Who would still play tennis after being reborn?

Chapter 143 Prepare for the fact that he has already mastered the state of selflessness
"I knew it would be like this."

Janowicz felt a little bitter. When he learned that his opponent had changed from Joe to Gu Cheng, he knew that he would probably be eliminated in the first round, but he did not expect it to be in this way.

Zero shutout.

Yes.

Even though the match wasn't over yet, and the third set had only just begun, Janowicz felt that if he couldn't break the illusion, he wouldn't have any chance in the rest of the match, and even the chance of winning a single point would be extremely slim.

Janowitz hadn't watched the national tournament in detail, but he knew that the "Hidden Strike" could be used as a return shot in addition to being a serving technique.

If he can't break the illusion, he won't have a chance to perform in the upcoming matches.

However, Janowitz has no intention of giving up.

"Even if we can't win, or even get shut out, we have to send a warning to others."

Janowitz clenched his fist, took a deep breath, took the two tennis balls that had just been brought up from the ball boy, and walked towards the baseline.

Janowicz stood behind the baseline, gripping his tennis racket with both hands, and took a deep breath.

He needs to stay calm and regain his rhythm in his service games.

However, just as he was about to throw the ball, he caught a glimpse of Gu Cheng standing in position opposite him, his eyes sharp, as if he were ready to attack at any moment.

"boom!"

For the first ball, Janowicz opted for a powerful flat serve, extremely fast, heading straight for the outside corner.

However, Gu Cheng had already anticipated the trajectory of the ball, quickly adjusted his feet, slightly turned his body to the side, and swung his racket cleanly and crisply.

The racket struck the center of the tennis ball precisely, and a strange force instantly acted on the ball—the next second, the tennis ball seemed to turn into a blur, drawing a slight arc in the air before suddenly disappearing!

There was an uproar in the audience.

The commentator exclaimed, "Disappeared! Disappeared again! How is this possible?!"

"Oh! I almost forgot, the Divine Concealment technique isn't just a serving technique, it's also a return technique!!"

"Next, if Janowicz can't find a way to break through the illusion soon, the third set might end faster than expected."

Janowitz stared wide-eyed, completely unable to predict the ball's trajectory.

He instinctively moved toward the net in an attempt to salvage the situation, but it was too late.

The tennis ball had already landed quietly near the sideline before it appeared out of thin air and bounced slightly.

"15-0!"

As the referee's voice rang out, Janowicz's expression grew increasingly serious.

Although the score was still very close in the second set, he still had a chance in his own service games, and even managed to take two points from Gu Cheng in the second set.

But in the third set, judging from the current situation, let alone getting a point or two, it would be good enough if they weren't shut out.

For the second serve, Janowicz opted for a slice serve with strong spin.

The ball changed direction immediately after landing due to its strong spin, making it much more difficult to return.

However, Gu Cheng's footwork once again demonstrated amazing agility. Just as the ball was about to hit the ground, he quickly stepped forward, flicked his wrist, and lightly lifted the tennis ball with his racket, causing it to rise into the air in a way that defied the laws of physics.

This time, the ball did not disappear directly. Instead, its trajectory suddenly distorted during flight, as if controlled by an invisible hand, drawing a strange arc in the air before finally landing in the spot where Janowitz had just left.

"30-0!"

The audience erupted in cheers.

Some people took out their phones and frantically filmed, some stood up and shouted, and many more watched in shock and disbelief as it all unfolded.

Janowitz's breathing became rapid, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

On the third point, Janowicz frowned and decided to adopt a more conservative strategy, serving a topspin serve with a higher safety margin in hopes of stabilizing the situation.

However, Gu Cheng was even faster—just as the ball crossed the net, he suddenly started, sprinting like a cheetah, and then swung his racket, using his invisibility to deliver that unbelievable return once again.

This time, the tennis ball flew almost close to the net, then suddenly accelerated in mid-air and disappeared from everyone's sight in an instant, as if pulled by some force, and fell straight into the corner behind Janowicz.

"40-0!"

With three consecutive points, Gu Cheng gave Janowicz almost no chance to breathe.

On the final point, Janowicz gritted his teeth and gave it his all, unleashing a high-speed inside serve in hopes of creating a threat through angle and speed.

However, Gu Cheng's reaction was still incredibly fast. His footwork was extremely agile, especially with the help of the Shrinking Ground Technique, which made him incredibly fast. He anticipated the direction of the ball and quickly started his attack the moment the ball hit the ground.

"boom!"

The instant the racket made contact with the tennis ball, Gu Cheng lowered his body slightly and skillfully applied a spin to his wrist, causing the ball to change direction suddenly after a brief flight in the air, bypassing Janowicz's defensive range like a ghost.

"Game! 2-0, Gu Cheng is in the lead!"

The spectators on the sidelines erupted in deafening cheers, having witnessed an incredible match.

Gu Cheng slowly put away his racket, a confident smile appearing on his lips.

"It feels like Janowitz has absolutely no chance left."

"As expected of a national-level player like Qian Sui, his skills are very difficult to counter. It's clear that Yanowitz has tried his best, but he is powerless against Gu Cheng's unpredictable skills."

"It remains to be seen whether Janowicz can find a way to break through the mystery in the next round, or at least give the second round a little inspiration."

"Go, Gu Shen!!"

The match has moved into the third game.

Janowicz looked down at the tennis racket in his hand, his brow furrowed.

He has been completely dominated by Gu Cheng in two consecutive games, bringing the score to 2-0. This means that he has not only lost the initiative, but has also fallen into an extremely passive situation.

If tactics are not adjusted quickly, this game will undoubtedly collapse.

He took a deep breath and looked up at Gu Cheng opposite him. The latter was casually wiping his racket, a faint smile on his face, as if everything was under his control.

This composed attitude made Janowitz's heart skip a beat.

"This can't go on any longer." He made up his mind: "I must break his illusion as soon as possible!"

Janowicz is a professional player with extensive competitive experience.

He knew that against an opponent like Gu Cheng, who was technically proficient, quick-witted, and possessed countless amazing skills, strength and speed alone would be ineffective. Gu Cheng's "disappearing" technique was even more frustrating; the sudden changes in trajectory were simply beyond human limits. At the very least, his dynamic vision could hardly keep up with the speed at which Gu Cheng vanished.

"I can't let him use his Divine Invisibility skill so easily. I need to control the rhythm and disrupt his movements."

Janowicz quickly made a decision—to stop relying on powerful serves and instead use varied spins and landing points to disrupt Gu Cheng's receiving rhythm.

At the same time, he needs to minimize the possibility of making mistakes, drag the game into a stalemate, and look for opportunities to counterattack.

Janowicz gripped his racket tightly, his gaze gradually hardening.

He adjusted his position, moving closer to the center of the baseline to cover more of the return area.

At the same time, he also began to consciously observe Gu Cheng's positioning habits, trying to find out the other party's possible weaknesses.

At this moment, he was no longer a simple defender, but an attacker actively seeking a breakthrough.

The competition is about to continue, and this contest has only just begun to enter its truly heated phase.

As the match progressed, Janowicz became increasingly cautious with each serve.

Faced with Gu Cheng's uncanny ball skills, any mistake could lead to the situation getting out of control.

At this moment, Janowicz was filled with tension and anxiety, but he tried his best to suppress these emotions and focus on each shot that followed.

Janowicz's serve is very smooth. He first gently tosses the ball up, then takes a step forward with his right foot, and his body rotates to form a perfect serving posture.

His arm swung rapidly, and at the moment the racket struck the ball, he felt a powerful force transfer from his feet to his hand. With a crisp sound, the ball hurtled towards the opponent's court at extremely high speed. Although the serve landed slightly off-center, Janowicz remained vigilant.

As Gu Cheng received the serve, his eyes were like an eagle's, fixed on Janowitz's every move.

He had already anticipated Janowitz's intentions, and with his knees slightly bent and his feet nimbly sliding on the ground, he was ready to meet the upcoming challenge at any moment.

When the ball came, Gu Cheng quickly adjusted his position, stepped outward with his left foot, and swung his right hand to meet the ball.

Gu Cheng's shot was clean and crisp, with the racket making perfect contact with the ball. The ball flew out like a meteor, heading straight for Janowicz's backhand.

"Disappeared without a trace!" A gasp of amazement came from the audience.

Gu Cheng's ball traced a beautiful arc in the air before disappearing, catching Janowicz off guard. He hurriedly turned around, trying to chase after it, but the ball's trajectory was unpredictable, leaving him with no way to react.

"Bang!" The ball landed behind Janowicz, bounced, and quickly flew towards the corner. His heart raced as he felt immense pressure from Gu Cheng.

"15-0!"

The referee's voice rang out again, and Janowicz felt a pang of disappointment, but he knew that now was not the time to be discouraged.

He quickly gathered his thoughts and prepared for his next serve. Although Gu Cheng's technique was suffocating him, he remained convinced that as long as he persisted, he would eventually find a way to break through.

In the following rallies, Janowicz began to experiment with different serving techniques.

He adopted a more varied topspin serve, attempting to disrupt Gu Cheng's rhythm through changes in spin. Each time his racket struck the ball, his body was filled with power, as if every shot was a challenge to himself.

However, Gu Cheng seemed to have already seen through his thoughts.

He reacts extremely quickly and always makes the most appropriate response at critical moments.

Whether it's a slice shot or a topspin shot, Gu Cheng can quickly adjust his stance and use his agility and keen judgment to successfully return the ball.

Whenever Janowicz's ball flew over the net, Gu Cheng could always seize the opportunity to hit the ball even more trickily, making it impossible for Janowicz to defend against.

"30-0!"

With another brilliant counterattack, Gu Cheng's score once again broke down Janowicz's mental defenses.

His heart began to waver, and although he tried to remain calm, the invisible pressure grew heavier and heavier.

He couldn't help but wonder if he could actually get even a single point from Gu Cheng, or whether he could break the illusion before the game ended.

"No, passive defense is just a slow death. Offense... might actually create some opportunities."

Janowicz began to move slightly forward when receiving serves, trying to put some offensive and defensive pressure on Gu Cheng as soon as possible.

As the match progressed, Janowicz's mental state continued to change.

His initial tension and unease gradually transformed into a strong fighting spirit.

Despite facing enormous challenges, he understands that only by confronting them bravely can he prove himself on the stage of competitive sports.

"40-0!"

With another brilliant counterattack, Gu Cheng changed the score again.

"Incredible! Gu Cheng's uncanny ball skills are simply like magic!"

"I can't believe it!" an excited audience member in the front row exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The surrounding audience nodded in agreement, sharing their awe at what they had just witnessed.

"I've never seen a shot like that before; the ball can actually disappear in mid-air!"

Another young fan picked up his phone, eager to record this historic moment.

His friend next to him looked shocked. "Is this real? I thought it was just an optical illusion, but the ball really disappeared!"

Gu Cheng's arrival at the Australian Open has brought a tremendous amount of excitement to the Melbourne audience.

The commentator on the sidelines couldn't help but exclaim, "Janowicz was clearly unprepared. His reaction to Gu Cheng's sudden disappearance was noticeably slow. Such skill is simply beyond imagination!"

His passionate voice attracted the attention of more viewers, and everyone's eyes were focused on Gu Cheng, looking forward to his next performance.

"I think Gu Cheng is not only a technically skilled player, but also has a very strong mentality," a veteran fan analyzed. "You see him remain calm when facing Janowicz's serve, as if everything is under his control."

"That's right, Gu Cheng is in red-hot form!" another spectator chimed in. "Every shot he makes is exhilarating, especially his performance on crucial points, it's absolutely thrilling!"

"I dare say this match will become a classic!"

A lively discussion broke out among the crowd. Everyone was captivated by Gu Cheng's performance and looked forward to every exciting moment to come.

The audience was in high spirits, and the atmosphere was enthusiastic, as if the entire stadium was ignited by this passion.

Not only at the scene, but also online, the discussion was equally heated.

"After watching today's match, the other contestants... should probably prepare themselves that he has already mastered the state of selflessness!"

This topic has become a hot topic of discussion for almost everyone.

In the Prince of Tennis series, before the second part, the most powerful state was undoubtedly the state of "selflessness".

(End of this chapter)