God of Tennis

Without a glimpse of winning at Ahn-dong Futures, Han Woo-jin quickly returned to NK Shipping. In the beginning, relaxation was a luxury for a new player.

Moreover, tennis players are literally on a tight schedule during the original season. There was a reason to be good at distributing your stamina during the game.

The day after the victory, Han Woo-jin met with the awards director in the NK Vehicle Supervisory Room.

The face of the tribute was strangely crumpled. Now, after 10 years of experience, Han Woo-jin was able to see that he was not in a good mood.

“Welcome. Sit there.”

The director rolled up the newspaper he was reading and pointed to his opposite couch. Hanwoojin sat on the couch without saying a word as instructed. The sofa that took his weight was lightly moving.

After a short time of silence, he sighed once, then straightened his face and spoke to him. I couldn't just show my frowny face to a winning player.

“Well done. Consider this Future winner a successful first button. ”

“Yes.”

It was a rather grumpy expression to call it a compliment, but Han Woo-jin showed his sincerity. While praising me well, I still had a habit of scratching my back.

And it wasn't wrong. Futures is the lowest of all competitions added to the ATP ranking. There are very few ranking points and very few prizes.

It was common practice for a newcomer to advance to the league after a few good achievements in Future. This is what the director meant when he said the first button.

“I was going to talk about the future... but I have something to say first. ”

“What is it?”

When Hanwoojin looked at the mysterious face, the awards ceremony handed out the sports newspaper that was holding it. The newspaper's name appeared on the tip of the outgoing newspaper. For sport.

I felt like the face of reporter Kim Sang-pil was grown-up, and Han Woo-jin blinked without even knowing it.

He was the type who couldn't get used to it. Just looking at him, I felt like a snake digging into the leather.

“Read it.”

As he watched, the tribute shook the newspaper. Hanwoojin reluctantly accepted the newspaper and spread it. I didn't have to ask him again what he wanted me to read.

because the director asked me to look at two pictures of the front door.

“... Nice shot. ”

Han Woo-jin admired me without even knowing it. The resolution was too perfect, considering it was taken from a long distance without prior consultation. One photo was enough to know that the journalist's skills were not ordinary.

The scene on the right, Choi Hyuk, shakes hands with the opponent and turns around beautifully.

Hanwoojin, on the left, shakes Okuda's hand with a contrasting face.

A knight proclaiming their victory in the Future Games. Han Woo-jin tilted his head because he didn't know why the director was crouching. This article, which must have been written by Sang-pil Kim, was quite interesting and printed in a memorable format.

Looking at him with a face that he doesn't know what's wrong with Han Woojin, the tribute pulls one eyebrow toward the clown and spits out a horse.

“Look at page nine. Page nine. ”

“Page nine?”

Then, at the end of the first page of the article, there was a page with two players interviewed. Page 9.

He did not hesitate to hand over the newspaper. Hanwoojin and Choi Hyun-hyun who were seated in the chair appeared in a few papers that had passed away in a hurry.

As if they were staring at each other from the front, they confronted each other at a slanted angle. It was a configuration that would make two people rival, no matter who saw it. The title of the article was clearly written with intent.

‘Sang-pil Kim, that person...’

It was not long ago that Han Woo-jin spoke in the interview.

When did you start tennis? Didn't stand out as a junior? Enjoying your future aspirations?

It was literally a formal Q&A.

As a result of such an interview, I can't believe I'm writing this article. Apparently, the interview with Choi Yeon-hyuk was also conducted by Sang-pil Kim himself.

The article beautifully wrote that the two of them had a passion for each other. The two emerging rookies are rivals, so it's a good story to get people's attention.

“You don't talk much. ”

“I didn't even say a few words during the interview. This Kim Sang-pil is strange. ”

“If it's Kim Sang-pil, it's worth it... Phew. ”

In fact, I did, and I knew that much about the director. I've been rolling around in these floors for years, and you have no idea. Specialist reporter Kim Sang-pil.

He was a little complicated. It was not a bad thing that Kim Sang-pil noticed. Rather, it was a good start because it was recognized as a star.

"Too soon. ’

But it was a little early. The two of them had just finished their first competition as professionals. When you get the attention of a full-blown masscom, it's as easy to climb as it is to rise and fall. If the media gets wind of it, any athlete's mental health goes up or down.

As a former director, I wanted them to be better players than stars, I had to be careful.

The former director sighed. It was only then that I realized that my worries were without any nutrients. Whether he's worried or not, the knights are already out there, the work is spilled water. I had no choice but to go along the flow.

He snatched the newspaper Hanwoojin was looking at and threw it around the corner of his desk. I was irritated because I remembered Kim Sang-pil's grumpy face.

“I'm done with the newspaper. Think about that later, and let's talk about your next competition. ”

“Have you decided on your next competition? ”

Again, the tennis player's schedule is very tight. After finishing the finals in Tokyo yesterday, he also came to Seoul today to run the preliminaries.

In the case of world rankers, there were those who applied for multiple competitions and immediately failed to qualify for other competitions.

It was not a level for Han Woo-jin to think about that, but it was not strange even if the schedule of the competition was already set. Professional tennis players follow such tight schedules.

But the director's face was puffy. He seems to be thinking about something and brings out two sheets of A4 paper.

“There are two options. The chairman asked me to give you two a choice. ”

“Busan Open… France?! ”

Hanwoojin's eyes opened.

Metz, France. This was no place for Futures or Challenger Leagues. This place is part of the ATP Tour series.

In his questionable gaze, the former director nodded. Like you're right.

“Yes, the ATP250 league. ”

“Isn't this... too fast? ”

Although advancing to the top level league was something that any tennis player longed for, a fountain-overflowing contest only left a record of embarrassment and defeat. Han Woo-jin was even embarrassed by ATP tours going too fast.

Only 27 ATP points for winning a Future Championship. This was close to the top 700 in the world ranking. Yesterday's search was in the top 780s.

I did not know that this poor ranking point would allow me to participate in the preliminaries as well as Sid.

“He said that there is no problem until he gets the ticket for the preliminary contest. I'll put in an application if you want. ”

“France...”

The Grand Slam is one of four countries. Although not Grand Slam, it meant something in France for the ATP tournament to be a truly global stage.

Hanwoojin could not hold the heart that started beating. Can we set foot in a place like this already?

It was the words of a polished former director that sank his heart in the attempt to excite. He picked up the A4 paper and put it in the envelope, hoping that Han Woojin would make a swift decision because he couldn't beat the excitement.

“Don't decide today. After the feeling of winning at Futures subsides, decide for three days. Tomorrow. The day after tomorrow. No practice. Do you understand?”

“… Yes! ”

How simple it would be if I could control my mood with one word. Han Woo-jin struggled to calm his mind about how to open it. His voice was not as high as his.

Finally, the former director kicked his tongue.

“Tsk, you're so excited. Goodbye."

* * *

Han Woo-jin sat on a blank bench and saw other athletes running hard on an outdoor coat of NK vehicles. When I looked at Rally, I felt like I was stabilizing somewhere.

What do we do?

Shin Se-yeon, a consultant, sent him first. She may look like an iron man moving with an engine instead of a heart, but she thought there would be less fatigue accumulating while digesting the hard schedule with a woman's body.

Even Han Woo-jin, who is a trained athlete, was slightly shaken when he got out of the car. And it was the role of a professional tennis player to digest a few of these events in a season.

A racket rests on his shoulders, sitting still and thinking.

The cold feel of the frame tapped the ball.

“What?”

“What the hell, it's me. ”

The man with the racket was sweating whether he was coming to play a game. As the sun sets behind you, you glare at him unnecessarily. A smiling face with shadowy embellishment to cover Han Woojin.

He clears the racket and delivers the horse coolly.

“Congratulations on winning. ”

“You, too.”

The pair lightly slapped their fists as they greeted each other. Then Choi Hyeon Hyuk stepped over the bench and hung next to Han Woo-jin. First, it was history that brought up the subject.

“What are you going to do? ”

“I don't know.”

Challenger league, ATP250 league.

It was too big a decision to make. Of course, leaving the challenger was not a guarantee of winning. Rankers often participate to earn points overseas, even at the Challenger level.

But the ATP tour was a different story. At the ATP250 level, there must be at least five players in the top 100 in the world ranking. It was a simple ego to think that none of the dogs would ever cross them.

They stared at the coat without saying a word. Even a cheerful roar did not ease their worries.

“France, I like the sound of that. ”

“I see. ”

Every Korean tennis player dreams of a foreign league. Korea was a tennis barren place.

People don't notice, and everything in the competition is either small or lame. In addition, companies take it for granted to roll players on harsh schedules. Incidental conditions such as NK products are extremely rare. Isn't it natural to dream outside?

Choi Yeon-hyeok and Han Woo-jin were the same. In their field of view, the Eiffel Tower appeared to be an adult, not an outdoor coat of NK vehicles.

‘But I still need to think more. ’

Business travel is fully funded, so they don't have to hesitate for economic reasons. But can I challenge ATP tours with my current immature skills?

Han Woo-jin realized that his mood had subsided at the same time as the meeting. He got up from his seat and hurled his horse towards Choi Hyuk.

“I need to think more. ”

“Okay, I'll see you later. ”

The two who had a lot of thoughts naturally got up and moved away. Hanwoojin took the envelope handed over from the former director and left the front door of the vehicle. The cool evening air refreshed my head.

‘Let's go home. ’

I lived in Jeju Island for almost a month.

Hanwoojin hurried home with a slightly unfamiliar landscape in his eyes.

Ends with # 1

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