Return to 2002: Freestyle Superstar

Chapter 225 Post-match heat wave
PS: 6K has been updated in the past two days, I know it is a bit small.I will strive to update 7K today and 8K tomorrow!

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First Grand Slam final!
It’s still his personal favorite French Open!
Is it time to celebrate wildly?

Chen Ran lay on the ground, enjoying the softness and comfort of the clay court.

At this moment, his mood was extremely brilliant.

Even if the sky is cloudy, it seems to him that it is full of flowers and floating rainbows.

The cheers from the audience reached Chen Ran's ears.

This feeling is unprecedented.

Chen Ran lay on the ground for a while, then got up excitedly, because Moya had been waiting for a while next to the net in the middle line.

"Congratulations!" The two shook hands, and Moya smiled bitterly, "I had a chance to win the first two sets, but I must admit that I didn't have any chance in the third set."

"But if I had been lucky enough to win the first or second set, the result might have been different."

Yeah?maybe.

Think whatever you like.

Chen Ran is already the winner, there is no need to start a verbal dispute with the other party.

He knows best about himself.

The first two sets were indeed very difficult, but Chen Ran knew very well that this was definitely not luck.

He has figured out how to push gears again and again until he reaches his limits at the Grand Slam level.

Obviously, with the two of them in equally superb condition, Chen Ran is now superior.

Moya felt that maybe he was a bit unlucky, but he forgot that luck was also a part of strength in the game. To make up for these slight deviations in luck, huge strength was needed to make up for it.

Moya is already 27 years old, can he continue to improve?
Not everyone is Djokovic.

"Hehe, I also think I have good luck today. Maybe next time in the competition, luck will be on your side!" Chen Ran laughed and deliberately followed the other person's words.

If we talk about his ability to deceive people, Chen Ran, who came from 2023 and has been baptized by Chinese Internet culture, feels that he can become a well-deserved "goat" in today's professional tennis world.

After hearing this, Moya was stunned on the spot for a moment.

He was a little dissatisfied with the loss, so he said this deliberately to show off his words. He thought Chen Ran would refute him, but he didn't expect that this guy actually followed his wishes.

what is this?
Moya felt like he had nowhere to go.

He shrugged, feeling helpless, and could only secretly warn himself: he must win the next time he fights Chen Ran, otherwise what he said today would be too embarrassing.

Will I lose again next time, or will it be luck?
Moya felt that no matter how thick-skinned he was, he was too embarrassed to speak.

In addition, he would never tell those reporters about the conversation between the two today.

Because the content of the conversation between Chen Ran and him sounded to outsiders like the winner's consolation to the loser.

It's such a shame.

Moya saluted and left dejectedly, while Chen Ran continued to enjoy the cheers and even salutes of countless spectators and reporters as the winner.

This shocking scene was also broadcast by CCTV to the eyes of hundreds of millions of Chinese TV viewers.
This game was jointly broadcast by C1 and C5, achieving almost full coverage of the entire China.

This also made Chen Ran's popularity reach every corner of China for the first time.

"Dear TV viewers, the fans at the scene must be cheering for the first Asian player to reach the French Open final."

"Chen Ran has raised Asian tennis to unprecedented heights. This will definitely be a moment that will be remembered forever."

"Of course, after two days, we hope that Chen Ran can create a new height."

"We all look forward to that moment."

From the studio of C1 Comprehensive Channel, the host's excited voice slowly came out.

Although the French Open semi-final was over, the CCTV host led a group of commentators and discussed it with saliva flying around.

For example, what does the victory of this game mean to China Tennis, what does it mean to China Sports, and whether it will greatly promote the development of China's professional sports.

This scene is very familiar, because when the national football team entered the World Cup two years ago, there was such a heated discussion across the country starting from CCTV.

"I hope Chen Ran will become a model for our professional reform in Chinese sports!"

A certain host surnamed Bai talked to the camera: "He reached the French Open final. This is a good start. China's professional sports will have a better future."

At this time, the big screen screen turned, and Chen Ran's figure appeared in front of everyone.

He is a very busy man now. After dealing with the on-site hosts, he still has to accept interviews from CCTV reporters.

The CCTV reporter also seemed extremely excited and even put a small five-star red flag sticker on his face.

"Chen Ran, how do you feel after reaching the French Open final? Are you very excited?"

"Of course, this feeling is unmatched by the Masters, it's completely different." Chen Ran joked very relaxedly and calmly, "I was thinking that even if I lose the final, I can still get a plate, haha, but Preferably it would be a trophy."

"So are you confident about the final?" CCTV reporter asked another question that seemed a bit ridiculous to Chen Ran.

If I don't have confidence, why should I play in the finals?
However, Chen Ran had long been prepared for the professional abilities of CCTV reporters. They often asked questions that seemed ridiculous to outsiders. "After 6 intense games, I finally reached the final stage I dreamed of."

Chen Ran lowered his head slightly and blinked: "If I didn't have confidence, I wouldn't have been able to get to this point. I know that everyone is working hard to win the trophy, and I am no exception."

Then he calmly looked at the camera, which was equivalent to facing the hundreds of millions of viewers in front of the TV through the CCTV broadcast.

"I understand that although the runner-up is also a good result, the runner-up is only the runner-up after all, and the feeling brought by the championship is completely different. In two days, I hope that the national audience will cheer for me."

"Even though I'm in faraway Roland Garros, I can still feel your energy."

Chen Ran is so good at talking, but he is only 17 years old.

This conversation and eloquence almost completely overwhelm those athletes in their 20s and even 30s.

The commercial value is limitless!

Comrade Xiaobai, a well-known CCTV host, started to grab the microphone and took the initiative to connect with Chen Ran.

"Chen Ran! Just now a few of us were discussing what your reaching the French Open finals means to the entire Chinese sports industry? We want you, the person involved, to talk about it."

As expected of CCTV, it always likes to discuss high-profile topics, which makes Chen Ran feel a little helpless.

But due to CCTV's reputation, he had to cooperate.

After all, this is a national television station. If ordinary people want to be interviewed by CCTV, even billionaire businessmen have to beg their grandfather, sue their grandmother, rely on connections, find connections, and use various connections to get the opportunity.

But when it comes to Chen Ran, CCTV takes the initiative to use various resources to promote itself.

Indeed, Chen Ran's current achievements are enough for state media such as CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, and People's Daily to take the initiative to please him, but from another perspective, the two sides are also complementary to each other.

If Chen Ran acts aloof and rejects others at all times, no matter how impressive your grades are, you will still be disgusted by the official media.

This is not good for your image.

Chen Ran also wants to use official media to promote tennis.

Although tennis is not as popular as football and basketball in China, compared to other ball sports, at least among young people, its popularity and attention has surpassed that of volleyball, table tennis, and badminton.

Just imagine, if a Chinese player in baseball, rugby or golf achieved something similar to Chen Ran, would China's major official media be so mobilized?
That’s not necessarily the case. China’s official media have their own preferences and preferences.

For example, in 2023, when Chen Ran traveled through time, a Chinese boxer named Zhang Zhilei won the heavyweight interim boxing championship.

This is a very important honor in the Western sports world, but China's official media has rarely reported on it.

The popularity can’t even compare to Wu Yibing’s victory in a mere ATP 250 tournament.

You must know that when Wu Yibing just won the Dallas Tour Championship, not only many official media rushed to report, but even his childhood golf friends were dug out.

This shows the official media’s preference for tennis.

Although many people say that all sports are equal, the reality is completely opposite. For example, football’s unique status and unparalleled influence cannot be compared even if all other sports are bundled together.

Fortunately I chose tennis!
Chen Ran muttered secretly.

In this era, the number of Chinese football fans is by far the largest, far ahead of other sports.

However, for a long time in the future, due to the deterioration of the national football team and Yao Ming's outstanding performance in the NBA, many football fans will become frustrated and switch camps and become basketball fans.

Of course, most people are amphibious fans.

The turn of the century is a great time to compete for the fan base.

So, after pretending to be "thought-out", Chen Ran slowly replied: "What does it mean to Chinese sports? I hope to be a pioneer, and I believe there will be more Chinese athletes attracting world attention in the future." Achieve excellent results in sports.”

"Actually... I feel a little lonely. After all, I am the only one fighting alone on the ATP Tour stage. I hope to see more Chinese players."

"In addition, I think...actually, I still think that the significance of me reaching the French Open final is not as significant as the national football team's entering the World Cup two years ago. That is what the whole country pays attention to."

He answered with a hint of humor, which also made several people in the CCTV live broadcast room smile knowingly.

Comrade Xiaobai was also a football fan, so he said: "National football players, did you hear that? I hope Chen Ran's glorious deeds of reaching the Grand Slam finals can inspire you."

"But in China today, there are many fans who watch both football and tennis, which is very similar to European fans. I believe that in the final, many Chinese football fans will cheer you on."

"Okay, I'm looking forward to it too. I hope we can work together to win more honors for our Chinese sports." Chen Ran smiled brightly and gave a thumbs up to the camera.

At this moment, Yanjing time has reached ten o'clock at night, but the entire country is almost immersed in great joy.

The people at the turn of the century were simple and honest.

For China as a whole, the excitement that Chen Ran brought to the public by reaching the French Open final should be second only to the Chinese men's football team entering the World Cup in 2001.

But the difference is that the poor performance of the Chinese men's football team in the World Cup suddenly extinguished the enthusiasm of the people, while the fire of tennis brought by Chen Ran this summer is getting stronger and stronger.

Although Yao Ming's performance in the NBA is acceptable, he is playing for an American club after all, and has not achieved any honors when leading the national team.

Chen Ran's advantage is that tennis is an individual sport. Whether he participates in tours, Olympics, or Grand Slam events, he can be regarded as an individual or as representing the country.

Tennis does not clearly separate the club and the national team like football and basketball, but it subtly integrates the individual and the country.

When the sun slowly rose over the land of China the next day, the front page of "Sports Weekly" published a huge photo of Chen Ran with the text: No matter what the result of the French Open final is, Chen Ran is already a well-deserved champion of China. Sports No.1.

……

(End of this chapter)