish persisted for another three years, refusing to compromise or surrender, but in the end he stopped. In the final analysis, he was not much different from what he was back then.

However, the surging emotions were difficult to control, and Roddick was unable to hold back. His eyes turned slightly red and he clapped his hands vigorously.

Today. Right now.

They applauded a "loser" not out of pity or sympathy, but to commend the other side of competitive sports, a side that is ignored, underestimated, slandered and belittled but always indispensable.

There is only one champion, but every one of the millions of people who fight towards the championship is amazing. Without them, the championship itself will be meaningless.

Roaring, continuously.

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Fish sat quietly in the dugout, looking up at the sea of ​​applause in front of him.

He had imagined such a scene in his mind before.

He thought he would feel regret, bitter, lost, ashamed and awkward, because he didn't think he deserved all this.

He can only be considered a decent tennis player, not outstanding, let alone top-notch. Not to mention winning the Masters or Grand Slam titles, he has not even made it to the semi-finals in Flushing Meadows, his best tournament, not even once.

He had a second chance in 2012, when he reached the round of 16 and would next challenge Federer.

But in the end, he chose to withdraw from the competition on his way to the arena because the anxiety began to consume him, becoming more and more rapid and violent.

At the time, he told his wife that he wanted to quit the competition, which was the only option to survive.

He will never know the result of his next challenge against Federer, and he will never have the chance to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam.

Perhaps, it is because of that regret that he has been persisting, fighting, and working hard. He still wants to give it a try.

However, the ending is still the same. After going around in circles, everything is in vain.

From the perspective of a professional player, he had an ordinary career, and there seemed to be nothing worth remembering or praising.

A retirement ceremony? He didn't think he deserved one.

But now, looking at the surging crowd in front of him, Fish's mood slowly calmed down.

Suddenly, he realized—

The past three years have not been in vain.

That was an explanation to himself, and also a final summary of his career. Despite the many disasters, the lack of highlights, and the dullness, he had tried his best.

He struggled, he fought, he held back nothing.

Three years?

worth.

As Gawain said, he came, he witnessed… Even though he did not conquer, it was still a magnificent career. After today, he can turn around and leave without regrets.

Thinking of this, the smile on the corner of his mouth rose, so happy and so bright, but why did the tears in his eyes blur his vision again? Looking at Gawain bathed in the sun, Fish felt like a madman, crying and laughing, with tears blooming proudly in his smile.