Gawain is serious. He is not exaggerating, complimenting or joking.
Looking at the historical journey of Chinese tennis men's singles, it can be condensed into two names.
One is Pan Bing.
Since Pan Bing won the men's singles championship at the Asian Games for the first time in 1990, he began his ten-year dominance of the men's singles in mainland China.
It was Pan Bing who made a breakthrough in the international arena.
In 1995, Pan Bing competed in the Australian Open qualifying round and won a victory. This was also the first Grand Slam victory in the history of Chinese tennis men's singles.
In the same year, Pan Bing's world ranking reached 176th, setting a new high for a Chinese men's singles player, and no one could surpass him for a long time.
The other one is Zhang Ze.
In 2012, Zhang Ze, who was only 22 years old, won a victory in the French Open qualifying match. This was the first time in 17 years that Chinese men's tennis won a Grand Slam men's singles victory.
Then in the same year, Zhang Ze continued his breakthrough.
Zhang Zexian won another victory in the Wimbledon qualifying tournament, but unfortunately, just like the French Open, he still failed to go further.
Later, with his outstanding challenge results, the world ranking rose to 173rd, breaking Pan Bing's previous record.
And he had a breakthrough at the Imperial Capital Open in September, defeating the fifth seed Gasquet in the second round. This was also the first time in the history of a Chinese men's singles player that he defeated the top twenty players in the world. This victory also made Zhang Ze
His instant ranking rose to 154th, continuing to set a new personal high.
Then, in 2014, Zhang Ze won three consecutive matches in the Australian Open qualifiers, entered the main draw with pride, and made history again.
One step, one footprint.
From Pan Bing to Zhang Ze, it took a full seventeen years to wait; and Zhang Ze himself also spent three years from his emergence in 2012 to his breakthrough in 2014.
These times are converted into words, which are just a few lines, but when it comes to Pan Bing and Zhang Ze, only they know the suffering and struggle every second.
Although the speed is not fast, Zhang Zhe is indeed using his own hard work and hard work to create history; and in the past two years, he has always been the banner figure of China's men's singles.
Perhaps, some people are dismissive of this, because "ranked 154th in the world" has passed the qualifying test and entered the main draw. These results do not seem so brilliant, especially in the cruel world of competitive sports where "everyone focuses on the championship".
It's worth mentioning, not even something to be proud of, but something to be ashamed of.
However, a truly smart person should know that without predecessors planting trees, there would be no descendants to enjoy the shade.
Miracles don't happen for no reason.
Pan Bing and Zhang Ze, they are both pioneers and founders. They climbed the peak step by step and entered higher fields. Only then can the latecomers step on their shoulders and see a whole new world.
Rome was not built in a day; miracles are not accomplished in a day either.
At the 2014 US Open, Gao Wen made an unprecedented achievement. He wrote a brand new story in two weeks in Flushing.
Finally, Zhang Ze no longer walked alone and fought alone. On the way forward, he not only had friends, but also a guide this time.
so--
When Tobias was inquiring about the training venue, Gawain saw Zhang Ze's name at the sign-in desk, thought about it, and then had the encounter at this moment.
Gao Wen is serious, he came here because of Zhang Ze.
The "past", "present" and "future" of China's tennis men's singles meet together in this way, bathed in the sunset at the No. 17 practice court in Melbourne Park.
Zhang Ze, full of passion and surging blood, looked at Gao Wen, who was five years younger than him, and couldn't help but be stunned, but he was slightly different from Gao Wen:
He didn't see himself, he just saw the "future". If even he felt lonely, what about Gawain?
As the only player among the Chinese men's players who has attracted much attention, Gao Wen is burdened with too many things, such as "firsts" and "onlys".
Even among the top 180 in the world rankings, he is the only one carrying the glory of the five-star red flag.
What about this loneliness of "being so cold at the top"?
After unexpectedly reaching the top of the US Open, he created miracles one after another and wrote history one after another. However, when facing the media pursuit, Gao Wen said,
"I believe I am just the first, but not the only one."
Gawain is also waiting, waiting hard for the second and third friends to join, waiting hard for his companions on the road to chasing dreams.
In a daze, Zhang Zecai finally remembered himself.
The original self and the current Gawain, the present of tennis and the future of tennis, two faces, two figures and two experiences, are intertwined and overlapped in this way.
Look back on the past, look forward to the future, and then seize the moment.
The orange sunset burned blazingly between the interplay of light and shadow. Those emotions, enthusiasm, and turbulence filled my chest, almost bursting. Thousands of words were swirling on the tip of my tongue, but I found that everything was so insignificant, because actions are always more important than words.
More powerful and more direct.
Gently, involuntarily, the corners of Zhang Ze's mouth rose. It seemed that all the difficulties and obstacles had been solved. The two figures in his sight separated again and became two independent individuals again. He was still him, and Gao Wen was still Gao Wen.
However, some things are different.
Now, he is no longer alone, and neither is Gawain, because they are running and fighting together, sprinting towards the same goal.
Perhaps, tennis is a lonely sport, but dreams are not.
Then, with the fierce wind hunting, Zhang Ze could see the red clouds blooming all over the sky in Gawain's eyes, blooming with the light of confident belief, so firm and so gorgeous, the wind carried his words.
"Tomorrow at Rod Laver Arena, I will give my best and leave no regrets!"
In an instant, Zhang Ze felt excited.
Therefore, Gawain knows everything. He knows that he will be on the Rod Laver Arena tomorrow to challenge Hewitt. He also knows that he is preparing to appear with the ambition of winning the first round of a Grand Slam.
Not only do you know it, but you believe that you can do it.
It turns out that he is not alone.
It turns out that he is not walking alone on the thorny road leading to his dream.
It turns out that he is not the only person in the real world who still naively and foolishly believes in dreams.
It turns out that the figure who walked with head high and cut through the waves had never forgotten the countless fellow travelers behind him who were still holding on to their dreams.
It turns out that they have been on the same path all along.
I see.
Thousands of words are rolling on the tip of the tongue, but I don't know how to express them. The weight of words becomes insignificant at this moment, and the emotions in my chest can no longer be suppressed and explode, igniting high morale and boiling blood.
"How are you, are you ready? Practice, practice, practice."
Gawain's voice echoed over the practice field.
On the horizon, the orange sunset spreads layer by layer, as if dreams are burning.