Tennis: He's so obedient!

Chapter 193: Encountered the official version! What a jinx! (Suggestion fulfilled!)
Jiang Hong looked down and realized that luck wasn't on his side this time!
"Federer, your choice!" the umpire turned and asked, "Serve or court?"

Federer's answer was not surprising at all: "Serve."

After all, the advantage of serving is simply too great in tennis.

"Okay!" The referee nodded. "Federer serves first, Jiang Hong chooses sides!"

Jiang Hong could only passively choose a side, casually pointing to one side: "This way!"

After all, it's not noon, and as an indoor hard court competition, there won't be any issue of the sun shining too brightly.

Federer extended his hand, his face still bearing a gentle yet distant smile: "I hope we can both perform at our best and put on a great match!"

Jiang Hong stepped forward and shook hands with the other person. "Yes!"

Compared to Nadal and Djokovic, Jiang Hong's conversation with Federer was particularly brief.

Both players turned and walked to the baseline to begin their pre-match warm-up.

After several rounds of intense battles, Jiang Hong was already physically exhausted, and he had played three more rounds than Federer.

If you don't warm up properly, the risk of injury during a match is very high.

With 10 minutes remaining, both sides began practicing their serves.

This time, Jiang Hong didn't deliberately hide his serving form, nor did he practice his serve with all his might.

After all, the tactic of feigning poor condition was used just yesterday, so it certainly won't work today.

In the final five minutes, Jiang Hong and Federer began to engage in a rally.

Jiang Hong intends to test the waters regarding the future world number one.

So during the rally, I deliberately unleashed a few powerful shots.

Federer, however, appeared very relaxed, returning the ball with ease, as if his racket was sticky.

"Time!"

With the referee's voice, the warm-up time officially ended.

Jiang Hong returned to the rest area and took a sip of water.

Although it was just a test of his opponent during practice, it was enough to see Federer's strength. No wonder he is currently the number one player in the tennis world.

……

"Play!"

The referee's whistle blew!
"The 2007 Madrid Masters final has officially begun!"

"Federer serves in the first game!"

Jiang Hong arrived at the baseline, lowered his body, and fixed his gaze on Federer, who was wearing a white jersey, opposite him.

He took a deep breath, his eyes filled with eagerness.

"Number one in the world, without any prefix!"

"My current opponent is the strongest tennis player in the world."

Federer's expression, however, remained remarkably calm, a stark contrast to his professional demeanor since turning professional in 1998.

He encountered too many talented players.

His career hasn't been smooth sailing. He entered the world's top ten for the first time in 2002, becoming the youngest player in the top ten at the time, and won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003.

However, Hewitt, who was the same age as him at the time, had already won the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002.

Many people believe that Hewitt will become the future number one tennis player, not Federer.

However, Federer began his reign starting in 2004.

Within a year, he won three Grand Slam titles and one year-end finals championship.

Up to now, Federer has basically won at least two Grand Slam titles every year.

On the contrary, Hewitt is currently in a slump, plagued by injuries.

The young prodigy Federer has seen too much, and too many geniuses have passed by like shooting stars.

Federer doesn't know if Jiang Hong's success will be short-lived, but for him, the goal is always victory.

As the referee's voice rang out, the fervent cheers and shouts gradually subsided.

Federer stood at the baseline, looked up, and glanced at the opposite side of the court.

After briefly bouncing the tennis ball, he then grabbed it.

As you toss the ball, your body stretches out slowly like a spring, and the racket glides smoothly and lightly across the surface.

"boom!"

Jiang Hong stared intently at Federer's movements, preparing to receive the serve immediately.

The serve wasn't very fast, and it went straight into the outer corner of the first service area.

After the ball lands, its own spin causes its flight path to curve in an arc, heading towards the outer field.

"Spin outside corner!"

Jiang Hong reacted extremely quickly and swiftly determined the result of the opponent's serve.

He quickly moved his feet to the side, swiftly drew back his racket, and prepared to launch an attack.

After all, when facing a superstar like Federer, you have to show your own fighting spirit.

"Wait, something's not right!"

Just as Jiang Hong's racket was about to touch the ball, his expression changed instantly.

Because he discovered that the spin of the tennis ball was far beyond his expectations.

The tennis ball bounced significantly lower than I had predicted.

"As expected of Federer!"

"But I'm not one to be trifled with!"

Jiang Hong forcibly changed the angle of the racket, turning the pumping motion into a push.

He forcefully headed the ball into the center of Federer's half of the court.

Federer seemed to have anticipated this.

Easily sidestep, giving way to your forehand, and quickly swing your arm out to deliver a beautiful inside-out, or forehand cross-court shot.

The tennis ball traced an arc in the air, landing in a very tricky spot.

It smashed directly into Jiang Hong's backhand side.

"So deep!"

Jiang Hong frowned and was forced to step back.

He hit the ball while retreating.

"Topspin—too high!"

Federer spotted Jiang Hong's problem at a glance, and the ball was now in his grasp.

Although for most people, this return shot is already of very good quality.

But for Federer, it was undoubtedly an opportunity.

Federer shifted slightly, then volleyed with his forehand!
The movements are small and quick, the wrists are taut, and the force is applied rapidly.

In an instant, the tennis ball traced an exaggerated angle.

They headed straight for the blind spot in front of the net, opposite to Jiang Hong's position.

"15-0!"

The referee's voice rang out instantly.

The first point of the match has been scored.

Jiang Hong turned his gaze away from the tennis ball and pursed his lips.

Federer's serve appeared very composed; he did not opt ​​for a high-speed serve.

This isn't because he can't; for example, at this year's French Open, he had a serve speed of 218 kilometers per hour.

Clearly, this is the opponent's tactic.

The first ball used spin and placement to limit his attack and created an opportunity for him to go to the net.

The entire round was completed according to the opponent's plan.

Jiang Hong understood that Federer was unlike any of his previous opponents.

You need to adapt to the other person's rhythm!
Jiang Hong returned to the baseline position and prepared to receive the serve again.

“Respond to ever-changing situations with constancy.”

Jiang Hong changed his serve reception tactics.

"boom!"

The tennis ball flew out quickly, its speed incredibly fast.

"What? A follow-up shot?"

Jiang Hong changed his tactical approach, and Federer also changed his tactics.

Facing a tennis ball hurtling towards him at high speed.

Jiang Hong had no time to think things through and could only hastily lean to the side and back, his right toes almost brushing the outer edge of the baseline as he rose up.

The racket hand doesn't have time to fully draw back the racket, and can only rely on the instantaneous explosive force of the wrist to hastily place the racket in front of the body.

The moment the ball made contact with the racket face, Jiang Hong's expression changed.

“It’s so heavy!”

Fortunately, the tennis ball was deflected through the net and flew towards Federer's half of the court.

However, before Jiang Hongsong could even catch his breath...

Federer looked relaxed, quickly turned his body to the side, spread his feet, and delivered a powerful flat forehand.

"boom!"

The tennis ball flew like a cannonball, blasting directly behind Jiang Hong.

Jiang Hong had no time to stop him.

30: 0!
The meticulous calculations and seamless coordination left Jiang Hong with absolutely no time to think of a solution.

Every movement of the person was perfectly executed, without the slightest unnecessary action.

It's as precise and efficient as a robot.

Is this Federer's true strength?

Jiang Hong gripped the racket even tighter.

[State: Excited (Judgment + ...)]

Jiang Hong returned to the baseline, feet shoulder-width apart, leaned forward, and assumed the position to receive the hair.

I looked up and gazed at the other side.

"bring it on!"

Federer's movements remained effortless and graceful.

Toss the ball, swing the racket, and hit the ball.

boom!
With the sound of the ball being struck, Jiang Hong instantly began to move his feet quickly.

"Outer corner!"

Without the slightest hesitation, the soles of the shoes quickly rubbed against the court, crossing the sideline.

As expected, the tennis ball bounced rapidly towards Jiang Hong after landing.

Forehand stroke.

With the sound of the racket strings hitting the tennis ball.

In an instant, the tennis ball transformed into a green arc of light, hurtling towards Federer's backhand.

The return shot was heavy and deep, heading straight for the baseline.

Federer's eyes lit up; a great match could make the champion's throne shine even brighter.

He also dislikes matches that lack challenge.

Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The two moved quickly sideways along the baseline.

"Get back here!"

Every shot by Jiang Hong is a high-speed ball that is both fast and heavy.

They are looking for opportunities, creating angles, and paving the way for victory.

However, Federer seemed very relaxed.

The ball seemed to stick to me like a piece of chewing gum.

"No, we have to think of something!"

One heavy, one light, then another heavy!
Jiang Hong frantically changed the power of his shots.

"Another heavy shot!"

Federer made a judgment, hit the ball with his backhand, and prepared to return it.

The moment he touched the ball, Federer suddenly realized something was wrong.

How can it be so light!
However, it was too late to change the forces at the last minute.

Federer's return shot was a little short.

"The opportunity has arrived!"

Jiang Hong moved quickly and rushed into the arena.

He turned to the side and swung his right hand out like a long whip.

A powerful forehand straight shot!
"boom!"

The tennis ball slammed into Federer's corner from the opposite direction.

The ball was incredibly fast, flying off the baseline.

Federer didn't even move; he just watched the tennis ball fly out.

Although you need to give it your all in the game.

However, tennis matches are very long, and if you try to give your all for every ball, you will eventually be worn down by your physical condition.

In 2010, a match at Wimbledon lasted a full 11 hours.

Although there haven't been any matches this extreme yet, matches that last three or four hours are not uncommon.

As a top player, you need to learn which ball you can give up on and which ball you must fight for.

For Federer, a player with perfect control over rhythm and tactics, the only option he could have made was to give up on that shot.

Even if I manage to save that ball with all my might, it will probably allow Jiang Hong to launch the next attack.

More often than not, the gains outweigh the losses.

30: 15!
"Great shot!" Zhang Sheng exclaimed. "Jiang Hong withstood the pressure, took the initiative to attack during the long rally, and hit this beautiful winning shot."

"This point is a reward for his courage!"

The viewers in front of their televisions cheered excitedly.

Although Zhang Sheng and Zhan Jun on TV said that in the first one or two games, the players were more focused on finding their rhythm and testing the waters.

But for casual fans, losing a game brings disappointment, while winning brings excitement.

Now that Jiang Hong has won a point, of course he has to shout it out.

The fans at the scene immediately cheered for Jiang Hong.

"Great! Keep it up!"

"Jiang Shen's real killer move is..."

"That's right, we need to go head-to-head, don't be afraid of him."

"Admitting defeat means you've already lost half the battle!"

After confirming the score, Jiang Hong clenched his fist tightly. Facing the world's number one, Jiang Hong naturally needed to encourage himself.

"Winning the first point means winning the second!"

"Come again!"

Jiang Hong returned to the baseline, ready to receive the serve.

Federer's expression at that moment was very calm.

I only got one point; I wasn't even thinking of playing a love game against Jiang Hong!
After hitting the tennis ball a few times, Federer tossed it high into the air.

"boom!"

Jiang Hong locked his gaze on his opponent, trying to guess the landing point of the serve.

"Interior angle or exterior angle?"

Perhaps it was because Jiang Hong had successfully predicted the landing point of the serve.

Therefore, Federer's serve this time was completely unpredictable.

"Let's take a gamble!"

Jiang Hong's gaze shifted rapidly.

Federer's ball speed decreases when he's in the inner corner of the second section; it's currently in the second section.

"So...the outer corner!"

As the sound of the ball being struck rang out, Jiang Hong's feet had already moved laterally towards the sideline.

Even while running, his eyes remained fixed on the tennis ball.

"wrong!"

The trajectory of the tennis ball was clearly contrary to the direction he had predicted.

"Inner corner!"

Jiang Hong didn't know if Federer had played a trick on him or if he was always planning to serve an inside shot.

"It's over, Jiang Hong's prediction was wrong!"

"As expected, I lack experience!"

"Federer has so much experience."

However, he was not in the mood to think about that problem right now; he only had one thought in mind: to return the ball.

"laugh!"

With a screeching sound, Jiang Hong actually managed to twist his ankle while running at high speed, completing a change of direction without slowing down.

"Faster, faster!"

Snapped!
The tennis ball bounced off the court and hurtled rapidly toward the baseline.

Jiang Hong remained focused, his eyes fixed intently on the tennis ball.

Jiang Hong's leg muscles unleashed their full power at that moment.

"boom!"

Amidst everyone's incredulous gazes, the sound of a ball being struck rang out.

"We've...we've arrived!"

Some fans at the scene couldn't help but gape in astonishment.

This speed is just too outrageous!
Federer was also somewhat surprised by Jiang Hong's speed in lateral movement along the baseline.

However, it only caused a ripple in the pool.

It's unlikely to have a significant impact on his mindset.

Federer's eyes flashed, and he suddenly lowered his center of gravity, refraining from launching an attack.

Instead, right before everyone's eyes, he suddenly reversed his hand and made a cutting motion.

He released a low, floating ball at the net.

Although Jiang Hong understood that Federer's net play was very refined, he did not expect that Federer would choose to drop the ball.

In his first match, Jiang Hong realized that his weakness was his poor net play.

Therefore, he spent nearly half of his training time making up for his weakness at the net.

"bring it on!"

Jiang Hong suddenly pushed off the ground and charged towards the net with all his might.

The tennis ball is about to bounce twice.

Jiang Hong's knees were almost on the ground when he suddenly swung his racket and flicked the ball with all his might.

Even under such pressure, Jiang Hong did not give up on the quality of his return shot.

The tennis ball's flight arc is not high; it barely flies over the net before quickly falling.

This caused Federer, who was preparing to intercept at the net, to miss completely.

"So low!"

Although Jiang Hongfang's ball control skills were good, he had heard about them.

However, there aren't that many players who like to play at the net these days.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Hong's net play was also so beautiful.

For the first time, a look of surprise appeared on Federer's usually calm face.

The moment Jiang Hong completed the shot, his body sprang up like a spring.

Stand in front of the net and make a blocking gesture.

"The roles have reversed!"

After a brief moment of surprise, Federer smiled.

"That's not enough!"

In an instant, the body gracefully elongates, and with a flick of the wrist, the racket deftly slips into the underside of the tennis ball.

Apply force, and the strings rub against the tennis ball.

In an instant, the tennis ball traced an exaggerated arc, rushing rapidly in the opposite direction of Jiang Hong's blockade.

"Oh--"

This striking motion instantly drew gasps from the fans in the stadium.

Such a brilliant shot has already been played at the very beginning of the match.

By crossing Jiang Hong's blockade in the opposite direction, the original plan to intercept at the net was no longer useful.

Since Federer hasn't given up, I certainly won't let this round end like this.

Jiang Hong suddenly stretched out his left leg, lowered his center of gravity, and stretched his body to its limit.

With a sudden flick of the wrist, the tennis ball soared high into the air.

It was lobbed directly towards Federer's baseline position.

At this moment, the fans in the stadium didn't even want to blink, afraid of missing a single exciting moment.

The most sensible thing to do with this kind of ball is to simply give up and conserve energy.

But the biggest difference between humans and robots is that they play unreasonable tennis.

Perhaps this is the charm of sports.

Federer turned and chased back, moving at lightning speed, but without appearing rushed.

The body is parallel to the tennis ball, yet transcends the tennis ball.

He stopped abruptly and suddenly extended his racket with a backhand.

What is Federer going to do?

"Backhand backhand!"

This is one of Federer's signature moves.

Jiang Hong, this imposter, has been used quite a bit, and has even been accused of plagiarism.

As the official version, its power is naturally extraordinary.

In an instant, a diagonal line appeared.

The tennis ball flew straight towards Jiang Hong's baseline, forcing Jiang Hong to retreat while extending his racket to hit the ball.

He swung his racket directly and pushed the ball into Federer's backhand corner.

Federer immediately adjusted his position and cut the ball back with a backhand.

Although Federer is known for his elegant SLR camera, the inherent instability of SLRs cannot be concealed.

And this is precisely Jiang Hong's opportunity.

He immediately launched three consecutive attacks on Federer's backhand.

Finally, on the third shot, Federer made a forced error, returning the ball with a slightly high arc.

Jiang Hong immediately entered the court quickly, took a step, leaped into the air, and completed a smash.

He smashed the ball directly into Federer's backhand corner.

"30-30!"

"Beautiful!" Zhang Sheng's voice suddenly rose.

"Winning a close, long rally is very morale-boosting."

"Especially the few rallies at the net between the two sides were not only a testament to their skills, but also a crystallization of their will and tactics!"

"Aside from Federer and Jiang Hong, it's hard to find many players who can put on such a spectacular net fight."

Zhang Sheng's excited voice rang out as he lavishly praised Jiang Hong!
"boom!"

"ACE, 40:30!"

Federer earned his first game point with a high-speed forehand outside corner.

Zhan Jun turned his head and glanced at Zhang Sheng, wondering if it was because of this guy's jinx that Federer hit an ace!

Zhang Sheng's expression stiffened for a moment, but he quickly resumed speaking as if nothing had happened.

"It's okay. I believe Jiang Hong can adjust his form and deliver even more spectacular returns in the upcoming matches."

As if to confirm Zhang Sheng's jinx, Federer did not produce an ace this time.

However, the serve was a direct winner, and the tennis ball hit the sideline directly.

Although Jiang Hong made the prediction, it happened far too quickly.

When Jiang Hong swung his racket, the tennis ball hit the rim directly and bounced away.

1-0!
Zhan Jun looked at Zhang Sheng and was instantly shocked.

The viewers on the online forums had already reached their limit.

"Damn, Zhang Sheng really has a jinx!"

"That's right, the game was going well, but he jinxed it and we lost!"

"Please, stop praising Jiang Hong and start praising Federer instead!"

Zhang Sheng was very unhappy with Zhan Jun's gaze and said directly.

"Federer is undoubtedly the world number one, so Jiang Hong has to be 120% focused in this service game."

"Faced with such an opponent, we should choose to proceed cautiously and steadily!"

Jiang Hong and Federer switched courts.

In the second game, Jiang Hong served and received the tennis ball from the ball boy.

Jiang Hong glanced at his panel.

[Ace shot completed in this game: 0/2]

This suggestion is a time-limited task; if you cannot complete it in this game, you will not have another chance to complete it.

Jiang Hong took a deep breath and closed his eyes to calm himself down.

Reopen your eyes, toss the ball, push off the ground, rotate your body, and swing your arm!
The movements were fluid and powerful, yet brimming with a sense of violence.

"Flat serve!"

The tennis ball shot out like a cannonball, and after landing, it rushed into Federer's backhand opening without any pause.

Fast—too fast!
"ACE!"

15:0!
Zhan Jun, standing next to him, looked at Zhang Sheng with even greater surprise.

Just now they said they would play steadily, but then Jiang Hong hit an ace.

"Hehe, Coach Zhang's point of view is very interesting!" Zhan Jun joked.

Zhang Sheng was unconvinced upon hearing this!
How could I possibly be a jinx?

"Federer will likely improve the quality of his serve receptions, so Jiang Hong needs to be careful!"

Now that I've said this, I can't exactly jinx it anymore, right?

After all, ace shots are difficult to achieve in top-level matches, and it's even rarer to hit them consecutively.

This time I can finally clear my name of my jinx.

Federer took a deep breath, his expression serious.

Jiang Hong's serve quality was evident from previous data and match clips, but the difference became apparent when responding to it.

It's not that he's bad at dealing with heavy hitters; quite the opposite, for example, his famous valet Roddick is definitely a renowned heavy hitter in the tennis world.

In terms of their head-to-head record, Federer is definitely Roddick's nemesis.

In addition to its speed, Jiang Hong's serve is also very unique in its landing point and spin.

[Ace shot completed in this game: 1/2]

"One more!" Jiang Hong turned his gaze back to Federer across from him.

"In that case, let's go all out!"

Without dawdling, Jiang Hong returned to the second court and tossed the tennis ball high into the air.

His body arched backward like a fully drawn bowstring, and the racket drew a sharp arc in the air.

"boom!"

"Snapped!"

It's offline!
"Uh, Jiang Hong made a mistake on his first serve; he was still too focused on hitting the ace!"

Zhang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed the rumors about him being a jinx had been dispelled.

Jiang Hong took a breath and pulled another tennis ball out of his pocket.

Ready for the second launch!
"Oh!"

With a crisp sound, the tennis ball came whistling through the air, accompanied by the whooshing sound of a cape.

"Inner corner!"

Federer reacted quickly, instantly shifting his body along the baseline towards the midfield.

In an instant, it crashed into the midfield and bounced out quickly.

Turn sideways and swing!
Federer's arm left afterimages.

However, the racket ultimately missed its target.

“ACE!”

"30-0!"

[Ding! Host has completed the suggestion. Claim reward?]

A bright smile appeared on Jiang Hong's face.

(End of this chapter)