Who would still play tennis after being reborn?

Chapter 164 The New Serve
In the following matches, Gu Cheng continued to perform exceptionally well.

He not only frequently used the "disappearance" technique to put Monfils on the defensive, but also used his own self-created technique—the triple spin serve—in his service games.

He stood behind the baseline, took a deep breath, and then began to serve.

This time, his serve was different from before.

As he tossed the ball, his right hand held the racket back with a greater amplitude, and the power of his body rotation was also stronger.

When the ball reaches its highest point, he swings his right hand forward with the racket, his wrist exploding with even greater power at the moment of impact, and the racket face tilts at a unique angle, giving the ball a triple spin.

The spin is so powerful that it's difficult to return the ball even if you manage to catch it.

Monfils looked extremely serious as he faced Gu Cheng's triple-spin serve. He tried to counteract the spin with his own power, but failed each time.

His returns either went into the net or out of bounds, posing no threat to Gu Cheng. Gu Cheng, on the other hand, used this serve to win three consecutive games, bringing the score to 4-3 and taking the lead over Monfils.

At this moment, Monfils was filled with anxiety and unease.

He knew he couldn't continue like this; he had to find a way to break down Gu Cheng's serve and return. He began to carefully observe Gu Cheng's serve and return trajectory, trying to find a weakness.

At the same time, he was also adjusting his mindset, telling himself not to panic and to stay calm.

In the seventh frame, Monfils finally found an opportunity.

During one of Gu Cheng's return shots, he used too much force, causing the ball to land somewhat close to the midfield.

Monfils quickly seized the opportunity, speeding up his pace towards the ball's landing point. As the ball bounced, he leaped high, swinging his racket forcefully in an attempt to deliver a powerful winning shot.

However, Gu Cheng reacted very quickly. He immediately realized the danger upon seeing Monfils's actions.

He quickly moved towards the center of the court, his eyes fixed on the incoming tennis ball. Just as the ball was about to hit the ground, Gu Cheng unleashed another of his self-created techniques—the Reverse Scale Cut.

He lightly sliced ​​the ball with his racket, sending it plummeting vertically at incredible speed before bouncing back onto the net.

Monfils initially thought he would score, but when he saw the trajectory of the ball, a chill ran down his spine.

He knew this was a very difficult ball to return, and the only way to return it was to hit it back before it hit the ground.

He tried to jump again, but it was too late.

The ball bounced off the net and landed in his court. Gu Cheng won the game again with this brilliant return, extending his lead to 5-3.

The audience outside the stadium had completely gone wild.

They kept calling out Gu Cheng's name, and applause and cheers rose and fell.

"Gu Cheng, you're the best!"

"This match was amazing! Gu Cheng created a miracle!"

"Monfils has met his match, Gu Cheng, keep it up!"

The audience's enthusiasm was like a surging wave, one after another, engulfing the entire Rod Laver Arena.

Although Monfils lost this frame, he did not give up.

His eyes still revealed a firm fighting spirit. He decided to go all out in the next match and try to launch a counterattack to break through Gu Cheng's serve and return.

In the eighth game, it was Monfils's turn to serve.

He knew the importance of this game; if he lost it again, he would lose the match 3-6.

He stood at the bottom line and adjusted his breathing and mindset.

He gripped his racket tightly, his eyes revealing a resolute expression.

He began to serve, this time with greater speed and power. He was trying to disrupt Gu Cheng's rhythm and create opportunities for himself.

Gu Cheng stood on the court, staring intently at Monfils' serve.

He knew Monfils would go all out in this game, so he didn't dare to relax at all.

The moment the ball flew towards him, Gu Cheng reacted swiftly. With his excellent anticipation and agile movements, he successfully received Monfils' serve.

Then, he skillfully evaded Monfils's attack using a "disappearance" technique and returned the ball.

Monfils was delighted when he saw Gu Cheng's return shot.

He felt he had found a way to break the "disappearance" ball technique. He quickly moved his feet and ran towards the ball's landing point.

When he reached the ball's landing point, he leaped high and swung his racket forcefully, attempting to hit a powerful winning shot.

However, what he didn't expect was that Gu Cheng's "disappearance" ball skills were not just simple evasion.

The moment Monfils swung his racket, the tennis ball suddenly disappeared and its trajectory changed, flying directly to the other side of Monfils.

Monfils had no time to react and could only watch helplessly as the ball fell to the ground. Gu Cheng, with this brilliant performance, won the game again, taking the first set 6-3.

With the referee's whistle, the first set ended.

Gu Cheng stood on the court and let out a long breath.

Monfils stood opposite him, his face showing some disappointment, but his eyes were still full of fighting spirit.

Although he can't win this match, if he can get Gu Cheng to bring out something he hasn't used before, he will have succeeded.

The audience members stood up and applauded the two contestants' excellent performance.

They were blown away by the intensity and brilliance of the match, and they knew it would be an unforgettable tennis spectacle.

After the first set, online and media discussions about the match reached a fever pitch.

The match dominated the headlines of major sports websites, and netizens flooded the comment sections with messages.

"Gu Cheng is amazing! He actually won the first set 6-3. He has a real chance of defeating Monfils."

"This match was amazing. Gu Cheng's self-created skills were incredible. Monfils was no match for him. However, it seems that Monfils came to the court with a mission and was unable to force Gu Cheng to use any new techniques. This must have been a big blow to him."

"However, Monfils won't give up easily, and the later matches will definitely be even more exciting."

The media also praised Gu Cheng's performance, predicting that Monfils might create a miracle in this match, forcing Gu Cheng to use skills he had never shown before.

"Gu Cheng displayed formidable strength in the first set, catching Monfils off guard with his self-created technique. However, Monfils was also in good form. Although Gu Cheng's 'hidden' technique was powerful, Monfils seized several opportunities, and it was only a matter of time before he could counter it. If he can maintain this form, he might be able to force Gu Cheng to come up with something new."

"This match showed us Monfils' potential; he may become a rising star in the tennis world."

"Gu Cheng's skill level is too high when he shows his ball skills, it will be too difficult for Monfils to make any impact."

"Unless he can break through the invisibility and those serves, especially the return shot with the reverse slice, nothing unexpected will happen in this match."

However, some people remained calm. They believed that Monfils was, after all, an experienced veteran, and he wouldn't be discouraged by the loss in the first set.

In the later stages of the game, he will likely adjust his tactics and launch a counterattack.

"Monfils is not so easy to defeat. He will definitely make changes in the later matches. Gu Cheng cannot let his guard down."

"It's still hard to say who will win this game; Monfils could turn the tide at any time."

After a short break, the second set was about to begin. Gu Cheng and Monfils returned to the court.

Monfils' eyes revealed a determined fighting spirit; he knew that the upcoming matches would be even more intense and difficult.

The audience returned to their seats, eagerly anticipating another exciting performance from the two players in the second set.

An even more exciting tennis battle is about to begin...

At the start of the second set, Monfils requested to switch to a yellow tennis ball.

His service court kicked up a fine dust, and with a textbook flat serve, the tennis ball whistled past the sideline at 210 km/h.

No wonder he's the man who swept Federer 3-0. Even after losing the first set, his serve was still incredibly sharp. Both his speed and power were unmatched by any junior player.

Gu Cheng dove sideways, his racket barely brushing the shuttlecock's base, sending it back diagonally.

Monfils had anticipated this, his legs springing up like springs, his racket tracing a silver arc as his forehand slice, with an uncanny backspin, skimmed the net and fell toward Gu Cheng's feet.

"Still the same."

Gu Cheng gritted his teeth, started moving instantly with a single-footed basic step, twisted his body in the air like a pretzel, and hit a backhand topspin return.

But Monfils didn't rush to attack this time. Instead, he opted for a solid defensive counter-attack. In six consecutive baseline rallies, he deliberately pushed the ball towards Gu Cheng's backhand, forcing Gu Cheng to move frequently and over a wide area.

It must be said that, without resorting to some difficult-to-return techniques, Monfils's response to every ball was extremely correct.

Moreover, the threat is also enormous.

Gasps of amazement rose and fell from the audience.

The Australian fans in the front row clutched their scarves and muttered to themselves, "Monfils' tactics have changed; he's wearing down Gu Cheng's stamina."

The broadcast camera panned across the real-time data, showing that Gu Cheng had run a full 300 meters more than Monfils.

On social media.

The hashtag “Gu Cheng’s physical condition is critical” quickly became a trending topic. Netizen “Tennis Maniac” posted: “If this continues, Gu Cheng will not have time to use his self-created tennis skills!”

After a prolonged stalemate, Gu Cheng seized an opportunity to trick Monfils by delaying his swing, successfully breaking Monfils' serve.

In the second set, Gu Cheng served.

The power of the triple spin serve was still terrifying. Although Monfils could keep up with the rhythm every time, the strange spin carried by the tennis ball the moment the racket touched it caused the ball to fly out uncontrollably.

Monfils was somewhat helpless, and could only watch as the tennis ball flew out of bounds from his racket's control, and the score was rewritten time and time again.

It quickly came to 2-0!

The series of defeats made Monfils slightly anxious.

Being impatient not only makes things worse, but it can also turn a fairly even match into a one-sided affair.

In the fourth game, it was Gu Cheng's turn to serve.

He took a few deep breaths and tossed the ball to a higher position than usual.

As the tennis ball hovered slightly at its highest point, his body moved like a cheetah poised to pounce, his racket drawing an exaggerated semi-circular arc from behind him, his wrist whipping out like a whip at the moment of impact.

The triple-spin serve, accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound, slammed into the baseline. After landing, the ball bounced up to half a person's height and then strangely veered to the left.

Monfils' pupils contracted sharply, but his body reacted even faster than his mind.

He took a half-step forward, tilting his racket at a 45-degree angle, skillfully neutralizing the ball's spin. The tennis ball grazed the edge of his racket and flew out of bounds, but this time he wasn't annoyed; instead, a sly smile appeared on his face: "I've figured out the pattern!"

It turns out that after losing the first set, he specifically asked the coach to replay Gu Cheng's serve in slow motion and discovered that the point of power for the triple spin was at the moment of wrist inward rotation.

Gu Cheng noticed the change in the other person, and cold sweat slid down his back.

He tried adjusting the height of his toss and the angle of his shot, but found that Monfils could always anticipate his movements.

In the fourth game, Monfils even successfully received the serve and scored directly with a precise straight-line passing shot.

A deafening roar erupted from the stands as French fans waved their tricolor flags and sang their team anthem, seemingly celebrating Monfils' hard-won break.

"Impressive!" Gu Cheng suddenly ripped off the wristband and tightened his shoelaces again.

When Monfils served again, he suddenly activated his "disappearance" technique.

The air seemed to distort briefly as Monfils' return shot missed, and by the time he turned around, the tennis ball had already grazed his trouser leg and landed in bounds.

But this time the French seemed to be well-prepared, as if they had been guided by an expert. By capturing the changes in the trajectory of Gu Cheng's tennis ball, they successfully predicted the landing point on the seventh shot.

"Bang!" Monfils' backhand smash slammed the ball toward Gu Cheng's feet, marking his first successful breakthrough of "Divine Concealment".

The entire audience stood up, and the applause and screams almost lifted the roof off.

The tennis legend in the commentary booth slammed his fist on the table in excitement: "A battle of geniuses! Monfils has actually used technology to crack a surreal tennis technique!"

Gu Cheng's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected that Monfils would be able to break through the triple spin serve and the invisibility in such a short time. More importantly, he had successfully taken the points from him.

When Gu Cheng saw Monfils raise his eyebrows in a defiant manner, his inherent stubbornness was completely ignited. In the fifth game, he combined "disappearance" with a triple spin serve, his body disappearing from sight the moment he tossed the ball, only to reappear when the tennis ball landed.

This "hidden spin serve" completely disrupted Monfils' rhythm, and the Frenchman's return went out of bounds three times in a row.

The competition has entered a heated phase.

Monfils' shirt was already soaked with sweat, but he became more and more courageous as he ran back and forth near the baseline, even imitating Gu Cheng's shuffling steps.

In the sixth game, he seized an opportunity when Gu Cheng's return shot was of poor quality, and jumped high to prepare for a smash.

At the critical moment, Gu Cheng unleashed the "Giant Bear Counterattack," and the tennis ball seemed to be pulled by an invisible hand, bouncing directly towards Monfils' backcourt.

But this time Monfils was prepared. He quickly moved to the backcourt and used a serve to send the tennis ball back to Gu Cheng's half of the court.

Gu Cheng stood behind the baseline, took a deep breath, and then began to serve.

This time, his serve was different from before.

(End of this chapter)