Chapter 413: Fans Gathering
"…Welcome to the New York Subway Line 7. The next stop is Flushing! Open the door on the right. Please take your belongings with you and get off on the right…"
The announcements at the subway station seemed intermittent amid the clanging sounds of the tracks, and one had to stay highly focused in order not to miss the announcements. However, Gu Xiao had already been waiting at the door, ready to get off the train, his eagerness and excitement surging uncontrollably.
He couldn't help but think of Athens two months ago.
He caught hold of a crazy idea and boldly embarked on the journey to Athens, where he witnessed with his own eyes the moments when the Brown Bears reached the summit and Gawain won the championship. Those brilliant, unbridled, ostentatious, hot and graceful memories are still vivid even now, and he can hear the noise and cheers again as long as he closes his eyes.
However, no one expected that just two months later, Gao Wen would reach the quarterfinals of the US Open and make a bid for a historic semifinal spot.
Just imagining it in my mind makes my blood boil.
Gu Xiao knew that Gao Wen didn't have many fans. After all, two weeks ago, the name "Gao Wen" had not appeared in any ATP 250 tournament entry list or above. Even if he and Goffin created a history of winning three consecutive Challenger Tour titles, it still did not have much weight and significance.
Not to mention compared with players like Isner, Wawrinka, and Kei Nishikori who have been competing in professional tennis for many years and have long occupied a place in the top 20 in the world rankings, even compared with Kyrgios who just emerged in the first half of this year, I am afraid that the number of fans is not even in the same league.
Of course, on social networks, one can already deeply feel the heat focused on Gawain. In his hometown across the Pacific Ocean, there are tens of millions of fans cheering for Gawain, who emerged out of nowhere this year and created miracles. His soaring popularity has already made him a top star.
However, the vast Pacific Ocean and the twelve-hour time difference prevented these cheers and shouts from traveling through time and space and echoing over Flushing.
In addition, due to the popularity of tennis, there are relatively few Chinese fans, and even fewer fans who can go to the scene to cheer for the players.
Quarterfinals...
Gu Xiao was worried that the momentum of the on-site support might be one-sided. From all aspects, his opponent Kei Nishikori had the advantage, but this "Asian Showdown" was a contest in which they absolutely did not want to show weakness. They expected Gao Wen to continue to create miracles and also expected Gao Wen to win this bloody encounter.
Precisely because he deeply understands the difficulty, Gu Xiao hopes to go to the scene to watch the game.
So, he did this -
I used the income I had earned from working in the past two months to buy a plane ticket and book a three-night stay. I traveled from Los Angeles to New York overnight and then went to Flushing.
Gu Xiao knew that this was an impulse and a passion, but with the experience in Athens, he knew that he would never regret it. On the contrary, if he hesitated and missed the opportunity to watch the game live, he might regret it for a long time.
In the new semester in September, he will enter his senior year. There is not much college life left. After graduation, he will no longer be able to do whatever he wants. If he does not seize the tail of his youth, he may never be able to bloom like a summer flower and miss the flowering period.
Gu Xiao hopes he can learn to indulge himself.
Obviously, this decision was supported by Qiao Wangsheng and others. The friends in the forum were even more excited and excited than Gu Xiao. They chattered and gave Gu Xiao advice, and looked forward to Gu Xiao seeing Gao Wen at the training ground and conveying their support to him.
Subway, here we are.
Leaving the subway, following the surging crowd, you can easily find the location of Arthur Ashe Stadium without deliberately identifying the direction, because the building is too conspicuous in Flushing, and because there are indeed quite a few fans going to Flushing at this time——
Today, there are many exciting performances at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The first mixed doubles semifinal was an American civil war, the second women's singles match was between Makarova and Azarenka, and the third was a focus match between Gao Wen and Kei Nishikori.
The night session will be opened by Serena Williams, and the strong match between Djokovic and Murray is the final match. It is definitely a match not to be missed for tennis fans. Even many experts believe that this match should be seen as a preview of the semi-finals or finals.
The singles matches have entered the quarterfinals, with two men's and two women's matches all scheduled at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Each match is the focus! In addition, the second match at Louis Armstrong Stadium has arranged a women's doubles quarterfinal match. The Chinese player Zheng Jie's team will face the Japanese legendary veteran Kimiko Date's team. This can also be seen as another continuation of the men's singles quarterfinals "Gawain VS Kei Nishikori".
It is also because of this that there are obviously more Asian faces coming to Flushing today. There were originally many Chinese living here, and now it is even more lively. The yellow-skinned people coming and going are mixed with the familiar Cantonese, Hokkien and other dialects. In a trance, there is an illusion of traveling through time and space.
Gu Xiao was hesitating about where he should go, and then he saw a five-star red flag flying high in the wind. The bright red color shone brightly under the midday sun, and the hustle and bustle of the crowds became the background.
Involuntarily, my footsteps followed the guidance of the flag and moved closer. Standard Mandarin was heard from the bustling crowd, and the sense of distance disappeared immediately.
Looking around, the people coming and going are still diverse and colorful, with English in different accents interweaving and surging. Then my sight falls on the front again, and the distance is instantly shortened because of these familiar yellow skin and black eyes. Even before I take a step forward, it seems as if I am already standing shoulder to shoulder with them.
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"..." Just as Gu Xiao was wandering in confusion, a man with a slightly bulging belly strode over to him.
The man looked to be around 30 years old, but his slightly receding hairline made it hard to tell whether his actual age was higher or lower. However, the hearty and enthusiastic smile on his face always made people feel friendly.
"Did you come here specifically to watch Gawain's game?"
The man asked in a warm and friendly voice with an accent in English, but Gu Xiao couldn't tell where the accent came from. After all, the dialect culture of the Chinese mainland was too rich. Without waiting for Gu Xiao to respond, the other party continued to talk incessantly, introducing Gu Xiao enthusiastically.
“We are all fans of Gao Wen, and since we know there are not many fans, we plan to gather together and go to Arthur Ashe Stadium to cheer him on.”
(End of this chapter)