Whoosh, whoosh—
Air flow, surging.
The entire O2 Arena was in complete silence. Everyone stared with bated breath. Their hearts suddenly contracted, compressing all the energy again and again, condensing it into a ball.
I sank as the tennis ball fell, but came back to life the moment it collided with the baseline. Adrenaline roared and hit my eardrums like a tsunami. The world in my eyes suddenly burst into colorful colors, brilliant and splendid, and I fell into madness.
Boom! Match point, again.
In an incredible way, in a thrilling way, in an unexpected way.
An ace on the return serve.
After missing two consecutive match points, Gao Wen took a desperate gamble and won the third chance, once again standing at the crossroads of making history.
Everything is so close, yet so far away.
“Wow.”
"Nervous. The atmosphere in the whole place is extremely tense right now."
"There is nothing wrong with Federer's tactics. His serve at 200 kilometers per hour creates enough advantage, and he serves and volleys smoothly. The whole layout is compact and meticulous."
"However, Gawain is also mentally prepared."
"Without any chance or space, he forcibly tore a path through the net with unparalleled style."
"For Federer, this was a life-or-death situation; but don't forget, for Gawain, this was also a tense moment at the crossroads of fate."
"And Gawain, a player with a big heart, was born for big occasions. The more nervous he is, the calmer he is; the more anxious he is, the more courageous he is. Just now, Gawain once again demonstrated his courage and ability to act decisively at a critical moment, and he did not show any fear or retreat even when facing Federer."
"So, Gao Wenbo had a chance, and he faced Federer's serve at 200 kilometers per hour."
“Wow.”
"The next point is worth a thousand gold."
Nervous, excited, excited, anxious, apprehensive, and excited...
All kinds of emotions intertwined and collided with each other. Regardless of whether they were on the scene or not, all the audiences around the world were firmly united through the live broadcast signal.
I'm afraid the two players on the court are no exception.
But at least from their expressions, there was no clue to be detected. Both Federer and Gawain had bright eyes, looked calm and composed.
They have to focus on the present.
Plop, plop, plop—
My heart was beating wildly, almost exploding.
District 2.
Inside corner? Outside corner? And, at match point, what tactic should be chosen?
Federer, serve.
209 km/h, inside corner.
Well.
Gawain groaned and pushed off the ground at the first possible moment. Although Federer's inside corner serve did not hit the T-spot, the landing point was still well controlled, leaving Gawain no time to breathe and swing his racket. Before his feet could get into position, his forehand swing had already been extended as far as it could.
A touch.
It was just a slight tap, no friction, no control, just touching the ball, but even so, Gawain's steps still staggered out, and after touching the ball he still couldn't stop. He continued to adjust two steps to the right, and braked suddenly, and then he barely controlled his body.
Embarrassed and out of position.
but!
Gao Wen did not lose his attention. He immediately pushed the ground with his right leg, and the power of his calf muscles burst out instantly, pushing his body to start again.
The sight is firmly locked on the other side of the net——
Gawain's serve had no rotation, no control, and no power, a three-no product, and it wobbled and twisted towards Federer's position; unexpectedly, Gawain's touch was still excellent, and he actually pushed the tennis ball into the deep area, landing near the baseline, creating a squeeze.
Federer was not surprised. He did not hesitate or hesitate. He immediately turned sideways and hit a forehand:
One shot of skateboard hitting the ball.
The tennis ball slid and soared along the moving direction of the racket string, along the diagonal line, aiming at the sideline, and rushed out like mercury.
The direction was actually Gao Wen's backhand sideline.
Gawain relied on his foresight and reaction to get there half a beat earlier, leaving a long afterimage and riding on his hot wheels, and arrived before the blink of an eye.
The footsteps were in place just in time to create a little space for the two-handed backhand shot.
This little space is enough.
Brake, push off the ground, turn, and swing the racket.
A series of movements, smooth and seamless, he turned from defense to offense without hesitation, and pushed out with both hands to whip out a straight line.
Bang! Gao Wen took the initiative to exert force, but faced with Federer's skateboard shot, the effect of using the force to hit the ball was limited, so he seized the opportunity to attack immediately.
Hit it flat, press down, and the ball goes very fast.
On the other side of the net, Federer also predicted in advance, caught the direction of Gawain's shot, and quickly crossed half the court to the position in the blink of an eye.
Federer glanced at Gawain's position and noticed that there was a slight pause in Gawain's steps after he exerted force. He did not hesitate to use the force to hit the ball back with his forehand, with the head of his forehand racket completely raised. Not only did he not defend, but he also used offense instead of defense and launched an attack immediately.
Forehand, cross-court, "inside-out".
It was a very penetrating shot. Although it was not an opportunity, Federer seized the gap in the confrontation and released power and speed instantly.
Before advantages and disadvantages have time to form, a new situation evolves in the blink of an eye.
Tap, tap, tap.
Gawain was crossing the field, taking long strides. His tall and strong figure seemed to shrink the distance into an inch, and he was already in position in a dazzling moment.
Because Federer tried to compress the tempo and shoot quickly, the angle of the diagonal line was not completely torn open, and the depth was also a little lacking, which gave Gawain a chance. This allowed Gawain to arrive quickly at his lightning speed, and he could feel the overwhelming gust of air coming towards him.
However, Gao Wen did not show any weakness. He used the inertia of his run-up to quickly push out with his forehand, and while using the force of his dantian to push out again.
straight line.
Killing! "Attack VS Attack"——
Despite being passive, stalemate and deadlocked, Federer and Gawain did not relax in the first three shots of this round. They played at their best, presenting the pattern of the first set of the US Open semi-finals, launching an offensive battle that was not only fast but also strong, and fully exerted their offensive in tit-for-tat fashion.
Every shot is between offense and defense, and the intensity, speed and power are constantly increasing in the active and passive pulling and pushing.
Ping pong, ping pong.
The round was really fast, with a sharp edge filling the entire court, and then the tennis ball pierced towards Federer's backhand like an arrow.
The flashing of swords and the shadows of sabers were all blurred.
Perhaps, the only "shortcoming" is the familiarity of the routine. Because it is fast and strong, the shots constantly increase the tension and intensity, and rely on the route and ball quality to exert pressure. Therefore, the hitting line is often a habitual conditioned reflex, lacking novelty, and it is relatively easier for the opponent to predict.
This is true for Gawain and Federer.
Gawain's forehand straight line had just been launched when Federer's footsteps had already crossed half the court. Not only did he fail to control his speed, but he continued to speed up.
Playing fast is Federer's strong point. He knows that in such a situation, if he wants to break the deadlock, he must make some breakthroughs.
For example, now.
Move, move quickly, cross steps and continue to move sideways. Even if the steps are in place, do not stop, but continue to move and switch positions.
Switching from backhand to forehand -
Sideways forehand.
This was the second sideways forehand in this point, but this time was different from the previous one. The previous time he hit the ball with a skateboard after turning sideways, while this time he used force.
Federer moved and jumped at the same time, his whole body flew into the air, but it was not a juggling act, but to find a hitting point, and then attack from top to bottom, using the racket head speed and hitting power to suppress, and then burst out instantly, and the sideways forehand attack can release all the power.
Not only exert full force, but also tear open the angles.
Bang! The tennis ball went out like a cannonball.
In the powerful collision between attacks, Federer was like a fish in water. The judgment and momentum of his entire shot were completely different, and he even accelerated further.
The ball was hit with great force and vigor, rushing towards Gao Wen's backhand baseline triangle.
Instead of aiming at the sideline, aim at the baseline and rely on strength and speed to create an impact.
Gawain is running wildly.
Sprint along the horizontal axis.
Although Federer sped up, the ball hitting line still followed inertia. Gawain accurately predicted, started and moved in advance. Running back and forth between the left and right ends of the baseline was not a problem at all. He even arrived in position in advance and adjusted his steps calmly. Before arriving in position, he braked to control his body.
A stop.
The inertial force of running and sprinting comes to an abrupt stop, and the surging reaction force rushes along the calf like an electric current, and finally completes the release.
Turn, swing the racket, and exert force.
In the collision of strength, Gawain seized the powerful force of Federer's sideways forehand and not only borrowed the force, but also exerted force to directly hit the ball back.
Push straight line.
Bang! The tennis ball was almost blown up. It fell rapidly and urgently under the weight of gravity and went to the dead corner of the baseline opposite the straight line.
Huh.
The whole court held its breath, and Gao Wen's shot was almost aimed at the winning point, with both speed and power.
Federer's quick and powerful sideways forehand became the basis for Gawain's counterattack, instantly pushing Federer into an extreme predicament.
Match point, got it? However, Federer still didn't give up.
Push off the ground, sprint, run all the way -
Federer was particularly embarrassed.
From the beginning of his serve, Federer showed strong performance, not only strong but also outstanding. His speed, strength, line, angle and so on formed an all-round confrontation. However, he never expected that Gawain could keep up with the intensity and seize the opportunity at every opportunity, and the overwhelming offensive was released.
It’s difficult, harder than climbing to the sky.
Although Federer's speed has been improved to the extreme, he is still just a little bit short.
Gao Wen used both hands to backhand and exert force to hit the ball, which was flat, fast, low and heavy. After it bounced off the ground, the height was limited and there was little space left for hitting the ball.
Is this the end? The heart of the O2 Stadium has stopped beating.
Watch it!
Seeing that Federer was almost unable to catch up, when the tennis ball was about to land for the second time, Federer did a split and slid forward to push his body out.
The forehand was extended to the extreme, and at a position fifteen degrees diagonally behind the horizontal line of his body, he cut in sideways and chopped, completing the shot in an incredible way.
Can't give up, can't surrender, can't disarm. At this moment, Federer also burst out all his fighting spirit, and his wonderful touch once again completed an impossible task -
However, the tennis ball came back to life and rose up, but it did not follow a complete parabola. It just stuck to the net and flew past, wobbling as if it was about to go under the net or hit the net, but it did not. It flew low and close to the net, and went towards the sideline of Gao Wen's forehand position.
Surprise! This is all possible?
Considering the way Federer hits the ball, there is no topspin, but he is able to push the tennis ball over, and in the cutting state, he perfectly controls the parabola, trajectory, and landing point.
genius!
Nothing else to say except genius.
It was this shot, a shot of defense instead of attack, that not only stopped Federer from running, but also gave him some breathing space. Most importantly:
Pushes Gawain to the cliff.
Oops.
Oops, oops, oops!
Grass.
There was only a big swear word in Gao Wen's mind. It was not difficult to cross the court from the left end of the baseline to the right end; but the problem was that Federer's slice, although it was an upward spin, had almost no rotation. After landing, it flew at a low altitude. The control of the arc was superb.
So, after the tennis ball landed on the ground, it was flying close to the ground and was about to fall, and it could land again at any time.
Even if Gawain predicted and moved in advance, it would still be difficult; and we should be thankful that Gawain did not rashly go to the net. If he had chosen to go to the net at this time, he would basically not be able to touch the ball, and would have no chance at all. He could only watch the tennis ball break through.
From attack to defense and then back to attack, there is no breathing room throughout the process, and every shot is like a wild dance on the tightrope.
But Gawain's attention was not distracted.
To be precise, it's not that he wasn't distracted, but that he was more focused and stared at the tennis ball with sharp eyes.
Push off the ground and slide.
Following Federer, Gawain also slid out.
Wow! The O2 Stadium was completely stunned. One second they thought Federer had no hope and the match was over. The next second they saw Federer's incredible shot push Gawain into a desperate situation. Gawain was about to miss the shot, but Gawain slid and completed a forehand scoop.
A pick, a tease.
Before the tennis ball was about to hit the ground for the second time, Gao Wen's upper body was almost parallel to the ground. He extended his forehand to the extreme, cutting into the gap between the tennis ball and the ground, and relying on the swing of his forearm and the control of his wrist, he lifted a high ball.
It all depends on the feel.
The only thing that can be taken care of is the line.
Gao Wen chose the straight line.
Although the line is not completely straight, at least the direction is correct.
The tennis ball swayed and floated towards Federer's left half of the court.
Speed, not fast.
This also gave some breathing time.
Federer, got it.
After sliding to save the ball, Federer saw the quality of his own shot and immediately stood up using his hands and feet, quickly returned to his position, staring at Gawain's every move. After noticing Gawain's hitting method, he started immediately and was already in position as soon as the tennis ball landed.
Backhand, rebound, rising point.
What we are fighting for is the rhythm, and what we are fighting for is the connection.
Before the tennis ball can bounce up, the wall rebound will push it back diagonally.
Because of the speed and haste, Federer's backhand movement was not able to be fully stretched out, and the diagonal angle was naturally not completely torn open.
But, that's enough.
Federer's return ball landed in the middle of Gao Wen's left half court, and the most important thing was the landing point and the line.
He pressed the line accurately and, from the perspective of depth, perfectly suppressed Gao Wen's swing space; looking back, it was actually better not to tear the angle apart, because Gao Wen was moving at high speed and his footsteps were not easy to control, and he would either squeeze his own swing space or run too far.
really--
Federer completely turned the situation around with his own touch. After falling into a passive position, Gawain further slid into a passive abyss.
In a hurry, he stood up and turned around, rotated 180 degrees, started, ran, and moved laterally. The position of his body and the tennis ball, his feet and the court were all spinning. He had problems judging the space, and even if he got into position smoothly, his defensive position was not right.
The space for swinging the racket was neither too big nor too small, so there was no way to start the shot. In addition, Federer's return ball just hit the line, and after bouncing off the ground, it rushed towards Gawain's nose.
In the midst of the ever-changing situation, Gao Wen could only reflexively hit the rebounding ball with one hand -
One to block, one to push.
Everything depends on intuition. The only thing I can trust at this moment is my own feel.
Tennis ball, parabola rises gently.
Although Gawain tried his best to control it, the parabola was still a little too high, which made every cell in Gawain's body sound the alarm.
Danger... Danger. Danger! The tennis ball swayed across the net, across the court, and landed in Federer's left half of the court.
Federer did not act rashly. He took small steps to adjust, moving, sideways and vertically. He not only switched from backhand to forehand, but also cut into the baseline and entered the court. His whole body was fully stretched out, and with a move of spreading wings like a roc, he found the rising point and smashed with all his strength from top to bottom.
Sideways forehand, forceful attack, flat shot -
Slash "inside-out".
The light and elegant figure, like a dashing swordsman, burst out with tremendous energy in the light breeze. The breeze blew Federer's soft hair. All the strength was condensed and released in an instant. He launched an all-out attack again, and the space and time of the entire O2 stadium just stopped.
A fatal blow, the sword was unsheathed, and the cannon roared.
Boom! That's the sound of the ball hitting the ground.
Huh! That was a cry of surprise.
And, I can't stop.
Ah. Ah! Ahhhh!
The pulse kept rising, one wave higher than the other. People's hearts started to lift little by little, their cheers were released little by little, and the nerves of the whole audience were stretched to the limit.
The tennis ball turned into a beam of light, sweeping across the entire court, and slammed heavily into the shallow area on the sideline of Gao Wen's backhand.
Where is Gawain? On his front foot, he finally regained his balance after a panic, and was getting back in position to prepare for the next shot.
He immediately realized Federer's intention to hit the ball, but fell into further passivity because of the advantage he lost before, and his starting speed was obviously slow.
One big step, two big steps.
At this time, there is no way to slowly adjust the angle, and even the acceleration cannot be increased. The body has already extended out just after starting.
In the whole venue, the blood was surging and boiling.
Gawain remained focused.
At this moment, championship, match point, world No. 1, none of them mattered. The only thing in my eyes and brain was the tennis ball flying in the air.
Everything is about tennis and only about tennis.
Maybe, becoming the world's No. 1 is very important; maybe, making history is very important, but in the final analysis, the most important thing is still that he loves tennis.
When his feet stepped onto the court, he devoted himself to the sport without reservation, and in a trance, his childlike heart was awakened again.
Pure and simple, just staring at the tennis ball and running all the way.
Then.
He stepped out with his left leg, pulling his right leg a small step forward, and then he clapped his hands back and extended them directly along the momentum of inertia.
Push off the ground.
Make an effort.
Turn around.
Swing the racket.
All the movements were done in one go, he slapped back with both hands without flinching, he faced forward and hit hard.
Use the opponent's force to counter attack.
Purely using the opponent's force to counter the opponent.
With a push and a collision, all the sweeping force is pushed back, the forearm is straightened, the wrist is controlled, and the power deep in the dantian is released instantly.
Bang.
drink.
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My chest felt as if it had been hit hard and it was stunned.
Ah! Immediately afterwards, the power was released like a tidal wave, and the swing of the racket was smooth and crisp.
One push.
straight line.
The tennis ball hits back straight.
Be straightforward.
Straight straight.
Fast! Fast as lightning!
Ping! An arrow pierced his heart! Along the sideline, a streak of lightning flashed, speed and strength pushed to the extreme, breaking free from the restraints, and then -
Embrace freedom.
Everything is frozen like this.
Gawain did not make the next move; Federer's feet were nailed to the spot; the audience was dumbfounded and stunned, and time completely stopped.
Quietly, just like that quietly, yet with a surging heart, I watched the tennis ball go into a blind corner, fall to the ground, and bloom proudly.
One, period.
Win, score.
The game is over.
The third match point belongs to Gao Wen.
With a backhand straight line that astonished everyone, a backhand straight line that was unprecedented in that year, the game was brought to an end, ending this peak confrontation.
After many ups and downs and twists and turns, Gao Wen finally won the victory and became the champion!
“6:3”, “6:4”.
Winner.
At the moment when the tennis ball hit the ground and exploded, Gawain's heart soared high up and exploded instantly. Happiness and fatigue swept over him like a tide. His knees softened and he fell to the ground, completely collapsing on the ground. The pressure on his shoulders dissipated in an instant.
Huff, huff.
Lungs are burning.
Although Gao Wen never said it, the pressure was real. It came from the outside world, from himself, from his dreams, and from the future.
The pressure is so overwhelming.
From Roland Garros to Wimbledon, from the North American summer hard court season, he overcame all obstacles, crossed mountains and rivers, and crossed the ocean. In the end, he finally withstood the pressure and reached the other side of the season. He relied on his own legs and hands to fight for a piece of the world and touch his dream.
champion!
He is the champion, the 2015 ATP Finals champion.
He fought for an opportunity, an opportunity to realize his dream and break through himself, an opportunity to scale the peak and create a new world, and then he seized it.
Once, in the dead of night, he also questioned himself, the night after he was eliminated in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, the night after he was accidentally injured in Toronto, and the night after he encountered an accident again in New York... However, he did not give up, never, but instead mustered up the courage to move forward.
Finally, I came here.
Unexpectedly, my eyes were filled with tears, but they were not sadness or bitterness, but joy and happiness. I opened my arms and legs, stared at the lights above the O2 Arena, and let the tears flow.
I cried and cried, and then I laughed.
"history."
“We are witnessing history!”
"Gavankar, who just turned 20 yesterday, won the 2015 ATP Finals after defeating Stan Wawrinka, Murray, Nadal, Djokovic and Federer."
"In 2007, Argentine player Nalbandian completed an epic draw at the Madrid Masters, defeating Berdych, Del Potro, Nadal, Djokovic and Federer to win the championship. That was also the most important championship in Nalbandian's career."
“And tonight, Gawain broke Nalbandian’s record, defeating five of the world’s top six players, excluding himself, on his way to the top.”
"He ended the 2015 season with an undisputed performance. After winning two Grand Slam titles and four Masters titles, he announced the rise of the fifth giant with a year-end finals title and firmly grasped the glimmer of hope. It was an incredible feat."
“Reaching the top spot in the world at the end of the year!”
"For the first time since 2004, the ATP's year-end world No. 1 ranking is held by a player not named Federer, Nadal or Djokovic."
"At the same time, Gawain also replaced Hewitt, who held a retirement ceremony in London, becoming the youngest world number one since the ATP incorporated the computer ranking system."
"Of course, without a doubt, the most important point is that Gao Wen is also the first Asian world number one in the history of ATP and WTA."
“This is history.”
“And we are lucky enough to be witnesses.”
Ah! Suddenly, Plan stood up, clenched his fists, and jumped high.
Ahhh! Standing ovation, arms raised! Sampras clenched his fists and roared in ecstasy. He turned around and saw Agassi with a big smile on his face. He gave his old friend a hug without hesitation.
Agassi glanced at Sampras with disdain.
But Sampras didn't mind, and immediately gave Peart a hug. Then they all hugged each other in groups of three or four, cheering and celebrating.
Ahhh! Jiang Yanyun tried to shout out, but found that his heart was curled up and he could hardly breathe.
Gao Hongli was the first to notice something was wrong with his wife. He stopped clapping, looked at his wife, held her shoulders, bent down and asked.
Jiang Yanyun waved her hands repeatedly, stood up straight, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and smiled at Gao Hongli. She was just too nervous, and even now she was still a little scared. Her knees were shaking slightly, and her fingertips couldn't stop moving. She looked at Gao Hongli inquiringly with disbelief in her eyes.
"Xiao Wu, did you really win?"
Gao Hongli understood, he understood everything. He thought he could remain calm and composed, but in the sight of Jiang Yanyun, he was completely defeated. His eyes suddenly became slightly red, but he still smiled widely and nodded vigorously, giving his wife an affirmative answer.
Ahhh! Whether it was the O2 Arena or the TV viewers around the world, the heat wave was spreading across the board, lighting up every corner of the earth.
They are witnessing history.
But compared with history, what is more important and more rare is that they are witnessing a wonderful showdown tonight, which is enough to go down in history.
Applause and cheers, whistles and screams, like a summer rainstorm, vented down, violently and violently hitting Gawain. The stinging pain from the surface of his skin was so clear that it fiercely dragged Gawain from the clouds to the ground. Reason returned to his mind, and finally there was a little sense of reality.
Taking a deep breath, Gao Wen stood up again, and then he could see Federer standing by the net and waiting quietly.
A little lost, a little regretful, but the smile remains and the eyes are bright.
Federer is still the same Federer, facing any situation calmly, hiding his bitterness and loss, and then constantly taking on new challenges.
This is what a giant is.
The same is true for Gawain. The journey to the top is difficult and full of difficulties. But now that his feet are already at the top, the journey to maintain the peak level will be even more difficult. This is his era and his challenge. From today on, the second act slowly begins.
Seeing Gawain approaching, Federer raised the corners of his mouth slightly, opened his arms, and gave Gawain a big hug.
Neither of them spoke, they just hugged each other.
Compared to words, actions can say it all, respect for each other, blessings for each other, and gratitude for each other.
No one would doubt that this is just one of the countless "Fei Gao Finals" in the future. When the two players stand across the net next time, the victory and defeat will be reset to zero, and everything will start all over again. The winner may not continue to win, and the loser will not always be dejected. It is their chapter -
In progress.
The O2 Arena quickly became busy, with the post-match awards ceremony also part of the live broadcast.
When Federer took the court again, the home advantage was once again highlighted. Even if he lost, he still easily won all the applause.
However, this time was a little different. When Gao Wen came on stage, the scene erupted with thunderous cheers of support, which was no less impressive.
Perhaps, Federer is the global home court; but now, Gao Wen is also winning more and more support around the world, conquering London after New York.
Who could refuse Gawain?
But this is still not all.
At the award ceremony, Gao Wen first received the championship trophy of the 2015 year-end finals. Then there was another link, and the ATP president presented Gao Wen with the year-end world No. 1 trophy.
As a special reward, the ATP will present a special trophy to each player when he or she reaches the world's number one position; and when a player becomes the world's number one at the end of the year, the ATP will also present another trophy, which symbolizes an honor and also a milestone.
The first appearance was the year-end champion.
The second time he appeared, he was number one in the world.
When Gao Wen held up the year-end world No. 1 trophy with both hands, the whole stadium roared with thunder.
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
It goes on and on, circling for a long time.
History is being written, is happening, and is still going on.
…
Night falls.
Those cheers, shouts, enthusiasm and frenzy have all been left behind, but they still stir on the eardrums and linger.
"Gao Wen, congratulations on your victory tonight. The game was really exciting. I wonder if I would be honored to invite you to take a photo with our chef and staff and leave your autographs?"
"Haha, Gawain, you're now on par with Roger and Rafa."
There was laughter all around.
The person being teased was not shy. Gao Wen looked at the restaurant manager in front of him and smiled, "Of course, it's my honor."
The ATP year-end finals came to an end and the 2015 season also came to an end, but their party only began after leaving the O2 Arena.
Gawain brought his team to the restaurant for dinner. In addition to Sampras and other people on the team, there were some "discordant" unexpected figures. Nadal, Dimitrov and Thiem were all guests of honor. They gathered together with Gawain, laughing constantly, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
The restaurant staff just left.
Soon after, there was a chirping sound coming from the door.
"Wait, wait, is this the celebration party for the new ATP world number one? We don't have an invitation, can we still eat and drink for free?"
When I looked up, it was Bob Bryan.
Mike Bryan, who was standing next to him, rolled his eyes, feeling helpless about his brother's performance.
Dimitrov raised his voice on behalf of his host, "Food is fine, but alcohol is not."
Bob wailed. "I came here just for the alcohol. Is beer not okay?"
A voice came from the side, "Don't worry, free drinking won't make Gawain go bankrupt. He just won a check, and I've never won anything." The English voice with a strong Spanish accent was Nadal.
Nadal, who is usually very strict, also has this side in private.
This statement is clearly a self-mockery about never having won the year-end finals championship.
Suddenly, everyone burst into laughter.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Yanyun raised his voice and cut into the topic, "Bob, Mike, don't worry, eat as much as you want, I'll pay for tonight."
“Roar, roar, roar!”
Bob was the first to start making a noise, "So the real money man is here."
Without paying any attention to Gao Wen, Bob pulled Mike towards Jiang Yanyun's table, muttering, "We should deal with them properly."
The whole audience burst into laughter.
The sound of laughter is so lively.
Gawain's smile faded and he moved slightly closer to Nadal. Because it was too noisy around them, he had to speak louder and his throat couldn't bear it, so he shortened the physical distance to complete the conversation.
"Rafa, what do you think if I set up a foundation to sponsor young players to learn tennis, and then pack them up and send them to your tennis school to study?"
Nadal looked at Gao Wen seriously, revealing a little dissatisfaction, "Oh, so you invited me to dinner tonight just for this? I thought we were friends."
That expression wasn't very nice.
However, Gao Wen didn't buy it and immediately saw through Nadal's joke, "What are friends for? To cooperate or betray at critical moments."
Nadal couldn't help but smile, "So, I'm lucky that you chose to cooperate?"
Gao Wen nodded slightly with a mysterious look on his face, as if to say "you've earned it".
Nadal laughed out loud, "Of course no problem. Why, do you also want to do something for Chinese tennis?"
Gao Wen didn't continue joking and nodded in agreement, "I am pursuing my dream, and I hope more people can have this opportunity."
For competitive sports, leaders are very important. A leader can drive the development of the entire project, but having only one leader is far from enough. Many hands make light work. Ultimately, it is necessary to expand the foundation of the project through youth training, which is the right direction.
Nadal supported Gao Wen's idea 100%, "So, how are you going to proceed?"
Gawain made way for a moment, revealing the figure who had been listening attentively beside him.
Plan.
“When Emily and I chat, we occasionally discuss these topics, and it is she who gives me inspiration: everyone should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”
“The point is never whether the dream can be realized, but to realize and find yourself in the process of pursuit, and discover the passion of life.”
“Now that I have the resources and influence, why not try to do something?”
Plan's eyes were full of smiles, and he waved his hand gently, "I was just talking casually, he was the one who really conceived those plans."
Despite Plan's modesty, Gawain stood up and made way for her. "Emily has some ideas. Why don't you talk to Rafa first and see if there are any sparks?"
Plan looked at Gao Wen, the hands-off manager, with a helpless look in his eyes.
Gao Wen smiled brilliantly, bent down to kiss Pu Lan, then walked to the next table and squatted down next to Jiang Yanyun.
Jiang Yanyun drank some wine, and his cheeks flushed. When he saw his son, his smile immediately blossomed, "Xiao Wu!"
Gao Wen opened his mouth to persuade Jiang Yanyun, but Jiang Yanyun couldn't drink much. However, when he saw Gao Hongli next to him, he swallowed his words and asked, "Mom, what are your plans for the holidays? Do you want to go on a trip together?"
Jiang Yanyun laughed out loud, "Son, you're a step late. Your father invited Rafa's parents to come to China, and we're going to travel together. Last time we went to Spain, they treated us well. Now it's our turn to be the host and show our hospitality."
Gawain opened his mouth slightly.
Plan was worried that Gao Wen would immediately return to training during the off-season and would have no time to rest, so he suggested that he spend more time with his parents.
After all, the daily routine of professional players cannot be stopped. They compete all over the world throughout the year. Apart from the four Grand Slams and the year-end finals, Gao Wen has limited time to spend with his family, so he should make good use of the off-season.
But now it seems that Plan's worries were unnecessary, as Jiang Yanyun and Gao Hongli had already made arrangements.
In fact, this is good, they also have their own friends and their own lives.
Gao Wen also smiled. "How do you plan your trip? Do you need my help?"
Jiang Yanyun waved his hands repeatedly, "They have been to those big cities. We plan to take them to some less famous scenic spots. Our China is vast, with beautiful mountains and rivers. There are countless places worth visiting. Your father is arranging this. He is very enthusiastic now."
Gao Wen nodded to show his understanding, "Okay, if you need anything, just let me know."
After saying that, Gao Wen was about to stand up, but Jiang Yanyun called out "Xiao Wu". Gao Wen stopped and looked away.
Jiang Yanyun looked at Gao Wen seriously, "Xiao Wu, good job."
Such a simple sentence carries so much.
Gao Wen was slightly stunned, and then a smile rose on his face, "Mom, this is just the beginning."
Patting Jiang Yanyun's shoulder gently, Gao Wen stood up and turned to go back to the table, but saw a boy of about twelve or thirteen standing in front of him, looking at Gao Wen with clear and bright eyes, feeling a little nervous and excited.
Gawain gave him a questioning look.
The boy finally came to his senses and shouted, "Gao Wen, congratulations on winning the championship. I like you. I really, really like you. I also look forward to stepping onto the court and playing with you one day in the future."
Once upon a time, Gao Wen looked up to the generation of Sampras and Agassi, yearned for the generation of Hewitt, Safin and Ferrero, followed the generation of Federer and Nadal, and pursued his dream step by step.
With a turn, Gao Wen has now become the object of others' admiration, longing and following, awakening their dreams, igniting their hopes and becoming the driving force for their progress.
Gao Wen straightened his back and stretched out his right hand solemnly, "I am looking forward to such a day."
The boy took Gawain's right hand and shook it hard. Then, unable to control himself any longer, he turned and rushed out, jumping up and down and shouting, "I shook hands with Gawain, God, I shook hands with Gawain, ah ah ah, ah!"
Rushed out and announced it to the world.
Quietly gazing at the boy's back, Gao Wen seemed to see his former self, and also seemed to see himself who returned to UCLA two years ago to win a second chance in life.
Youth only comes once, and life also only comes once. They need to grasp it well, dare to dream, and live a life that blooms as brilliantly as a summer flower.
The future has just begun, and there are more challenges, more obstacles and more difficulties waiting ahead.
But it doesn’t matter, because that is what makes life so wonderful. He is ready and can’t wait to continue the battle.
The battle never stops.
Fight, constantly.
A smile crept up the corners of his mouth and quietly blossomed. Then, Gawain retracted his gaze and walked back to his seat. Tonight, the party was still going on.
Not only to celebrate championships, but also to celebrate challenges, dreams and life.
The book is finished.