Who would still play tennis after being reborn?

Chapter 141 I'm afraid he'll bring out some local specialties again.
"Hiss, I feel like Gu Shen could dominate most professional players even without using his skills at the Australian Open! Janowicz doesn't have much of a chance in his return game. I thought he could make a difference in his serve and at least cause some trouble for Gu Shen, but it seems like the situation is already clear!"

"The key is that Gu Shen didn't use any skills in the return game, but still showed strong dominance. I really can't think of any chance for Janowicz."

"If you can reach the Wimbledon semifinals, there's no way you only have this much skill, right?"

That's a Wimbledon semi-final, not some obscure tournament.

From the perspective of historical heritage and cultural significance, Wimbledon tennis tournament undoubtedly has an advantage.

Since its founding in 1877, Wimbledon has not only been one of the oldest tournaments in tennis history, but it is also deeply loved for its unique grass courts, elegant dress code, and traditional image as a "gentleman's sport".

Every patch of grass at Wimbledon carries the memory of history, and every shot seems to tell a story of past glories.

This profound cultural heritage makes Wimbledon unique among the four Grand Slams, and Janowicz's ability to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon speaks volumes about its prestige.

It was unexpected that such a player would be almost completely suppressed by Gu Cheng at this moment.

"Janowicz is probably still looking for an opportunity. With the ability to reach the Wimbledon semifinals, he's not far behind players like Federer, no matter what."

"Gu Cheng, who has tennis skills, is indeed more difficult to deal with than players like Federer."

"The key point is that Gu Cheng has not yet used Tezuka Domain. If Yanowitz cannot even force Gu Cheng to use Tezuka Domain, let alone win, I doubt he will even have a hard time getting one or two points."

"Let's wait and see, maybe Janowitz hasn't exerted his full strength yet."

"Is the person upstairs starting to fantasize? Shouldn't a serve and a return game wake you up?"

"Yes, Janowicz will win the first round of the provincial competition 3-0. But eliminating Australian Open top seed Gu Cheng in the first round is just a dream of yours."

"Gu Cheng is indeed very strong, there's nothing to say about that, but Janowicz can't possibly only be this strong after reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. Besides, this is only the first set, and Janowicz can't let the situation continue like this. A counterattack is inevitable."

"As everyone knows, if you want a villa by the sea, bet against the score. I'm betting on Janowicz to win 3-2 and turn the tide."

"Don't waste money, upstairs."

"We must believe that Gu Shen can secure a dominant 3-0 victory in the first round!"

"The odds are too low! Why not spend a little money to gamble on the future?"

Among the Bean Warriors, there is never a shortage of brave warriors.

Betting on upsets is always the key to getting rich quick.

People are not rich without windfall, and horses are neither night nor fat.

……

On the court, Janowicz lost three consecutive service games, putting him under increasing pressure. He chose a slightly risky second serve – a sidespin serve with strong spin – in an attempt to disrupt Gu Cheng's rhythm.

However, Gu Cheng had already adapted to this change. He seized the opportunity and used a swift backhand straight attack to score the winning point!

"Game! Gu Cheng breaks serve, score 2-0!"

Janowitz slowly shook his head, his face full of helplessness.

He looked at the young man opposite him, who was even younger than himself, and a sense of respect rose in his heart.

This young man not only possesses amazing talent, but more importantly, his mental fortitude at crucial moments has surpassed that of many of his peers.

The key point is that the pressure Gu Cheng puts on him is far greater than that of top professional players like Federer.

During the game, he not only had to pay attention to Gu Cheng's amazing skills that could come at any time, but also had to think about more things. Sometimes, he finally came up with a new tactic, but because he didn't have time to react, he could only watch helplessly as Gu Cheng scored.

Another point is that Gu Cheng's experience in major competitions is not as little as outsiders claim.

It's impossible to play such a perfect game with only two or three months of major tournament experience.

As the first set drew to a close, Gu Cheng maintained his consistent performance.

His serve remained an impenetrable defense, each swing brimming with confidence and control. Facing the pressure Janowicz attempted to apply, he remained unwavering, using precise shot placement and highly varied spin to make it difficult for Janowicz to find a breakthrough.

In the fifth game, Gu Cheng opted for a more aggressive serving strategy.

He stood behind the baseline, his gaze calmly sweeping across every corner of the court.

The next second, he tossed the ball high into the air, his body stretching out like a cheetah as he unleashed a powerful serve with strong sidespin that sliced ​​through the air and landed precisely near the outer corner line.

Janowicz moved quickly, trying to return the ball, but when he hit the tennis ball that was flying close to the ground, he still couldn't get any power. The tennis ball only flew forward for a short while before being intercepted by the net, but it did go much higher.

"No wonder they reached the Wimbledon semifinals; their strength should not be underestimated."

This is something that others may not have noticed yet, but Gu Cheng has always been aware of it.

Starting from the third game, Janowicz's serve return height increased, and she was only about 20 centimeters away from the King.

At this height, it seems like there's little chance, but he's already very, very close to clearing the net.

The key point is that Tangweiser's serve is extremely energy-consuming, and since he is currently in a state of selflessness, his energy is being depleted even faster. Helplessly, Gu Cheng had no choice but to temporarily give up Tangweiser's serve.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Cheng delivered another flat serve with a speed of up to 130 kilometers per hour, at a tricky angle, forcing Janowicz to run around in a panic.

Gu Cheng demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude during crucial points.

Faced with what seemed like a simple opportunity, Janowicz attempted to launch a counterattack. However, Gu Cheng was prepared and adjusted his position in advance. Just as the opponent's return ball crossed the net, he decisively struck out with a sharp, clear-sky smash, scoring directly.

Since we can't use the Tannhäuser serve, we'll just have to finish the game with our skills.

The audience erupted in cheers, while Janowicz shook his head in frustration, realizing that his chances of turning the tide in the first set were slim, if not impossible.

As the final point was scored, the referee's voice rang out throughout the stadium.

"Game, set and match! Gu Cheng 6-0!"

Gu Cheng closed his eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and then slowly opened them, without showing much excitement on his face.

The Australian Open is different from the ITF junior tournament. Even in the first round, it is a best-of-five (BO5) format, which means he must win three sets to advance to the next round.

And in the process, too many unexpected things happened.

Even though he felt he couldn't possibly lose to Janowicz, he had to be mindful that he had other matches to play, and conserving energy was always something he needed to consider.

Moreover, he also received the news.

Because of his participation, Federer and others who did not previously play doubles have now formed a doubles team at the Australian Open, and the only player he could find was Zhang Ming.

Although Zhang Ming has made rapid progress recently, he is still far behind players like Federer. In doubles, Gu Cheng is the absolute main player.

Especially when facing doubles opponents like Federer, he may need to run more, so it is essential to conserve energy in advance.

After Janowicz left the field, his physical and tactical coaches quickly surrounded him, offering him water and towels, but more importantly, providing him with tactical ideas.

The huge 6-0 lead in the first set put Janowicz's team on edge.

Moreover, the news of their first set seemed to have sprouted wings and reached the ears of all the participants in the first round of the Australian Open.

On Djokovic's side.

His opponent was Bedene from Slovenia, and the score eventually stopped at 6-3. Bedene's ability to take 3 points from the former top seed is a testament to his strength.

As Djokovic walked off the court, he saw his assistant rushing back in a panic.

Djokovic took the towel from the coach: "Janowicz is quite strong. She reached the Wimbledon semifinals last season. With plenty of energy in the first set, she should have posed some threat to Gu Cheng, right?"

"Did you force him to use something new?"

The assistant gave a wry smile: "They did use something new, but it was a threat..."

Djokovic frowned: "What's wrong?"

The assistant said, "Gu Cheng took the serve first, and he used a serve he hadn't used before. Atobe Keigo used the Tannhäuser serve in the doubles match against the American team, and Janowitz had no way to deal with it."

"Tannhäuser serves?" Djokovic was slightly surprised.

"Ah."

"What's the score?" "6-0."

Djokovic opened his mouth, then fell silent; the score was far beyond his expectations.

He had originally predicted that even if Janowicz was not as good as Gu Cheng, he should at least be able to get one or two points in the first set, and the match would be either 6-1 or 6-2. But now, it has become 6-0.

A clean sheet versus a point or two is a huge difference.

"Do Federer and Nadal know?"

"It should be soon. I saw their assistant running over when I came back."

Djokovic nodded and said nothing more.

Meanwhile, after Federer, Nadal, and Wawrinka finished their matches, the same thing happened to Djokovic.

"A serve that won't bounce!"

Federer wasn't too surprised: "I knew he was hiding his true strength, but this serve is indeed a bit difficult to handle."

"Now what?"

"But Janowicz isn't as weak as you think. Losing the first set is okay. As long as she hasn't lost confidence, Janowicz still has a chance to win points."

"???"

"If you don't believe me, go and see for yourself."

……

After the start of the second set, Janowicz clearly adjusted his match strategy.
Having experienced Gu Cheng's powerful serve and precise baseline attacks in the first set, I decided to change the rhythm and try to disrupt Gu Cheng's rhythm with a more aggressive style of play.

He stopped playing defensively and started looking for opportunities to go to the net. He also increased the aggressiveness of his forehand, trying to pressure Gu Cheng's return space with faster and deeper shots.

In the opening stages, Janowicz's performance improved rapidly.

He added more variety to his service games, reduced unforced errors, and was more decisive in receiving serves.

When Gu Cheng attempted to pressure him with a powerful flat serve, he anticipated this, quickly started his attack, and executed a high-quality return-and-attack, successfully leveling the score at 1-1.
The point greatly boosted Janowicz's morale and made the audience realize that Janowicz's ability to reach the Wimbledon semifinals was not just talk; his strength was indeed considerable.

It's just that it's my first time playing against a player like Gu Cheng, and I'm a little unaccustomed to it.

In the following rounds, the two sides engaged in a fierce back-and-forth battle.

Although Gu Cheng maintained his consistent performance, Janowicz's tactical adjustments clearly paid off. He seized an opportunity in a long rally, breaking Gu Cheng's defense with a powerful forehand down the line to break serve and take a 3-2 lead.

The atmosphere on the field immediately became tense. Gu Cheng frowned, knowing that he had to make adjustments quickly, otherwise the situation in the second game might tilt further.

Gu Cheng remained calm in the face of Janowicz's counterattack.

He quickly analyzed his opponent's changes and made targeted adjustments in the next game. He reduced unnecessary risky shots, made more use of angles to widen his opponent's position, and continued to remain calm and decisive on crucial points.

Ultimately, he steadied himself in his service game and held serve with a precise Tannhäuser serve, leveling the score at 3-3.

The match entered a heated phase, with both sides constantly adjusting their tactics in an attempt to gain the upper hand.

Janowicz's counterattack was becoming increasingly evident, while Gu Cheng demonstrated a strong ability to adapt and responded quickly.

At a crucial break point, Janowicz adopted a more aggressive approach.

He abandoned his previous conservative approach to receiving serves and instead sought a breakthrough in Gu Cheng's second serve.

This time, he spotted a serve with a slight backspin, quickly pressed forward, and disrupted Gu Cheng's rhythm with a short slice.

Gu Cheng did not rush into an attack, but instead opted for a steady lob to buy himself time to reorganize his attack.

However, Janowicz had anticipated this, and he quickly retreated, followed by a powerful forehand smash that sent the ball flying with strong topspin towards the baseline corner.

Gu Cheng ran with all his might and managed to block the ball back, but the ball was too fast and bounced at an extremely tricky angle. He was only half a step away from completing the counterattack and ultimately failed to touch the ball.

"Break point! Janowicz has a chance to score another goal!" the commentator exclaimed excitedly.

However, Gu Cheng was not affected by this point.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his stance, and chose a more varied serving strategy for the next ball.

He first served two consecutive flat serves to the outside corners, forcing Janowicz to expand his defensive range. Then, on the third ball, he suddenly switched to an inside-side sidespin serve. The ball bounced sharply to the outside after landing, causing Janowicz's return to go astray.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Gu Cheng quickly stepped forward and won the crucial point with a clean and decisive forehand volley, successfully averting a break.

The two exchanged blows, their tactical clashes becoming increasingly intense.

Janowitz attempted to compress Gu Cheng's reaction time with a faster pace, while Gu Cheng used precise control of his landing points and clever changes in trajectory to wear down his opponent's stamina.
Every shot was full of suspense, and every strike captivated the audience.

The match reached a crucial moment in the second set, with the score at 5-2, Gu Cheng in the lead, and it was Gu Cheng's turn to serve.

At this moment, Janowicz seemed to have completely adapted to Gu Cheng's rhythm of the game, and his counterattacks became increasingly sharp, attempting to break through Gu Cheng's defense again at this final moment.

However, Gu Cheng's calmness and focus remained completely unaffected.

In the first point, Gu Cheng adopted a slightly different serving strategy. He started with two high-quality flat serves, precise in angle and fast in speed, forcing Janowicz to return the ball passively.

In the second point, he suddenly switched to an inside-spin serve. After the ball landed, it bounced sharply to the outside. Janowicz barely extended his racket, but only lightly grazed the ball. His racket didn't even fully touch the tennis ball.

The referee declared the ball out of bounds, and Gu Cheng easily scored a point.

The score quickly reached 40-0!

However, Janowitz did not give up easily.

In the fourth point, he made a bold attempt.

He anticipated Gu Cheng's serve direction and started moving quickly the instant the ball left his racket, attempting to use his superior speed to launch a high-quality attack.

As expected, Gu Cheng chose to serve a flat serve to the outside corner. Janowicz accurately positioned himself, swung his racket to meet the serve, and hit a backhand straight shot with an extremely tricky angle.

The ball flew almost close to the sideline, bounced up quickly after landing, and headed straight for Gu Cheng's backhand corner.

Faced with this sudden change of tactics, Gu Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not panic.

He quickly adjusted his footwork and hit the ball just before it hit the ground, delivering a low-arc backhand slice. The ball decelerated rapidly after landing and slid towards the sideline, forcing Janowicz to readjust his footwork to return the shot.

Although Janowicz managed to return the ball, the quality of his shot clearly dropped. Gu Cheng seized the opportunity, moved to the net, and ended the rally with a clean and powerful forehand overhead smash.

"Game, 6-2, Gu Cheng wins this round."

With the end of the second set, the score quickly reached 2-0.

As Janowicz walked off the court for a long break, the tactical coach came up to him and said, "The rhythm of this set is much better than the first set. In the third set, you must suppress Gu Cheng in the early stages. Tannhäuser's serve is extremely energy-consuming, so he can't play much. This is your chance."

"Try to drag the match out. His stamina is not as good as yours. Apart from his ball control and skills, he is inferior to you in other aspects. What you need to do is to seize this advantage and try to win a set. The longer the match goes on, the greater your advantage will be."

"Don't be discouraged, we still have a chance."

Although Janowicz is young, he is also considered a veteran. Having participated in junior tournaments since his teens, he has a wealth of experience and could easily sense that his disadvantage in the second set was not as great as he had imagined.

"I know, I'll do my best in the third set."

"I'm just afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

Janowitz said dejectedly, "I'm afraid he'll bring out some local specialties again, then I won't be able to do anything about it."

The tactical and physical coaches looked at each other in bewilderment.

It shouldn't be... right?

But then they realized that there were still many tennis skills that Gu Cheng hadn't used in The Prince of Tennis, and the two of them became a little less confident.

(End of this chapter)