Return to 2002: Freestyle Superstar

Chapter 641: Double Standard Rules of the Year-End Finals (4K)

Chen Ran knew very well that this negotiation would be a long and difficult process.

At the same time, he is also ready to get out of the situation at any time, so he will just wait and see how it goes.

The annual year-end finals is the year-end celebration of tennis events, and this year the total prize money for the year-end champion will exceed 300 million US dollars for the first time.

According to rumors, this year's hard court has been completely refurbished with new materials, and the ball speed is even a few points faster than before.

At the same time, the weight of tennis balls is also lighter than in previous years.

This caused many tennis players to complain, as they believed that Shenzhen was taking advantage of its home court to create conditions for Chen Ran.

With Chen Ran's playing style, the faster the ball, the greater his advantage.

On the contrary, in order to restrict Chen Ran, this year's US Open reduced the speed of the ball and increased the weight of the tennis ball.

But it still couldn't stop Chen Ran from completing the annual Grand Slam.

Tennis is not table tennis, and the weight requirements for the ball are not uniform in various types of competitions.

If the Americans can do this, China can follow suit.

"If the ball speeds up, this game will be even less suspenseful!" Roddick said sourly after arriving in Shenzhen.

After all, Chen Ran's control over the rhythm and landing point of the ball is almost unparalleled in the tennis world.

The faster the ball speed on the court, the more obvious Chen Ran's advantage is.

"The US Open has fucking slowed down, shouldn't it be normal to speed up the ball in the year-end finals held in our country?" Chen Ran's fans said with confidence.

As for Chen Ran himself, he accepted this preferential treatment very calmly without feeling the slightest bit embarrassed.

Even though he has won enough honors, he will still not show any mercy when it comes to taking advantage.

However, there were new faces in this year's year-end finals.

This is what Chen Ran just discovered after arriving in Shenzhen.

To be honest, he had never paid attention to the list of the year-end finals.
The eight players participating in this year-end finals are Chen Ran, Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Roddick, Gonzalez, Wawrinka, and Gasquet.

Among the golden generation of French tennis stars born after 85, Gasquet, who was born in 1986, the same year as Chen Ran and Nadal, has stood out and become one of the best.

In the fiercely competitive year-end finals, Gasquet performed well and squeezed out another French rising star, Monfils, who was also the black uncle who was teased by Chen Ran as carrying the banner of French tennis.

In fact, from another perspective, Chen Ran is Gasquet's benefactor.

Because if Chen Ran had not eliminated Monfils in straight sets in the China Open final, it would have been Monfils who appeared in the Shenzhen year-end finals.

In addition, Chen Ran also lost to Gasquet in this year's Dubai tournament, which once again assisted this guy in entering the year-end finals.

"and many more……"

Chen Ran rubbed his head and seemed to remember something that seemed to be related to this French player, but he couldn't remember what it was.

But he was very sure that this should be related to tennis, and he had witnessed it in his previous life.

"Some of my memories from my previous life are a little fuzzy. It seems like they are not very important."

Chen Ran didn't care and just prepared for the year-end finals.

Now that the time, place and people are all on our side, there is no reason to let this championship slip away.

The first group match, Chen Ran VS Gasquet.

Some of Chen Ran's fans even joked: Why should Gasquet fight against his benefactor? He should just raise the white flag and surrender.

Anyway, people in your country are naturally good at raising the white flag.

However, at this moment, ATP came with news that shocked many people.

Gasquet tested positive for doping not long ago.

According to the rules, he will be punished and banned immediately, and when he will be unbanned will depend on the circumstances.

However, Gasquet's team immediately gave an explanation that sounded jaw-dropping, even absurd and funny: I couldn't help but kissed a girl while playing in a nightclub.

He said that he was a little high at the time, so they didn't just taste it briefly, but used their tongues to explore each other's mouths deeply, which must be the reason why he got attacked this time.

Gasquet is convinced that this was an unintentional action that led to the positive doping test.

"Can this reason be ridiculous?" This was Chen Ran's first reaction after hearing this set of arguments.

Can this really be positive?

He totally doesn't believe it.

However, Chen Ran finally recalled the somewhat vague events of his previous life, which was about the joke caused by the French rising star's positive doping test.

Originally, everyone thought that the ATP would deal with Gasquet seriously and ban him from participating in the year-end finals, but the result was that the ATP actually accepted this guy's argument.

"We believe that Gasquet is a kind, simple and honest young man. He is an innocent victim, so he is not guilty!"

The ATP insisted on giving Gasquet a chance to participate in the year-end finals and then arrange a second test.

???

Except for Chen Ran who already knew the result, almost all the players were in shock.

“This is too double standard!”

“What would the players who were banned in the past think?”

"At least during the appeal period, he can't compete."

Many players expressed doubts.

"I suppose it is because of Gasquet's noble nationality?"

"He is a French citizen and white. For the huge market behind him and the French Open, one of the four Grand Slams, the ATP has adopted double standards to protect this person!"

"We can't imagine if a South American, Eastern European or Asian player tested positive for doping and used the same explanation as Gasquet did, would the ATP accept it?"

"It's been a long time since a French player made it to the year-end finals, and a white player at such a young age."

"The ATP wants the French market."

"This is purely for commercial interests!"

At the same time, as the first substitute, French player Monfils also exploded.

"Not only because he is French, but also because he is white. If this happened to me, I would definitely be banned because I am a black player!"

When Uncle Hei saw that his spot in the year-end finals, which was originally within his reach, suddenly became so far away, he immediately started to criticize.

We are all French and members of the national team. We see each other every day, so why are you embarrassed to condemn us?
Sorry, even the white French players have internal conflicts, let alone the black players and white players.

At this moment, the old black man, Memphis, only had his eyes on the tempting year-end appearance fee. He was so jealous that he didn't care about his face at all.

That guy Gasquet should return his year-end quota to me!

At the same time, he secretly hated Chen Ran in his heart. This guy beat him in the key game, but lost to Gasquet in the game at the beginning of the year. This was the reason why he was only one step away from the year-end finals.

But Monfils is just a player, and even the other players who protested are just players.

They cannot interfere with the ATP's decision. If the ATP finds Gasquet not guilty, then he is not guilty.

Tennis is an individual sport after all. Although the players are dissatisfied, they are competitors with each other. It is impossible for them to unite as one to protest against the ATP or even put pressure on it.

Everyone has their own interests and their own little calculations.

The game still has to be played and the prize money still has to be earned.

But in the past few days, Gasquet clearly felt that he was excluded by other players.

No one wants to practice with him.

But the French are really thick-skinned. They just practice football as if nothing has happened.

This is the year-end finals. Even if you lose all three group matches, you can still take home $50 in appearance fees.

So Gasquet didn't care.

From Chen Ran's perspective, he also felt a little dazed.

He wondered if the same reasoning would work on himself.

Chen Ran felt that the ATP would most likely pardon him, after all, he was the biggest name in the ATP today.

Of course, Chen Ran would definitely not take the risk.

Because his goals are too big, once the doping test is positive, the honors he has achieved will be questioned, and his GOAT status will also be lost.

If he tests positive once, no matter how many Grand Slams he wins in the future, he will not be able to calm the gossips.

"You ask me what I think?"

Chen Ran was also helpless. "This is the ATP's decision. It doesn't matter what I think."

There was nothing he could do about this.

I won't take the risk, but those Western players always make up some ridiculous reasons after testing positive.

For example, in the future, there will be a tennis player from a major Western country who even said that he was infected by his girlfriend during sex because he did not take proper protective measures, which led to a positive doping test.

Perhaps this is the only reason they can think of.

The ATP actually accepted this reason and symbolically banned him for a few weeks.

Thinking of this, Chen Ran didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

This Chunchun is treating everyone in the world as fools.

During the practice session, Chen Ran also consciously asked Djokovic what he thought about this matter.

The latter also seemed helpless and insisted: "If it was me who made the mistake, I would be severely punished. Eastern European players cannot bring in markets and ratings, let alone sponsors. They will not like us."

What's more, Serbia is a small country in Eastern Europe.

"Haha..." Chen Ran was also amused by Djokovic's self-deprecation, "It's not that exaggerated. Maria and Ana are both from Eastern Europe and are widely protected by the WTA."

"The WTA is different from the ATP. They need to market the beauty of their players, and Maria and Ana can no longer be viewed as simple Russian or Serbian players." Djokovic shook his head and said in an affirmative tone.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ran also agreed with the other party's point of view.

Djokovic continued: "The ATP side wishes that the top players were all players from big countries like you. They hate us Eastern European players the most and wish we would all get out."

He seemed very self-aware.

In fact, whether it is ATP or WTA, Eastern European players account for such a large proportion among the top players that the management is also very troubled, but they can do nothing about it.

Because tennis is relatively the most fair sport.

Generally speaking, tennis, especially professional tennis players, are very expensive in the early stages and have to invest a lot of money over time.

However, money has never been a factor in determining whether a tennis player can reach the top level; hard work and talent are the keys.

If you lack any one of these two, no matter how much money you spend, it will not work.

It has to be admitted that Eastern European athletes are indeed extremely talented in ball games. Many children from working-class families can squeeze into the forefront of ATP or WTA through hard work.

Even if they have low commercial value and cannot bring in much sponsorship, you can't stop them from participating in the competition.

Chen Ran smiled and said, "It's best that you don't have such a fluke mentality. I also believe that with your ability, you don't need to learn from French players."

"Those guys, even if they're on drugs, can't beat you."

Djokovic laughed: "They can't beat you either."

When it comes to tennis, taking drugs will not improve your skills. At most, it can make your physical energy more abundant, so that you can still maintain a high level of concentration after a fierce battle for several hours.

Chen Ran and Djokovic can now do these things.

Through physical training, they have already pushed their physical fitness to the limit.

"I will teach him a lesson in the first game." Chen Ran's eyes were shining.

He even thought that it was impossible for Gasquet not to take drugs during the year-end finals.

Perhaps Agassi gave him a warning.

Players from major Western countries like them should be fine as long as they don't go too far or be too high-profile.

The sport of tennis needs the Chinese market, but it also needs the markets of these major Western countries.

"Yes, you should teach them a lesson!" Djokovic said gritting his teeth.

Of course he was unhappy because he knew that if he tried it, he would be greeted with a severe fine.

……

Two days later, Chen Ran's first group match of the year-end finals kicked off.

Many Chinese fans mocked Gasquet, booing him and making him look gloomy.

His competitive state is also very bad, and it can even be said that his attitude towards playing is very negative. Obviously, he wants to use this negative performance to make Chinese fans feel that the tickets they bought are not worth the price.

The French are so petty.

So this game was Chen Ran's quick victory.

不到40分钟时间，陈然以6比0和6比1带走比赛。

After the game, Gasquet said to Chen Ran in dissatisfaction: "If the audience in your country had not been so rude, this game would definitely not have been so simple."

This guy talks back.

But Chen Ran was not polite and directly refuted: "I think with my current strength, even if you hit me, you can't beat me, right? So I don't care about these."

Upon hearing this, Gasquet turned around and left angrily.

In fact, he knew that what Chen Ran said was true and he couldn't refute it at all.

……

(End of this chapter)