Who would still play tennis after being reborn?

Chapter 150: Is the instant paralysis effect really that good?
Both Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming, as well as the second seeds Benneteau and Roger, are quite looking forward to the first round of doubles matches at the Australian Open that will begin this afternoon.

However, fans of both sides don't see it that way.

Gu Cheng's fans, in particular, expressed their anger at the Australian Open organizing committee's arrangements, criticizing the committee for using extremely dishonest methods to suppress "newcomers" and Gu Cheng.

But what kind of storms hasn't the Australian Open organizing committee seen?

Mr. Moke, who serves as the chairman of the Australian Open organizing committee, did not care at all about the criticism from netizens. To be honest, it wasn't enough for him to take a shower. In fact, when responding to external questions, Moke simply said that it was purely the result of the draw, and the Australian Open organizing committee did not interfere in this matter. He also stated that everything the Australian Open has done so far has been fair and just.

As for Gu Cheng facing the second seeds Benneteau and Roger in the first round of doubles, he was quite surprised, but the rules of the Australian Open doubles tournament won't be changed because of one or two people.

Play the game the way you normally would.

The meaning of this sentence is actually very simple: you can curse all you want, I'll just accept my defeat.

"It was all a coincidence."

Yes, Mok used these six words to lightly brush aside all the doubts.

Clearly, Moke's disregard only fueled everyone's anger.

But Moke simply stayed home and ignored the situation, leaving netizens with nowhere to vent their anger, to the point of almost bursting with frustration.

in the afternoon.

Bennett, who had been asleep for who knows how long, was woken up by Roger. He immediately ran to the bathroom to wash his face, and after waking up, he looked at Roger with the backpack that his manager had prepared in advance on his back: "Let's go!"

Roger then handed his phone to Benneteau: "Look, the afternoon match hasn't even started yet, and the internet is already in an uproar."

"No, it should be said that it started as soon as the draw results were released."

"That Mr. Moke is really sitting on his own two feet, completely ignoring the outside world's doubts, while Gu Cheng's fans have nowhere to vent their anger, so they can only turn their attention to us."

Bennetteu chuckled: "It's quite amusing. From the Australian Open organizing committee suppressing newcomers to us using underhanded tactics? These people really have a lot on their minds."

After he finished speaking, he added, "However, this also shows that even Gu Cheng's fans are not optimistic about his performance in the doubles match, otherwise his fans would not have been so impotently furious as to curse us."

"Although I was very unhappy about being scolded, when I thought about their angry but helpless faces, I have to admit, I felt a little satisfied."

Bennetteu was also overjoyed: "It seems that even Gu Cheng, who can rival top professional players and is the number one seed in singles, is not favored in doubles."

"But... who exactly is behind this, stirring things up?"

"The key is that the analysis was very logical. I read it and finally came to the conclusion that the doubles pair of Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming is far from being a match for the two of us."

"This is not an analysis that ordinary people can do. If there is no one behind it, I will never believe it even if you beat me to death. They even buy trending searches all over the world."

Roger rolled his eyes: "Beneteu, stop gloating here. The higher you stand now, the more you're praised. But if you still lose the match later, the fall will hurt even more."

Bennetteau shrugged: "How could we possibly lose?"

Roger shook his head and said no more.

……

Melbourne Park in the afternoon.

Melbourne Park was packed to capacity, with spectators holding their breath as they awaited a highly anticipated match – the first round of the Australian Open men's doubles, where Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming would face the French second seeds, Benneteau and Roger.

This doubles match has garnered significant attention both within the industry and online.

One is a prodigy with a large global fanbase and the first player to demonstrate the skills of The Prince of Tennis in the real world; the other is the second seed in doubles, Benneteau and Roger, who are capable of competing for the Australian Open doubles title.

Zhang Ming has just finished a tough singles match, a three-set tiebreaker that nearly exhausted him.

He sat on a bench nearby, breathing slightly heavily. It was clear that even a midday rest hadn't changed his physical exhaustion, but his eyes remained resolute.

Zhang Ming knew he had to adjust his mindset, even if he could only perform at 60% of his usual level, to create more opportunities for Gu Cheng.

If Gu Cheng can minimize his exposure in this doubles match, he will have a better chance of advancing in the quarterfinals against Djokovic, and a greater chance of winning the Australian Open singles title.

Gu Cheng, who was warming up to the side, appeared calm and focused.
His gaze swept over the French pair opposite him, and he began to analyze their playing style in his mind.

Benneteau and Roger have excellent teamwork, adept at using precise shot placement and rapid baseline drives to suppress their opponents. Facing such a formidable adversary, if they don't employ an evolved version of their honed skills, they'll need to pull out some special local techniques.

The referee announced the start of the match, and both players stepped onto the court.

Zhang Ming took a deep breath and gripped his racket tightly. Although his legs were still a little heavy, he knew that he had to give it his all in this match.

From the start of the match, the French pair demonstrated their formidable strength as the second seeds.

Benneteau served, a powerful flat serve aimed directly at Gu Cheng's backhand, extremely fast with almost no room for cushioning. Gu Cheng quickly adjusted his stance and managed to return the ball, but the quality was far from ideal.

Roger immediately seized the opportunity, launching a powerful forehand shot directly towards the sideline, forcing Zhang Ming to hastily receive the ball, which ended up grazing the net and landing out of bounds.

France easily won the first point.

This is what doubles matches are all about. Close cooperation between teammates can reduce the defensive range needed by both sides and increase the offensive range.

Bennetteu and Roger also knew about Zhang Ming's condition. They might not be able to easily deal with Gu Cheng, but dealing with Zhang Ming, who was already half-crippled, was basically a piece of cake.

In the following rounds, Benneteau and Roger continued to apply pressure.

Their teamwork was excellent. Roger frequently volleyed at the net, blocking all possible passing routes, while Benneteau played steadily from the baseline, constantly using tricky shots to move his opponent around.

Although Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming tried their best, Zhang Ming's condition was clearly affected by the singles match in the morning. His movement speed was slow and his reaction was a beat slower, which caused him to fail to make a threat on several key returns.

In the third game, the French pair broke Gu Cheng's serve, and the score quickly widened to 3-0.

In the stands, the audience whispered among themselves, seemingly having lost faith in the Chinese duo.

However, Gu Cheng's gaze remained calm. He did not panic because he was behind. Instead, he focused more intently on observing his opponent's rhythm and habitual movements.

The competition has only just begun; the real battle is yet to come.

Faced with the strong pressure from the French pair, Gu Cheng knew that his current playing style would not be enough to turn the tide.

He observed his opponent's rhythm while rapidly devising a strategy in his mind.

Just then, an idea flashed through my mind—Ibu Shinji's "instant paralysis".

This skill doesn't rely solely on strength or speed, but rather on specific rotational variations to momentarily paralyze the opponent at a crucial moment, thus disrupting their rhythm. Crucially, this momentary paralysis doesn't just last for a split second, but rather makes it difficult to return to normal performance for a considerable period.

Gu Cheng slowly exhaled, his eyes sharpening.

He decided to try this strategy.

In the next round, he began to adjust his hitting style, no longer pursuing powerful returns, but deliberately changing the rhythm, using different spins and landing points to disrupt Benneteau and Roger's predictions.

Sure enough, when he suddenly hit a slice shot extremely close to the sideline during a forehand stroke, Roger's steps faltered briefly, and he seemed to freeze for a moment.

This is the opportunity! Gu Cheng launched an attack without hesitation, sending a precise straight through ball through Roger's defensive gap. The ball bounced very low after landing, and Benneteau didn't even have time to recover.

With this point, the two finally won a game back.

However, neither Bennetteu nor Roger noticed the reason, especially Roger, who did not realize that his stagnation was due to momentary paralysis.

Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Ming's eyes.

He vaguely sensed Gu Cheng's change and began to adjust his own position, trying to create more offensive space for his partner.

The situation in the game is quietly changing.

As Gu Cheng gradually mastered the rhythm, he began to use the "instant paralysis" technique more skillfully.

With each shot, he sought the perfect moment, using precise placement and clever spin to create a moment that made his opponent hesitate.

The alternating topspin and backspin shots went unnoticed by the two players. The occasional numbness that occurred when they swung their arms was, in their view, perhaps just a result of some mental tension.

In the seventh game, Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming's doubles pair had a crucial break point.

Gu Cheng stood in the center of the baseline, his eyes fixed on his opponent's position.

Bennetteu served a powerful flat serve, heading straight for Gu Cheng's backhand.

He didn't rush to retaliate, but deliberately slowed down by half a beat, waiting for the ball to bounce before gently flicking out a high-arc topspin ball.

This shot, seemingly weak and powerless, actually contained a hidden trick—after the ball crossed the top of the net, it plummeted rapidly, almost touching the net tape as it fell, landing in the gap between Benneteau and Roger.

Roger instinctively wanted to cover, but just as he was about to move and swing his racket, his body seemed to be bound by an invisible force, and his arm hesitated for half a second before swinging out.

It was this brief hesitation that gave Gu Cheng the perfect opportunity.

He rushed forward and delivered a sharp interception into the gap that Roger had not yet filled. The ball bounced at an extremely tricky angle after landing, and Benneteau tried his best to defend, but it was too late.

"Game, love!"

The score was reversed, and the atmosphere at the scene immediately became enthusiastic.

Zhang Ming's eyes gleamed with excitement. Before Gu Cheng used the ultimate technique of Thousand Hammers Refinement, he had been wondering what this guy was thinking.

And now, he finally understands.

In this doubles match, Gu Cheng still intended to conceal his true strength, and instead of using the evolved version of his "thousand-times-refined" technique, he used a seemingly inconspicuous skill that could produce remarkable results.

Instant paralysis!

"Indeed, no skill in The Prince of Tennis should be underestimated. Even a momentary paralysis that occurs in a regional tournament can change the course of the game if used well."

"And it might not even be discovered."

Yes, Zhang Ming also noticed it. After playing for so long, their opponents Benneteau and Roger still hadn't realized that Gu Cheng had been alternating between topspin and backspin shots from beginning to end, causing them to momentarily lose their balance.

The reason is simple: no one believes that in such an important match, especially against a doubles second seed, they would use such a low-level tactic as instant paralysis.

The method was crude, but the effect was excellent.

At least for now, everything is moving in a positive direction.

Gu Cheng turned to look at Zhang Ming, a slight smile playing on his lips.

It seems Zhang Ming has figured it out too.

The match went into the deciding set, with the score tied at 5-3. Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming were in the lead, needing only one more game to win the entire match.

However, the French pair were clearly unwilling to accept defeat, and they launched a fierce counterattack in the final game.

Benneteau's serve suddenly became more powerful, each shot carrying immense pressure, while Roger also intensified his interception efforts at the net, attempting to completely block Gu Cheng's attack routes.

Zhang Ming's physical strength was nearing its limit, his steps were becoming increasingly heavy, and he seemed powerless to return the ball several times.

However, he still gritted his teeth and persevered, trying his best to create opportunities for Gu Cheng.

As long as Benneteau and Roger haven't discovered the instant paralysis, Gu Cheng can keep replicating his previous fighting style, thus avoiding prematurely revealing the ultimate refinement of his skills.

On his fourth match point, Benneteau served again, this time with a faster ball speed and a more difficult angle.

Gu Cheng did not rush to receive the ball, but waited patiently until the ball landed. Then, he swung his racket and hit a very deceptive slice shot.

The ball sank rapidly after crossing the net. Roger instinctively took a step forward, but just as he was about to intercept, his body suddenly froze, and his arm seemed to be frozen in place for a moment by an invisible force.

Benneteau clearly saw the hesitation in Roger's arm swing and, without thinking, quickly followed up with a cut inside, but the quality of his hasty return was questionable.

The tennis ball was slashed across the net.

The opportunity is coming!

Without hesitation, Gu Cheng rushed to the frontcourt and delivered a sharp backhand volley, sending the ball diagonally into the corner.

Benneteau fought back desperately, but it was too late to recover. The ball bounced up at an extremely high angle after landing, sailing directly over his head.

"Game, set and match! 6:3!"

The referee's voice echoed throughout the arena as Gu Cheng and Zhang Ming successfully won the first set!

The entire audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. Zhang Ming slumped to the ground, his face full of exhaustion, but even more so with an excited smile.

At this moment, Bennetteu finally realized: "Instant paralysis?"

(End of this chapter)