Chapter 534: No Touch of Ground
"…The plane is descending and will land at the Imperial Capital International Airport in thirty minutes. The local time is…"
Buzz buzz buzz.
Buzz buzz buzz.
The continuous surging engine noise and air flow in the cabin created a roar on the eardrums, so much so that the airport broadcast became distant. It felt like burying your head in a pool of water to catch the sounds outside.
The long-distance flight across the Pacific Ocean is finally about to arrive at the destination. I wake up from a drowsy sleep, stretch my muscles, and then I can hear the crunching sound and the performance of popping beans on the spot.
"woke up?"
Tobias' voice came from the side. Gawain twisted his neck. Even though he was traveling in first class and could lie flat the entire time, the space on the plane was limited after all. A 193cm tall man could only fall asleep by curling up like a baby. After all, he still didn't sleep comfortably and his body urgently needed to move.
Before Gawain could speak, Sampras leaned out from the seat at the back and asked with a frown.
"John, can't those trips be postponed? Or just rejected?"
"Since we won the championship, our schedule has been fully booked and we have no time for training. Now we finally come to compete, and we always need to adapt to the venue, do basic training, and adjust to the time difference. As a result, we have to arrange a lot of schedules. How can we prepare for the competition?"
When Gawain won the US Open, he formally invited Sampras to be his coach, hoping that the temporary consulting relationship could develop into a formal cooperative relationship.
Sampras considered this very carefully and seriously for a whole week, and finally nodded in agreement.
After the news was officially announced, it caused a sensation.
Although Sampras accompanied Koeman throughout the entire US Open journey and sat in Koeman's player box the entire time, industry insiders were already mentally prepared.
But anyway, in the ten years since Sampras retired, there have been at least 80 players who have invited him to be their coach, but Sampras has rejected all of them, including Federer. You know, before Federer and Nadal teamed up to break history, Sampras was the pinnacle of professional tennis.
However, now that Sampras has finally officially come out and taken on the position of a professional coach for the first time, and is working with Gavankar, who just wrote a legend at the US Open, the topic and attention are at a tsunami level, still causing a storm and triggering endless heated discussions among tennis industry insiders.
Gao Wen, Gao Wen, Gao Wen. Social networks are flooded with news about Gao Wen. He is very popular!
In the blink of an eye, 25 days have passed since the end of the US Open. Then, Gao Wen, who has been busy all the time, is finally ready to return to the court. What kind of performance this young player who has just entered the top 20 in the world can give next is indeed a focus of everyone's attention.
But Sampras has his own concerns.
For more than three weeks, Gao Wen's daily life was filled with various schedules, and he had almost no time for daily training. Not to mention his condition and feel, his physical reserves might also have problems. If he returns to the court in such a state, his performance will be worrying.
As a professional player, Sampras has created countless histories. He knows very well how much influence and destructive power the colorful lights off the court have on players. This is true in any competitive field. Every athlete who can reach the top of his field needs to withstand the test of external attention and off-court interference. Concentration and dedication are the prerequisites for all achievements.
What’s worse is that after Gawain arrived in the imperial capital, what awaited him ahead was still one journey after another.
To be honest, Sampras was a little angry.
But Tobias was also helpless.
"Peter, I know, I know everything, how could I not know?"
"But, as a history maker, Gao Wen really can't refuse those leaders and sponsors. Moreover, all of them are official invitations."
"Think about it yourself. When you won the US Open for the first time, could you refuse the invitation from the USTA? Moreover, in the Chinese market, there are many hidden reasons behind these official invitations. Unless Gao Wen can win one or two more Grand Slam titles, it will be difficult for him to remain aloof."
In just a few words, one can also feel Tobias's helplessness——
In fact, Tobias has already screened a lot of itineraries for Gawain, and finally only kept those invitations that he could not refuse, hoping to lay the foundation for Gawain efficiently; however, some things still need to be done after all.
Gawain heard everything about the argument between the two. He knew that Tobias and Sampras were both thinking about themselves, but their starting points were different.
"Don't worry, Pete. The trip will only take a day and a half. I can start recovery training tomorrow afternoon. Besides, I have already started physical training at school."
He paused, then turned to look at Tobias.
"John, I know social activities are essential, but everything comes from championships and victories, so we still need to focus on the court, just like the experience of Flushing Meadows. Only by continuing to win, they will not be fleeting like bubbles, but will still chase us."
With just a few words, the two big guys calmed down.
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Tobias and Sampras exchanged glances, smiled a little helplessly, and finally Sampras sighed softly.
"I am willing to be the coach because of Gawain's talent and maturity. John, you'd better not let Gawain down."
After saying that, Sampras returned to his seat depressedly, muttering something.
"If the schedule is so full, the best option is to give up the Imperial Capital Open, do recovery training first, then normal training, and then play in the Magic City Masters, but the schedule is so tight now..."
Tobias looked back at Sampras, but he didn't say the words of explanation after all. Anyway, Sampras was just complaining to himself. They both knew the real reason: as the first men's singles Grand Slam champion in China and even in Asia, the weight of this title is too heavy, and the Imperial Capital Open cannot be missed.
Because the Imperial Capital Open has always been striving to become the fifth Grand Slam, from the name of the event to the investment promotion method, everything is held in accordance with the Grand Slam standards; but over the years, due to various reasons, the event has never been able to take off, and the ATP event level is not even as good as the Magic City.
Therefore, the Imperial Capital Open has always hoped to expand its influence, move to a higher level, and invite as many big-name players as possible to participate.
This time, no matter what the reason or situation, even if Gawain comes to participate and is eliminated in the first round, he must show up.
Applying for a wild card was not a problem at all. Tobias was approved right after he applied. Then the Imperial Capital Open produced promotional posters overnight and launched a massive publicity campaign.
Behind the creation of history, there is also the need to shoulder corresponding responsibilities, and no one can stay out of it.
(End of this chapter)