Now that I've been reborn, I have to play tennis!

Chapter 21 This time, you can no longer ignore me!
In the 8-to-4 round, Meng Hao continues his amazing journey!
His opponent was Yashika from Australia, who was tall and strong and had a powerful serve, but Meng Hao thought her other technical skills were a bit rough.

Meng Hao struck at the heart of the matter, decisively seizing upon his opponent's slow movement and weak backhand.

Discovering and exploiting an opponent's weaknesses is an essential skill for any professional player.

Using cutting and splitting points to maneuver the opponent is precisely what Meng Hao excels at.

That Australian player was a rough guy after all. Meng Hao made him run back and forth, and he lost his footing and accidentally fell to the ground, spraining his ankle!
The other person sat on the ground, covering their mouth in pain, and cursing under their breath.

Meng Hao considered himself a kind person and intended to go over to check how badly the other person was injured, but he heard the guy keep calling him "Chinaman" and saying "fuck" all the time.

His face darkened, and he turned and left.

Then, Meng Hao stood with his hands on his hips, his face indifferent, observing the situation.

A short while later, after an examination, the on-site referee confirmed that the Australian player was no longer able to continue the game and announced that Meng Hao had advanced to the semifinals.

The current score is 3-2, and the first set has only gone through 5 games.

They made it to the semi-finals so easily!
Meng Hao was somewhat dazed, but this was indeed a good thing.

"That kid is so lucky!"

"Yes, along the way, one opponent withdrew from the match due to illness before the game, and another opponent was injured during the game!"

"These four matches were actually only played twice. We were really lucky!"

Have you forgotten that luck is also a part of ability?

The other match was a contest between provincial team player Sun Yuming and General Manager Mei.

Before the match, many local spectators and media were hoping for a Chinese derby in the semi-finals, but it was clearly just a beautiful but unrealistic dream.

Two 6 to 2!

Medvedev eliminated Sun Yuming in a very simple and brutal manner, showing no mercy whatsoever.

The vast difference in strength is enough to make the opponent feel despair.

Besides, he hadn't even used his full strength yet.

At this point, Meng Hao became the only Chinese player still in the draw.

"I was really unlucky!" Sun Yuming said unwillingly after being eliminated. "If I hadn't met that Russian player in the quarterfinals, I believe I could have gone much further!"

"He's the number one seed, he's definitely going to win!"

He was surprised that he wasn't the domestic athlete who went the furthest.

There was this nobody who had gone further than me.

"What's your opinion on that player named Meng Hao? He's the only domestic player to make it to the semifinals," the reporter continued. "Do you think he has a chance to beat that Russian player?"

Sun Yuming paused, his expression complicated, unsure of what to say.

It was this Meng Hao, who appeared out of nowhere, who put him in a very awkward situation.

Without this person, his quarter-final finish would have been the best among all the Chinese players participating in this tournament, allowing him to hold his head high in the sports bureau and apply for more funding.

But it seems difficult now.

"Ahem... I've watched his matches, and he's quite good!" Sun Yuming said, still offering some polite words. "However, the harsh reality is that our excellent young players still have a long way to go compared to the outstanding youth players from Europe!"

"So this match will be very tough. Of course, reaching the semi-finals is already a very good result!"

"Even if Meng Hao lost to that Russian player, it was still a glorious defeat!"

The subtext is that even though I lost to my opponent, I still deserve honor! If my opponent wins the championship, I can market myself as an "honorable runner-up".

After the four semifinalists were determined, China, the United States, Russia, and France each had one player.

As the only local representative, Meng Hao has finally attracted a lot of attention.

He wanted to return to the hotel to rest early, but he was surrounded by people.

"These guys..."

Meng Hao felt utterly contemptuous.

Yesterday, when we made it to the quarterfinals, I kindly agreed to an interview, but it didn't make the news and I was completely ignored.

After today, he will be the only local player left in the top four. Can you still ignore him?
"Meng Hao, what are your thoughts on tomorrow's semi-final? Many people think that reaching the semi-final is your limit!"

"Are you a self-employed individual? Many self-employed individuals didn't perform very well in this competition. Could you share your successful experiences with them?"

"I heard you're still a high school student?"

Various problems followed one after another.

"The opponent is very strong, but isn't the charm of competitive sports precisely its unpredictability? I can't back down before the battle even begins. I will definitely go all out and strive to enter the finals," Meng Hao said earnestly.

Someone kindly reminded you, "Making it to the semifinals is already quite an achievement. Don't put too much pressure on yourself! Even if you lose the next match, it will still be a glorious defeat!"

Though defeated, there is still glory?

Meng Hao held this view in utter contempt.

If you lose, you lose; there's no such thing as "glorious defeat."

However, he had indeed heard those four words many times, and they all seemed to be related to the national football team.

Today is 2014, and they can continue to "defeat with honor" until 2025.

"To be honest, my goal is to win the championship!" Meng Hao's tone suddenly became serious. "I come from an ordinary family, I have limited funds, and there are no prizes for youth competitions. Only by winning the championship can I get a reward."

The onlookers suddenly realized what was happening.

Yes, he's self-employed, not the kind with provincial team connections who can receive subsidies.

"With your excellent performance, you're sure to be recruited by a provincial team," someone kindly reminded you.

"No one from the provincial team has contacted me yet, and I don't think I'm a good fit for the provincial team." Meng Hao was subtly expressing his refusal.

He is indeed not suited to the provincial team's training model and prefers to improve himself in a more free way.

Moreover, given Meng Hao's current ATP Challenger level, the provincial team's training methods are unlikely to allow him to improve further.

However, the reporters at the scene looked at Meng Hao with satisfaction on their faces.

This young man is articulate and outspoken, and what he says is substantial, unlike those athletes within the system who spout nothing but "nonsense literature."

Shortly afterward, some local websites in Ningzhou published interviews and reports about today's match.

This time, Meng Hao finally has a name, a real photo, and a real face.

"A tennis prodigy from the neighboring city of Donghai fought his way through the competition to become the only local player to reach the semi-finals."

"This tennis prodigy named Meng Hao says his only goal is the championship!"

……

(End of this chapter)