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

Chapter 34 You're going to keep slapping my brother in the face!

"Meng Hao, have the signing forms been completed yet?"

"I heard that national tennis team players are also participating in this competition?"

"National tennis team players? I only know Li Na and Zheng Jie, I've never heard of any of the male ones!"

The QQ group of Class 3, Grade 11 at Donghai No. 2 Middle School was bustling with activity.

Because Meng Hao had previously won a championship in a youth competition, his classmates' expectations for him continued to rise.

Could our class really produce a tennis star?
Everyone is very interested in Meng Hao's first professional racing journey.

"Here I am. My first-round opponent is indeed a national team player, and he's the number two men's singles player! It seems they really think I'm an easy target!" Meng Hao turned on his phone after returning to his hotel room.

His tone was somewhat self-deprecating, but he was secretly delighted.

Domestic players are all hopeless when it comes to clay courts.

If this match were played on a hard court, his chances of winning would actually be slim.

After all, no matter how bad Wu Di is, he's still a top 200 player.

But this competition is on clay! Maybe even a clay-court grinder ranked over 1000th could beat him!
This is the charm of tennis: players with different characteristics have vastly different competitive advantages on different types of courts.

Even if you only have one skill, you can still find your place in the world of professional tennis.

"This is outrageous! This is persecution!"

Meng Hao's deskmate, Yan Cong, spoke up, "Sure enough, those without connections get bullied!"

"Meng Hao, listen to me, fortunes change, so don't underestimate a young man's potential! Remember what happened today, you'll get it back with interest someday!"

"..." Meng Hao's face darkened.

This guy has really read too many novels and gotten too caught up in them, treating him like a wronged male protagonist in a fantasy novel!
In the class QQ group, Meng Hao said very modestly, "I'm a newbie, so my main focus is on learning and participation!"

"But Cong-ge, if you bring this kind of emotion into your novel writing, you'll definitely become a great inspiration!"

At this moment, Shen Rongyu suddenly spoke up: "I've heard my brother say that this circle is very particular about background and connections, and it's true!"

This goddess-like academic genius usually stays silent, so it's rare for her to speak today.

"That's true of any industry, there's nothing surprising about it." Meng Hao's tone was very calm. "I'll just prepare seriously!"

He was actually satisfied with the draw, but he had to suppress it, continue to pretend, and not show it.

After a moment of silence, Shen Rongyu made another surprising statement: "Your opponents are from the national team. They wouldn't let you lose on purpose, would they?"

This girl is so outspoken, her mind is full of conspiracy theories, but she's also kind of cute.

The class QQ group fell silent immediately, and the other students didn't know how to respond.

Vice class monitor Liu Lieyu spoke up: "Rongyu, don't have such dark thoughts, it's not good. We should believe that there are still more good things than bad in this world."

He spoke with righteous indignation and in a tone of lecturing, befitting a vice class monitor.

But everyone knows you have a crush on her, so just keep pretending in front of her!
At this moment, sports committee member Jiang Jingjie also spoke up: "In the previous basketball game, I passed the ball to Meng Hao in the last moment to make the game-winning shot, but I didn't pass it to you. Why do you have a conspiracy theory? You think it's because I didn't want you to stand out!"

"..." The other party immediately fell silent.

Shen Rongyu ignored the two clowns and said, "Because I've seen news reports before, it seems like the table tennis team often has these kinds of incidents."

"No, at least that doesn't apply to me!" Meng Hao explained. "I don't eat their food, drink their drinks, or spend their money, so they can't control me."

"The logic is that simple."

Shen Rongyu suddenly realized: "So that's how it is! No wonder you didn't want to join the provincial team before, you didn't want to be coerced!"

This girl has quite the imagination.

Fine, let her think whatever she wants!

"I'll do my best, and I won't have any regrets regardless of winning or losing," Meng Hao continued. "This is my first time participating in a professional tennis tournament, and I have a great mindset!"

"Also, the world of professional tennis is lonely, but also very exciting..." Shen Rongyu seemed to remember something else and said, "My brother said you're definitely going to be eliminated in the first round this time! All his previous predictions about you have been wrong! Good luck, I hope you keep proving him wrong and making him make the same mistake again and again!"

"Alright, I'll try my best..." Meng Hao could only reply after reading it.

Suddenly, Shen Rongyu realized that only the two of them were left talking in the class QQ group.

Feeling a little embarrassed and shy, she decisively chose to go diving.

The QQ group immediately fell silent again.

Meng Hao took out his phone again and called his parents.

"Dad, Mom, my competition is about to start!"

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself!"

"This is just a small competition, don't be nervous! It's not some international tournament!"

"You can focus on your work and don't need to go around telling everyone!"

……

Time flies, and the three rounds of qualifying have already ended.

After fierce and brutal competition, 8 spots in the main draw were determined from the 64 qualifying spots.

Because this competition is held in China, most of the players who registered for the qualifying rounds were domestic players, and most of them had ATP ranking points, but they were unable to qualify for the main draw.

However, it's an unfortunate fact that Chinese tennis players, especially the male athletes, really don't know how to play on clay.

The number of people who registered for the qualifying rounds was enormous, but only one local player made it through and entered the main tournament.

Of the eight main draw spots, only one was secured by a local player, thanks to the fact that this section was packed with local players.

Thus, the list of all 32 participants for the main competition was revealed.

Among the Chinese players, two were selected based on their rankings, three received wildcards, one qualified through the qualifying rounds, and another received a wildcard as a reward for winning a junior tournament. In total, seven local players participated in this Kunming Tennis Open.

Nowadays, Meng Hao has no background, no connections, but he has height and good looks.

For now, he just wants to keep a low profile, and it would be best if no one noticed him.

However, things often don't go as he wishes.

As Meng Hao was about to start warming up, a young man walked over with a microphone, followed by a cameraman.

CCTV?
The "CCTV" logo on the microphone is so eye-catching!

"Hello, young man, we'd like to interview you!"

"Hello!" Meng Hao, carrying a tennis bag, nodded to the other party. "What would you like to ask you?"

This is truly a professional competition; even CCTV is here.

The only international clay court tennis tournament held in China; its prestige is evident here.

"Is this your first time playing in a professional adult tournament?"

"Yes!"

"You're lucky to have received a wildcard, but your first-round opponent is Wu Di, a renowned player from our country! What are your thoughts on that?"

"It's an honor, after all, he participated in this year's Australian Open main draw and is a star player! As for me, it's all about participation!" Meng Hao said with a smile. "Winning or losing isn't important!"

However, the opponent won the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Tournament, which is why they received a wildcard for the main draw. Only players from Asia-Pacific countries can register for the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Tournament.

If he has to play through three rounds of qualifying, his chances of breaking through will be slim.

……

(End of this chapter)