Grand Slam

“It's been a while.”

With the best form and reason, even the parents of Yeong-hee and Yeong-hee · · · Everyone's eyes met, Yoon-hee and Yoon-hee felt tense. If you think of your body as a material, it would have turned into a hard stone.

As usual, Hanminji, the mother of marble, ran to hug the marble and kiss it.

“My son!! How have you been? A little bigger, maybe? ”

Usually, Hanminji is surprised when he strokes the face of the marble because the marble would have turned around to push it away.

“Why is your face so cold? ”

In the words of Hanminji, all the adults quickly tease their feet and approach marble and Jinhee.

Choi Young-tae and Yu-ri were also worried.

“Oh, it's okay. ”

Jinhee remains speechless and silent, but she barely opens her mouth and answers, turning to guide the group.

“Let's go. The Academy is offering accommodations. ”

* * *

“Lee Young-seok.”

Choi Young-tae's lips squeezed and a grim voice popped out.

The boulder, which was busy chasing after the ball, jumped at Nate, panicking and answering.

“Yes, Coach. ”

Choi Young-tae looks bad.

We've been together for years, but I've never seen such a bad face.

“Come here. Jinhee, too."

Jinhee, who was called only after hitting the ball with Yuri, also came to the net in a quick walk.

“Training this way is meaningless. ”

Choi Young-tae held a resolute rush.

“ · · · · · ·. ”

“Me and coach Yuli never taught you this kind of training. What is this? It's just a meaningless movement that eats away at your physical strength. ”

The razor blade criticism pierces the chest of stone and Jinhee like a scepter.

“Why, are you so nervous about your debut? Are you burdened?”

“ · · · · · ·. ”

He still shouted to the silent answers of Yeong-hee and Yeong-tae, but instead of getting angry, he took a deep breath and tilted silently.

“Everyone has to be nervous. It's a problem if you say it's not the case. A wise person here utilizes tension as a tool to lift capacity. No, you can't play a human who can't do this. ”

“ · · · · · ·! ”

“Then why do people get nervous? Lee Young-seok, answer me. ”

Choi Young-tae's request opened her mouth.

“Because I'm afraid. ”

Like the contents of the horse, the voice of marble was full of trembling.

“Jinhee, answer me too. ”

Yuli picked it up next to me.

“It's because I'm worried about losing and failing. ”

Rather, it was more bold than marble.

Choi Young-tae nodded and said.

“You're both right. It is precisely because it 'gives meaning to an action’. Lee Young-seok, how many matches have you played in this academy and how many have you won? ”

Choi Young-tae asked, and he calmly counted the numbers.

It took a long time to get back to a few years ago, but everyone waited quietly.

“I think I played 100 · · · games. I lost three times. ”

I was quite surprised at the rock I had chewed.

‘Except for Roddick, two people don't even remember their faces. ’

“Jinhee?”

“I lost five times. ”

“And you've never lost a match set up by me and Coach Yuli. Think about all those matches, being as nervous as you are and thinking about something else. ”

“ · · · · · ·. ”

At Choi Young-tae's words, Yoon-suk and Jinhee were unable to say anything.

“You know, tennis players always live to compete. Futures starting next week? Now it could be a once-in-a-lifetime event. However, when you go up there, you always have to compete for ’life.' How many times are you going to join Future? Then there will be countless ATP Challengers, 250, 500, Masters, and Major moments of pressure and pressure. Are you going to calm down like you do now?! ”

In the end, the pain broke out.

Quartz and Jinhee flinched and closed their eyes.

“I'm not saying don't be nervous. I want to tell you that if it freezes on the battlefield, it will die without a hitch. Happiness? It's just a matter of time. Being a player means having to endure the rest of your moments for that one moment of happiness. This is also a quality. ”

“Yes · · · · · · · · ·. ”

He looked at the quartz and Jinhee who answered without energy, but Choi was angry again, but Yuli looked at him and said, "My anger subsided."

“Go inside. Get some rest today. No · · · Let's only run three sets. Feet have nothing to do with the condition. ”

* * *

“44 seconds 63. ”

Without listening to the dumb-eyed record, marble calmed his breath and jumped slowly to unwind. Jinhee, who also jumped after hearing the record of 52.2 seconds, threw herself onto the track without any emotion.

“Honey. ”

Yuli looked at Young-tae Choi with a stopwatch. My voice trembled.

“Isn't the record · · · too fast? ”

I felt embarrassed by Yuli, but Choi Young-tae was grave.

“They already broke their high school records at the age of middle school. What a surprise.”

“· · · It is not the carriage of high parts. Isn't that Korea's new record? ”

“Is Korea's new record great? ”

“ · · · · · ·. ”

Because of Choi Young-tae, Yuli thought of the bear.

But I haven't changed my mind.

“No matter how much I think about it, it's amazing. ”

Choi Young-tae scratched her head and opened her mouth. I felt the pity that 'now I have to explain it kindly to my wife too.'

“If you think about the proportion of Korea on land in the world, Korea's new record itself is low, right? Nothing surprising about being close to a new world record. ”

“Still · · · · · · · · ·. ”

Yuli was blurry, but Choi Young-tae was resolute.

“It's even more surprising that the Asians win the ATP500. Korea is an achievement that I did not achieve in Asia. And maybe we're not machines, and we hit the stopwatch faster than we thought. Don't be surprised. I've been raising them for years and I'm surprised, compared to them, that you and I are just murderers, murderers. Let's not dwell on our standards. ”

“ · · · · · ·. ”

The marble and Jinhee who had run all three sets suddenly looked at Choi Young-tae and Yu-ri.

Choi Young-tae ordered me to clear my throat.

“Finish stretching and relax. Organize your thoughts.”

The parents' concerns weren't the only ones who matched the coaches' concerns.

It would be like a parent who is about to graduate from the military. But I didn't go after him and hug him. Choi Young-tae and Yu-ri constantly emphasized, because they were advised, 'Tennis is a solo sport.'

* * *

So, while marble and Jinhee held the concerns and expectations of adults on their backs, time flowed quickly and the day before the match came.

“Let's go back to sleep. ”

I remembered the face of the rock holding Jinhee's shoulder in my arms and pushing her out.

The moonlight doesn't shoot spotlight on Jinhee either, but Jinhee seems to be shining brightly by herself.

“Cook. ”

Jinhee laughed low, ignoring the arm of marble, and held her again.

‘What's the matter? ’

The marble was embarrassed and I had no choice but to clap Jinhee's back.

Jinhee took his hand quietly and whispered in the ear of the rock.

“Are you relaxed now? ”

“· · · Yes. ”

The quartz finally answered. The beating heart slows down gradually.

As the heart of marble that felt like my whole body slowed down, Jinhee came out of the arms of marble.

“We're not alone. Let's share the burden.”

Jinhee grinned beautifully and stroked the face of the marble. Then, holding her tightly again, she turned without saying anything and walked towards the girls' dormitory.

‘Jinhee is getting bolder every day.' ’

A smiling marble lifted its head and looked up at the night sky.

After Jinhee disappeared, the color of the night changed. The saturation has decreased.

“Let's go.”

* * *

ITF Futures tournaments.

This is the lowest stage of the professional competition, with athletes who are not primarily given the ranking themselves participating to earn ATP ranking points. There are nearly 1,000 fasts and apparels held worldwide each year.

“Where's Bob?”

In a large bus at the academy carrying both players and officials, parents examined the condition of marble and Jinhee. Unlike the adults who were full of positivity and looking at themselves, only marble and Jinhee were very comfortable faces.

“Of course I did. ”

Rather, he smiled brightly and reassured his parents and coaches.

The bus arrived at the destination, Bradenton (a city in south-western Florida, United States), about a half hour before the boisterous atmosphere.

The stone and Jinhee who got off the bus and faced the adults were firmly determined.

Choi Young-tae told such a marble and Jinhee.

“Your mental state may be the best, but your physical state may be the best. That's when I told you what Active Rest is. ”

“Yes.”

“Hey · · · Coach. ”

When Choi Young-tae always said, Jinhee who just listened opened her mouth.

“Huh?"

“How many places do you think you can win here? ”

And I asked him a bold question.

Choi Young-tae and Yuri thought briefly.

“Maybe 1,500 to 2,000? If you win, you'll be in the top 800 to 1,000 places. ”

Of course, she was not surprised because she knew, but Jinhee who heard Young-tae Choi's words flashed.

He was happy that the number was clearly generated after winning only once.

“That one time is going to be very difficult. They're all pros, and the Futures in America are not like the Futures in Asia. No, the highest quality in the world, not just Asia. The tennis population itself is hundreds of times different, so of course the level of players who participate is high. Besides, it will be even tougher if you haven't participated in Korea's national competition. But!”

“ · · · · · ·. ”

“Your qualities can target the world. This is for sure."

“· · · Yes! ”

Choi Young-tae shrugged as she replied brightly and finished the conversation with a short sentence.

“Good luck.”

Subsequently, the encouragement of parents continued.

“Son, I trust this mother. ”

When I saw my mother who was more nervous than the quartz who was competing, she trembled.

“Won't you tell me it's Cesar? ”

“I trust that Cesar will spread his skills throughout the world to please this mother. ”

Mother hugged the marble as she made up her mind. He looked at them as if they were lovely, and stroked their heads. The painting was natural because he was still taller than marble.

“You'll do fine. ”

“Keep an eye out. You'll do great.”

Young Seok smiled and replied.

Meanwhile, Jinhee was also supported by her parents. Jinhee hugged Jinhee's mother, who was troubled with tears.

So energetic, marble and Jinhee put a tennis bag on their shoulders and said boldly.

“Goodbye!”