Who would still play tennis after being reborn?

Chapter 38 National Middle School Tennis Championship
"Teacher Zhang, is there something you need?"

Gu Cheng came out and greeted Zhang Xiantu, who was standing at the door.

Zhang Xiantu nodded slightly, looking at Gu Cheng with a complicated expression.

There was shock, disbelief, but more than anything, there was joy beyond relief.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xiantu asked, feigning calmness, "Although I don't know what tennis is or have ever played it, I can tell you play very well, no less than Zhang Ming, and you already have the skill of a professional player, or even..."

"If you include that amazing serve, Zhang Ming might not even be your match."

At this point, Zhang Xiantu's gaze towards Gu Cheng was somewhat indescribable.

Gu Cheng smiled and looked at Zhang Xiantu. Old Zhang suddenly called him out, surely it wasn't just to say these things?
Zhang Xiantu saw the doubt in Gu Cheng's mind and smiled, saying, "Come with me."

After saying that, Zhang Xiantu turned around and walked towards the administration building.

Although Gu Cheng was puzzled, he still followed.

The two stopped in front of Principal Deng Yunhua's office.

"You go in by yourself, I'm not going in."

Gu Cheng looked puzzled, but after knocking on the door and waiting for a sound from inside, he pushed the door open and entered.

When Gu Cheng entered, he discovered that Deng Yunhua was not alone in the principal's office. There were also Wu Yifei, Yu Xinjie, and Xia Zhitong, as well as Zhang Ming and Liu Xing, who were sitting on the sofa and waving to him.

"Gu Cheng, you've come at the perfect time."

Deng Yunhua appeared very enthusiastic, as if he were an old friend who had known Gu Cheng for a long time, and stepped forward to look him up and down: "Please sit down first."

Although he didn't know why Deng Yunhua wanted to see him, he already had some guesses when he saw Yu Xinjie and the others there.

He sat down quietly to the side.

Deng Yunhua's gaze swept over Wu Yifei and the others, finally landing on Gu Cheng. He felt inexplicably pleased, and his smile grew even brighter.

Originally, we invited Zhang Ming to give a lecture so that students could learn more about tennis. Unexpectedly, we discovered several promising young talents.

Gu Cheng, in particular, was a delightful surprise.

This time, No. 1 Middle School really struck gold.

Before Gu Cheng and the others arrived, he and Zhang Ming had sat down and talked about the National Middle School Tennis Championships. The four people in front of him, especially Gu Cheng, were fully capable of making it into the National Middle School Tennis Championships, and even had a very high chance of winning the championship.

Thinking of this, Deng Yunhua couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

Deng Yunhua looked at the four people and said, "Since Gu Cheng has also arrived, I won't keep you in suspense any longer."

"Around the middle of next month, the annual National Middle School Tennis Championships will officially begin in Mianzhou. In the past, no students from No. 1 Middle School have participated in similar competitions, but this year, after watching your previous matches, we all agree that you are fully capable of representing the entire province."

"So, I'd like to ask for your opinions."

Although the National Middle School Tennis Championships are generally organized by school, some students also register under the name of their school. No. 1 Middle School certainly cannot form a team, so it can only be preliminarily selected by the province, and students from multiple schools form a multi-school alliance. Therefore, there is no such thing as mandatory participation.

Moreover, participating in these kinds of competitions doesn't guarantee selection.

With so many junior and senior high schools across the province, the vast majority cannot form teams. Therefore, most students participate in the provincial preliminary rounds through their schools. As a result, there are quite a few students participating in the preliminary rounds, and the final selection for the multi-school alliance will be determined by the students' abilities.

Of course, No. 1 Middle School could also register as a team, but there are too few students at No. 1 Middle School who can play tennis and are good at it, so it is impossible to form a team. Not to mention anything else, there is only Xia Zhitong in the girls' group, so there is no way to register.

It would be better to have individual students register for the competition under the name of No. 1 High School, with the province conducting a unified preliminary selection, and ultimately forming one or two teams.

"Of course, all expenses related to the competition will be covered by the school for the participating students," Deng Yunhua added, then looked at the four of them.

Soon, Wu Yifei, a senior in high school, spoke up: "Principal, the academic workload in senior year is too intense. I will not participate in the National High School Tennis Championship. Let the opportunity be given to the three of them."

Even so, Deng Yunhua still earnestly asked Wu Yifei to confirm: "Are you sure?"

"Hmm." Wu Yifei nodded: "I like playing tennis, but as you know, Principal, it's impossible for me to play any professional matches at my age. My only hope is the college entrance examination."

Deng Yunhua was not surprised. In fact, he had already guessed that Wu Yifei would refuse before he even asked Wu Yifei to come.

Moreover, even if Wu Yifei intended to sign up, he would actually persuade the other party.

Then, Deng Yunhua looked at Yu Xinjie: "Yu Xinjie, what about you? What are your plans?" Yu Xinjie was somewhat tempted, but after glancing at Gu Cheng, he finally shook his head: "I'll pass. A-Cheng is stronger than me, let him go."

He really wanted to go, but with so many students across the province and Gu Cheng from No. 1 High School potentially participating, the chances of him being eliminated were too high. Rather than wasting his time, he might as well participate in some smaller competitions within the city, where he might even get a chance to play.

Upon hearing this, Deng Yunhua didn't ask any further questions and looked directly at Xia Zhitong.

"I'm not signing up." Xia Zhitong raised her head slightly.

Deng Yunhua nodded, and finally turned his gaze to Gu Cheng, looking at him with a smile and an extremely enthusiastic attitude.

Whether No. 1 Middle School can make a name for itself in the National Middle School Tennis Championships depends on Gu Cheng alone.

Gu Cheng did not agree immediately, but looked at Zhang Ming instead.

He had never really been exposed to tennis before, and his understanding of the sport came from the anime "The Prince of Tennis." Since he had promised Zhang Ming that he would go pro, he planned to consult Zhang Ming about his next steps.

After all, as far as he knew, there would be an Australian Open wildcard tournament in Shenzhen soon, and if he signed up for the National Middle School Tennis Championships, it was hard to say whether he would be able to make it to the Australian Open wildcard tournament.

Zhang Ming was taken aback when Gu Cheng suddenly looked at him. After a moment of surprise, he suddenly understood: "There are a few days of free time between the National High School Tennis Championships and the Australian Open Wildcard Tournament. Participating in both tournaments shouldn't be a big problem, but the schedule is too tight, and people might get a little tired..."

Are you sure you want to participate in the National Middle School Tennis Championships?

Gu Cheng hesitated for a moment and said, "The Australian Open wildcard tournament..."

He was interrupted by Zhang Ming halfway through his sentence: "You don't need to worry about the Australian Open wildcard entry spot. I may not be much in the international arena, but in China, getting a wildcard entry spot is no problem."

Before Gu Cheng could respond to Zhang Ming's words, Deng Yunhua's expression changed upon hearing them.

Although the Australian Open Wildcard Tournament is not an ATP main draw, the players participating are much stronger than those in the National High School Tennis Championships. Apart from not accumulating ATP ranking points, it is definitely the best choice for gaining experience and understanding of world-class competitions.

The key point is that at this point in time, most of the ITF's primary tournaments have already ended, so having a wildcard tournament to play in is better than nothing.

Moreover, the Australian Open wildcard tournament offers prize money, which is something the National High School Tennis Championships can't match.

Thinking of this, Deng Yunhua said directly, "If Gu Cheng participates in both competitions, the school can cover the expenses."

After speaking, Deng Yunhua still looked at Gu Cheng with some nervousness.

Deng Yunhua's attitude towards Gu Cheng made Yu Xinjie and Wu Yifei both smile bitterly. Compared to Gu Cheng, their importance was truly negligible.

However, it's understandable; even if they register, they might not pass the preliminary selection.

But Gu Cheng is different. With his strength, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the championship is a sure thing.

The choice is obvious, even to someone with a brain.

Gu Cheng was surprised that Deng Yunhua was willing to pay for the Australian Open wildcard tournament so that he could participate in the National Middle School Tennis Championships, which put him under a lot of pressure.

Participating in two events at the same time doesn't put him under much pressure, but it takes a long time, possibly more than half a month in total, which is hard to explain to his parents.

In the eyes of the older generation, students should prioritize their studies. Even someone as open-minded as Yuan Hongxia (the mother) is very likely to object, let alone the father, Gu Zhenhai, who would probably jump up and curse.

Deng Yunhua keenly sensed Gu Cheng's concerns and immediately said, "If there is any resistance from Gu Cheng's parents, I can personally call them to communicate and try to gain their consent."

After hesitating for a long time, Gu Cheng finally nodded in agreement.

Now that he's decided to go pro, he probably won't be able to stay in school for long. He'll definitely have to confront his parents head-on; a short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one.

"Great, then it's settled."

"I will contact your parents about Gu Cheng, so don't worry about that."

Deng Yunhua was in a great mood. As long as Gu Cheng agreed to this, putting everything else aside, based on the strength Gu Cheng had shown, the honor of winning the men's singles championship would definitely belong to Yongcheng No.1 Middle School.

Moreover, if Gu Chengzhen can also dominate the Australian Open wildcard tournament, it will be a great thing for the school, and it will certainly bring honor to the school.

In the future, when leaders or when promoting the school to the outside world, Gu Cheng can be highlighted as a major highlight of the school, which is something that money can't buy.

Furthermore, how much can one afford for food, lodging, and transportation in a competition held domestically?

This investment will definitely not be a loss for the school.

Moreover, if Gu Chengzhen is to shine on the world stage in the future, what does the school's efforts and gains amount to?
(End of this chapter)