Tennis: He's so obedient!

Chapter 219 Threatening Revenge? Let's Dance to My Rhythm!
The lights at the Stade Bercy in Paris went out instantly.

The host's voice boomed like a thunderclap, echoing throughout the closed stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please let us welcome today's finalists."

"David Nalbandian, the tactical mastermind from Argentina!"

Instantly, a spotlight shone on the entrance to the players' tunnel.

Nalbandian emerged from the players' tunnel in an instant, his eyes seemingly blazing with fire.

The champion, the master tournament champion who belongs to me.

It's almost here!

No one can stop it!
The lights went out again, leaving only a beam of light at the entrance to the players' tunnel.

"Next up is—the biggest dark horse of the Madrid Masters—the prodigy who swept the world's top three—from China—Jiang Hong!"

Jiang Hong walked out of the players' tunnel, carrying his golf bag.

As the audience cheered and roared, Jiang Hong felt his heart pounding faster.

This isn't nervousness, it's excitement!

Compete against players you could only see on TV in your previous life, and climb step by step to the pinnacle of tennis.

The highest honor I have a chance to reach before the Grand Slam.

Back-to-back champions!
The moment Jiang Hong appeared on the court, the stands erupted in cheers.

The sound waves came from all directions.

Jiang Hong raised his hand, a smile on his face, and waved to the audience.

Finally, Jiang Hong stopped and looked at his opponent.

Nalbandian's gaze fell upon him, and their eyes met in mid-air.

At this moment, everyone was filled with fighting spirit.

After putting down their bags, both players came to the net at the call of the referee.

"We meet again!" Jiang Hong said with a smile.

Nalbandian nodded and said, "That's right, we meet again."

"However!" Then, her tone shifted, her eyes filled with determination: "This time, I won't lose to you like I did last time!"

Jiang Hong couldn't help but laugh when he heard Nalbandian's harsh words.

Nalbandian raised an eyebrow. "What? Is it that funny?"

"No!" Jiang Hong shook his head, then said seriously, "I just felt that this sentence sounded familiar; many players have said it to me!"

"The result was indeed somewhat different, because I won much more easily!"

Nalbandian wasn't angry; instead, he exuded strong confidence.

"is it?"

"Then you'll encounter a different outcome this time!"

Jiang Hong's gaze also turned serious. "I'm really looking forward to it!"

Jiang Hong will not relax his efforts in the slightest regarding Nalbandian.

The fact that they were able to win the Masters title back-to-back speaks volumes about their opponent's strength.

The reason he failed to win a Grand Slam was not because of his lack of skill, but because of his physical condition.

Nalbandian can be described as a fragile person in a sense.

The opponent has been plagued by injuries and illnesses for many years, and the neurotic performance is also due to physical reasons.

When the opponent is on fire, they can sweep anyone aside.

When he's in a slump, anyone can sweep him aside.

This final match marked the peak of Nalbandian's form.

Meanwhile, the referee finally finished announcing the rules for the match and confirming identities.

"Choose?" The referee held a coin in his hand and looked at Jiang Hong.

"Face!" Jiang Hong's choice remained unchanged.

Nalbandian, of course, chose the opposite.

The referee nodded, flicked his thumb, and watched as the coin spun through the air before falling to the ground.

"Tails!"

After the referee bent down to confirm, he announced.

Jiang Hong raised an eyebrow; it seemed that luck wasn't always on his side.

But it doesn’t matter!

“Your choice!” The referee turned to Nalbandian.

To be honest, Nalbandian was somewhat excited about the result.

Although he was very confident in himself.

However, Jiang Hong should not be underestimated, especially since his serving technique is absolutely top-notch.

If the opponent gains an advantage and gets into a hot streak, it will become much more difficult for us to win.

"I choose to serve!"

Jiang Hong was not at all surprised by Nalbandian's choice.

After all, on indoor hard courts, serving first is definitely an advantage!

However, Jiang Hong was not in a hurry. He wanted to see how Nalbandian was doing first and not rush to put pressure on him in the first game.

“I choose this side!” Jiang Hong pointed to the ground beneath his feet.

Afterwards, they returned to the rest area, took out their rackets, and began to warm up.

Both sides warmed up very seriously, neither wanting to get injured during the match.

The warm-up time went by quickly and was over in the blink of an eye.

After replenishing his fluids, Jiang Hong returned to his own half of the baseline.

In Nalbandian's serve, Jiang Hong was the receiver.

"Play!"

As the referee's whistle blew, Nalbandian stood at the baseline.

"Slap...slap...slap!"

He gently tapped the tennis ball with his racket, his gaze calmly sweeping over Jiang Hong opposite him.

"It's time to finish the revenge!"

Jiang Hong just swept Nadal with a bagel yesterday, which shows he's in excellent form.

However, the opponent also faced certain risks. In order to deliver a bagel to Nadal, Jiang Hong chose to save many balls that should have been abandoned.

Therefore, physical fitness will definitely be significantly affected.

At this moment, Jiang Hong was hunched over, his eyes fixed on Nalbandian's wrist.

Waiting for the first serve of the night.

Nalbandian dribbled the ball twice, then glanced down at Jiang Hong's position.

Suddenly, he tossed the tennis ball into the air.

"coming!"

Jiang Hong instantly focused his attention.

"Ball throw height?"

Based on his own observations in previous match videos, Nalbandian's throw-in height has noticeably decreased compared to the previous games.

"Is this his tactic?"

A flood of information instantly filled Jiang Hong's mind.

Top players are already engaged in strategic maneuvering from the moment they serve.

A shot rang out.

"boom!"

An inner corner!
The tennis ball, with a slight sidespin, travels at a speed of only 185 kilometers per hour.

Nalbandian has never been a power server; his strength lies in ball speed.

More often, they use the landing point of their serve to create opportunities for their next attack.

And this time, it's no exception.

The tennis ball landed precisely near the T point.

Jiang Hong reacted extremely quickly, moving his feet rapidly and blocking the attack with a forehand.

Because of the angle of the serve, Jiang Hong was unable to exert full force.

The return shot was a little short.

"It's now!"

Nalbandian quickly stepped his left foot forward and to the side, lowering his center of gravity, and then pushed off with his right foot, twisting his hips and turning his upper body to the right with the momentum.

Then, the racket is brought back to the back of the shoulder, with the racket face at a 45-degree angle to the ground.

As soon as the ball crossed the net, he took a sudden step forward with his left foot to brake, shifting his center of gravity forward instantly and tightening his core to swing his arm forward.

The entire set of movements was fluid and completed in the blink of an eye.

The tennis ball flew swiftly along the inside of the sideline towards Jiang Hong's backhand opening.

It was only the first ball, so Jiang Hong certainly wasn't going to let it go so easily.

Although Jiang Hong was standing far from where the ball would land.

However, relying on his exaggerated speed to run at full speed, he twisted his ankle and came to a sudden stop.

We've arrived!

With a rapid lunge with his left foot, he leans his upper body forward and extends his racket forward as far as he can.

at last.

Jiang Hong locked his wrist tightly and used his arm to exert force.

The tennis ball flew into the air instantly, and Jiang Hong's eyes were fixed on it.

"not good!"

Suddenly, Jiang Hong saw a figure.

Nalbandian was already waiting at the net, and gently sliced ​​it with a backhand.

"15-0!"

The referee's voice rang out instantly.

This point was decisive and efficient, taking only five beats.

"Truly a tactical master!"

Jiang Hong stood up, turned around, and walked towards the baseline.

From the very first shot, Nalbandian had already formulated a tactical plan for the entire round in his mind.

Nalbandian didn't react much after winning the point.

He walked back to the baseline with a blank expression, as if he had just completed an ordinary practice session.

He knew that one point didn't count as a win.

Even if you win the first set, having match point in the second set doesn't guarantee a win.

He himself had achieved the feat of coming back from 0-2 down to win the Shanghai Masters Cup in 2005.

In fact, at the 2011 US Open, Federer had match point but was ultimately defeated by Djokovic.

There are just too many comebacks in the world of tennis.

Therefore, few players dared to open champagne at halftime.

Jiang Hong didn't react much after losing the first point.

The competition has only just begun.

Jiang Hong took a deep breath and adjusted his grip on the racket.

I've prepared for the hair extensions again.

To be honest, the first goal was a little different from what I had originally expected.

I thought the opponent would try to probe at the beginning, but I didn't expect them to launch a fierce attack right away.

Nalbandian returned to the baseline position.

This time, he dribbled the ball three times.

Catch the tennis ball and toss it up again.

"Higher than last time!"

Jiang Hong noticed this subtle difference instantly.

"Topspin!"

Jiang Hong came to a conclusion.

Nalbandian quickly pushed off the ground, turned his body, and swung his racket forward.

"Boom!"

Just as Jiang Hong had predicted.

The tennis ball flew through the air with a distinct topspin arc.

After landing, the tennis ball bounced upwards sharply, heading straight for Jiang Hong's backhand.

If it were someone else, they might have actually fallen for it.

Fortunately, Jiang Hong was prepared.

Quickly turn to the side to prepare to launch an attack with a forehand.

However, it must be said that Nalbandian's serve was indeed of very high quality.

The tennis ball bounced more than expected after landing.

"No!"

Left with no other choice, Jiang Hong had to change his tactics.

Twist your wrist, open your racket, and switch to a backhand slice return.

Nalbandi remained calmly on the baseline and began to attack Jiang Hong's backhand side with a series of double-handed attacks.

His double-sided anti-tank missiles are of unparalleled quality.

Both the penetrating power of the return shot and the placement of the tennis ball are perfect.

One beat, two beats, three beats...

Every shot lands in the deep zone, and every shot carries a different spin.

The rhythm changes are very rich, and the hope is to interrupt Jiang Hong's rhythm and cause him to make mistakes.

On the seventh beat, Nalbandian suddenly begins a variation.

The left foot quickly slides to the side, while the right foot pulls back to provide support.

Lower your body into a lunge position, quickly rotate your hips, and push your arms forward.

The racket gently slices across the lower right side of the tennis ball.

"Skateboard ball-hitting?"

The tennis ball leaves the racket face with strong sidespin and bounces off the court after landing.

Jiang Hong misjudged the situation and had no time to save the ball given its trajectory.

They could only watch helplessly as the tennis ball flew out of bounds.

"30-0!"

A gasp of amazement rose from the audience, and they applauded Nalbandian.

These two points perfectly showcased Nalbandian's playing style.

Change, ever-changing.

You never know what kind of spin or landing point the next beat will bring.

He truly deserves to be called a tactical master in the tennis world.

"This can't go on!"

Jiang Hong's eyes flickered, and he decided to take the initiative to seek change.

Although Jiang Hong intended to test the opponent's form in the first game, he was unwilling to be defeated in a love game!
"OUT!" Nalbandian's shot went out of bounds!
Back at the baseline, I started tossing the ball...

In an instant, Jiang Hong slightly separated his feet, shifted his center of gravity forward, and leaned his body slightly forward, ready to strike.

His eyes were fixed on the trajectory of the serve.

"Horizontal attack!"

The tennis ball flew like a cannonball straight towards his forehand sideline.

"coming!"

Without waiting, Jiang Hong took a sudden step to the side with his left foot, pushed off the ground with his right foot, and twisted his upper body accordingly.

The racket in hand moves forward ahead of the normal rhythm to meet the ball – without any extra backswing, relying solely on the explosive power of the forearm to swing forward horizontally, with the racket face precisely aimed at the upper-middle part of the ball.

At the moment of impact, straighten your wrist and apply force.

"Boom!"

With a loud bang.

The tennis ball, with a sharp, straight trajectory, is pressed back towards the opponent's service point (T).

The opponent had just finished serving and hadn't yet regained their balance. Seeing the ball's high speed and deep landing point, the opponent hastily turned to the side to prepare their racket, but it was too late to generate full power, and the return ball bounced softly towards the net.

Jiang Hong certainly wouldn't miss out on such a lucrative opportunity.

Before the ball hits the ground, quickly step forward and take a small step, then gently push the ball with your forehand in mid-air. The ball grazes the net and lands in the opponent's backhand opening, ending the point completely.

He clenched his fist and gave a soft shout, his decisive attack and serve instantly eliciting gasps from the entire arena.

"30-15!"

After scoring, Jiang Hong clenched his fist and shouted to release the pressure.

The significance of this point lies not only in the score, but also in proving that he can break Nalbandian's rhythm.

The moment Jiang Hong scored, the audience in the stands cheered.

Nalbandian raised an eyebrow at Jiang Hong's score.

After all, the biggest dark horse of the Madrid Masters is certainly not someone easy to beat.

Fourth point.

Nalbandian's serve preparation has changed again—he bounces the ball once and immediately tosses it.

"Boom!"

"An inside corner shot."

Jiang Hong quickly moved to a sideways position and swung his forehand to block the ball back.

In this regard.

Nalbandian suddenly launched a short shot at the net.

"what?"

Indeed, Nalbandian is one of the few players who likes to play at the net.

Federer frequently hit drop shots to Federer during the 2005 Masters Cup.

In this situation, the correct approach would usually be to launch a two-pronged attack.

However, Nalbandian, this tactical mastermind, ultimately chose to do the opposite.

Jiang Hong sprinted at full speed, and before the ball bounced for the second time, his racket skimmed the ground and quickly sliced ​​into the lower side of the tennis ball.

The racket strings swept across the tennis ball, sending it soaring upwards once more.

But Nalbandian was already waiting at the net, ready to volley with his backhand.

"Oh no, Nalbandian is going to score!"

Zhang Sheng and Zhan Jun shook their heads subconsciously.

After all, it's too difficult to return a volley at the net that's been intercepted.

But that only applies to other people.

Jiang Hong, who focuses on high-intensity training in net play, is completely different.

As the shot was completed, Jiang Hong quickly raised his body.

He quickly pushed off the ground and lunged to his right.

This wasn't Jiang Hongmeng's direction; rather, there was more space on his right.

Nalbandian will also choose to intercept from the right.

My left hand instinctively reaches forward to maintain my balance.

As the sound of the ball being struck rang out, it was indeed on the right side, just as expected.

Without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Hong, while in the air, smoothly sent the racket forward, the racket face slightly closed.

They executed a swift and decisive interception!
The tennis ball flew past Nalbandian in astonishment.

"30:30!"

Jiang Hong braced himself on his knees, breathing heavily.

Although Jiang Hong scored, that short burst of energy had really taken a toll on his stamina.

In the fifth point, Nalbandian scored an ace.

Although Jiang Hong made the prediction, the tennis ball landed on the T point.

Jiang Hong had no time to save the ball.

40: 30.

Set point.

Nalbandian has changed again.

He served a topspin serve, and the ball bounced high toward Jiang Hong's backhand.

Jiang Hong attacked with a forehand from the side, while Nalbandian immediately anticipated the serve and hit a double backhand down the line with astonishing speed.

Although Jiang Hong immediately blocked it with his forehand.

However, Nalbandian took a step forward, swung his racket aggressively, and hit the ball in the opposite direction of Jiang Hong's position.

"Game, Nalbandian! 1-0!"

The Argentine easily held his serve, taking less than four minutes in total.

On online forums, the match was being hotly debated.

Wow, this Nalbandian seems pretty formidable!

I originally thought Jiang Shen had it in the bag.

[This player's backhand and cross-arm technique seems even better than Federer's.]

[Jiang Shen, stay calm!]

The two sides quickly changed venues.

Now it's Jiang Hong's turn to serve.

He patted the tennis ball, feeling the texture of it in his palm.

"Ok?"

Jiang Hong suddenly noticed that Nalbandian's position had changed.

The other party took a step back to buy more time to react.

"In that case..."

Jiang Hong immediately grabbed the tennis ball and tossed it high into the air.

The ball was tossed slightly to the left than usual, and the wrist was subjected to strong lateral rotation at the moment of impact.

The tennis ball traced an uncanny arc, bouncing dramatically off the court after landing.

"Oops."

Nalbandian's expression changed; his prediction had been wrong.

"ACE! 15-0!"

The Chinese audience at the scene immediately erupted in gasps and applause.

Jiang Hong let out a soft breath, it seemed that his deception tactics were quite effective.

Nalbandian returned to the baseline, his expression returning to calm.

Having assumed the correct hair extension position, she looked up at Jiang Hong.

"It's a pretty interesting serving technique, but I won't be able to do it again."

"I won't fall into the same trap twice."

Jiang Hong returned to the baseline and changed his serving strategy again.

This time, I used a sidespin serve.

But this time, Nalbandian moved ahead of time and judged the direction the moment the ball left Jiang Hong's racket.

He turned sideways and launched a forehand attack, returning the ball straight to Jiang Hong's feet.

Jiang Hong managed to lift the ball, and Nalbandian volleyed it to the net for a forehand volley.

"15-15!"

Jiang Hong stretched his body; Nalbandian was in really hot form today!

This time, Jiang Hong didn't do any spinning.

"Boom!"

With a crisp sound, the tennis ball flew straight to the outer corner of Nalbandian's service court.

The ball reached a speed of 201 kilometers per hour, but Nalbandian seemed to have anticipated this and returned the ball to the deep area with a backhand.

Jiang Hong attacked with a forehand, and Nalbandian countered with a backhand slice, the ball carrying a strong backspin that sailed over the net.

Jiang Hong went to the net and launched a forehand volley, which Nalbandian blocked with a backhand. Jiang Hong intercepted again, and this time Nalbandian finally scored with a forehand passing shot.

"15:30!"

Jiang Hong shook his head; Nalbandian's rhythm was just too good.

They've clearly prepared tactical plans specifically to counter me!
He pounded the tennis ball, his mind racing, thinking of a way to respond.

Should we stick to serving and volleying, or stay on the baseline?
He noticed that Nalbandian shifted his position slightly forward, clearly wary of his internet access.

“Alright, let’s play along.” Jiang Hong’s eyes darted around.

The movements—tossing the ball, pushing off the ground, and turning the body—are exactly the same as the net-rushing tactics.

But at the moment of impact, he deliberately slowed down his follow-through and stood steadily on the baseline after serving.

"You guessed right!"

Nalbandian indeed moved towards the net ahead of time.

But when I stepped into the service area, I realized something was wrong.

"We've been tricked!"

In a rush, the ball was returned.

Jiang Hong, of course, showed no mercy.

He immediately unleashed a clean and crisp flat shot with his forehand, smashing it into the corner of the baseline.

"30:30!"

"A brilliant change! Jiang Hong's serve was so beautiful, it fooled Nalbandian's eyes!" Zhan Jun couldn't help but applaud and exclaim.

Jiang Hong made a mistake.

Just as Jiang Hong hit a flat shot on his second serve.

Suddenly, Nalbandian took two steps toward the field.

"A preemptive attack?"

Nalbandian quickly crossed the sideline, drew his backhand with both hands, and slammed the ball back.

The return shot was like a cannonball, heading straight for the baseline.

Jiang Hong's backhand slice shot went slightly high over the net, and Nalbandian immediately moved to the net and scored with a forehand volley.

30: 40!

"Break point?"

Instantly, the spectators in the stadium tensed up.

I didn't expect the break point in this final to come so early.

Does this mean that if Jiang Hong shaved Nadal's head yesterday, he'll be left with nothing today?

It really is a cycle of karma!
Nadal's fans at the stadium were filled with anticipation.

Jiang Hong stood sideways behind the baseline, gently tapping the tennis ball.

Suddenly, he tossed the tennis ball high into the air.

Pushing off the ground, turning the body, and swinging the racket—all in one smooth motion.

"Boom!"

The tennis ball flew through the net like a cannonball.

The ball reached a speed of 201 kilometers per hour.

Nalbandian was prepared for Jiang Hong's powerful serve.

Based on his prediction, he began to move his position one step ahead of Jiang Hong when Jiang Hong hit the ball.

As expected.

Standing one step behind the landing point, he steadily returned the ball to the midfield with a backhand stroke.

Jiang Hong used a forehand flat shot, immediately pushing the ball back to Nalbandian's baseline position.

Faced with Jiang Hong's deep shot, Nalbandian had no choice but to slice the ball.

The return shot was a bit shallow!
"coming!"

Jiang Hong pushed off the ground and quickly moved towards the net, then volleyed with a backhand!
Seeing this, Nalbandian's expression changed. He leaped out, stretched his racket to its limit, and successfully completed a high lob!
Seeing this, Jiang Hong showed no panic. He immediately took a step and leaped into the air, scoring with a forehand high smash!

"Deuce!"

That shot was absolutely amazing; Jiang Hong controlled the entire rally.

Jiang Hong saved a break point in a desperate situation, and the momentum of this point was comparable to a match point in the final!

"Press your advantage and strike while the iron is hot."

Jiang Hong did not intend to give Nalbandian a chance to react.

After a misfire on the first serve, the second serve was topspinned.

Nalbandian's backhand return was shallow, and Jiang Hong immediately stepped forward and hit a forehand cross-court shot into the corner.

"AD: 40!"

We've reached the eighth ball of this game.

Jiang Hong stood at the baseline, gently tapping the tennis ball, not in a hurry to serve.

Nalbandian, meanwhile, was hunched over, staring in Jiang Hong's direction.

"For the last ball, will he choose topspin, sidespin, or a flat shot?"

Just then, Jiang Hong suddenly moved.

He tossed the tennis ball to the upper right front of his body, then pushed off the ground with his right foot and twisted, his hips driving his upper body to turn rapidly to the left, and his racket swung upwards from behind his shoulder.

The wrist strike is incredibly powerful at the moment of impact, and the racket accurately hits the upper-middle part of the ball.

"boom!"

A crisp sound.

The tennis ball flew low with a sharp, flat trajectory, so fast that it almost left a blur, heading straight for the angle between the service point (T) and the sideline.

"what?"

Nalbandian quickly turned sideways and stretched out his racket to make the save, pulling his body to its limit.

But in the end, the racket was a second too slow, and the tennis ball flew past the outside of the racket.

It slammed heavily inside the boundary line, then bounced out of bounds.

The stadium was completely silent until the referee's voice rang out.

“ACE!”

"Game, Jiang Hong, 1-1!"

(End of this chapter)