The Absolute on the Tennis Court - Chapter 176



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Episode 176

Cincinnati Open (11) – Flexible

【“Game, Cilic.”】

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▷ SET 1

4: New Universe

3: Marin Cilic

Marin Cilic, who escaped the dizzying crisis, returns to the bench, sits down and takes a long breath.

‘I almost got into big trouble.’

At game point 3:2, they gave up a break and the score became 4:2, but after making a desperate effort, they were able to overcome the crisis by winning the break.

The part where I couldn’t make the strokes I wanted at the beginning of the match was also controlled through the previous game.

There is still one point behind.

But now, it is my sub game.

‘Whoa – it’s different from Wimbledon.’

As he continued to hydrate and wipe away sweat, Marin Cilic thought that Shinwooju was much more difficult today.

I felt like my strengths were better displayed on hard courts.

It was better than the last Wimbledon in every way.

If I didn’t have a prepared strategy, I would have been at a loss.

It was clearly a very surprising thing.

In an interview with the winner after the Wimbledon quarterfinals, he had already given praise to Shin Woo-joo, such as [“A perfect player.”], [“A tremendous challenger.”], and [“He will soon become the best.”] .

I said this with the thought that I would grow as I gained more experience, but I was curious about how things could change so much in just two months.

‘As expected, is he young? ‘Good.’

Marin Cilic stopped thinking and stood up.

Shin Woo-joo also moved with his racket and towel, and the audience in the center court gave generous applause to the two tennis players as they switched courts.

The lights illuminating the court made us forget the time, but the clock on the electronic display board showed that it was 9 p.m.

Tennis on a midsummer night.

It’s quite a romantic moment.

Barrel, barrel, barrel, barrel… .

Bouncing the ball, Marin Cilic prepares to serve.

It is the best weapon that has been honed over the past three years.

Although they split over differences in values, Marin Cilic still respected Goran Ivanisevic and did not have a single regret about his time with him.

Taang-!

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bang.

Shin Woo-joo took the racket to a serve that went well into the corner, but the bounced ball did not cross the net.

【“Fifteen, Love.”】

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Clap clap clap clap.

Cilic moves the court after scoring.

As he received the tennis ball from the ball person, he thought about the value and weight of human relationships.

Relationships are truly strange things.

‘Will we be like that too?’

Marin Cilic glanced at the new universe beyond the net, shook off his thoughts, and bounced the ball back onto the court.

Barrel, barrel, barrel, barrel… .

Marin Cilic is one of the four players to win a Grand Slam title outside of the Big 3 during the Big 3 era.

Cilic, who was seeded 14th in the 2014 US Open, defeated Kevin Anderson, Jules Simon, Tomas Berdych, Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori in order to win his first Grand Slam.

In his victory interview at the time, Cilic, with an emotional expression on his face, thanked a man with special emotions.

[“I can be here thanks to him.”]

The person who received this special thank you was Bob Brett.

Bob Brett, who was hired as a ball boy by Harry Hoffman in his youth, is considered one of the greatest coaches in tennis history.

At the same time, he was also Marin Cilic’s spiritual teacher.

Cilic’s character and tennis skills were virtually developed at a young age.

Taang-!

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bang.

This time, Shin Woo-ju responded properly to the serve.

This is a return in the form of a slice.

Marin Cilic takes a small step and checks the point of the falling ball.

It may have been a bit long, but it fell in an exquisite position.

It hit just inside the alley line.

‘this.’

Cilic, who thought he would be out, was not fully prepared to make a stroke, and tried to swing his backhand late, but the shot did not pass the net.

【“Fifteen All-”】

Marin Cilic, who was not happy with himself, frowned and turned around.

Then he tapped his head with his left palm.

I blamed myself and told myself to come to my senses.

There were times when I got loose like this.

This is the moment when I am most disappointed in myself.

‘Calm down, Marine. ‘You have to concentrate until the end.’

Marin Cilic loved tennis so much.

It was the only ray of light during the darkest times.

The ‘Bosnian War’, known as the most cruel and shameful of all the wars that surrounded Yugoslavia, broke out in 1992 when Marin Cilic was only five years old.

At that time, Marin Cilic and his parents became refugees and had to rely on relief supplies for three years.

Cilic, who accidentally discovered tennis in a refugee camp, showed off his talent even with poor equipment.

And in 1994, when the war ended, when Marin Cilic was seven years old, no one around him knew about the young boy’s tennis skills.

It was at this time.

That’s what changed my life.

When I think about this, Marin Cilic is grateful to tennis for allowing him to live as prosperously as he does now.

Taang-!

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bang.

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widely.

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【“Thirty, Fifteen.”】

It was a similar scene to the previous Deuce court.

I tried to return it, but couldn’t get it over the net.

Seeing Shin Woo-joo biting his lower lip, unable to hide his expression of deep regret, Marin Cilic only smiled to himself.

‘Calm down, young friend. ‘I have to make a living too.’

The boy behind the net whom we met again after Wimbledon was a threatening challenger with incredible talent.

It was already at the highest level in every way.

It is difficult to guess what the level will be in the future.

However, I believe it is better right now.

The basis for this confidence is the serve.

Barrel, barrel, barrel, barrel… .

When the long war came to an end, Marin Cilic caught the eye of Goran Ivanisevic, an idol who brought hope to Croatia by winning titles such as Wimbledon.

Ivanisevic persuaded Cilic’s parents to let the boy move from devastated Bosnia to Italy, and personally arranged for him to attend the academy, where he helped him meet Bob Brett.

Afterwards, the relationship between Cilic and Bob Brett continued for nine years.

Strict discipline.

Self-control.

The desire to pursue the best, etc.

Marin Cilic learned from Bob Brett not only tennis, but also the values ​​he should have as a mature human being, and in fact, he has worked his whole life to become that kind of person.

This is what made Marin Cilic one of the most respected players in the tennis locker room.

In fact, Marin Cilic receives a lot of support.

A clear example is the past doping incident.

Unlike Maria Sharapova’s colleagues who turned a blind eye when the doping issue broke out, Marin Cilic showed the opposite attitude when she was caught doping, saying, “It can’t be like that.”

ATP is also well aware of this fact, so it has concluded the matter with the minimum level of disciplinary action, and no one is taking issue with this.

A seeker who has lived an upright life with only his eyes set on tennis.

I have never coveted fame even for a moment.

Just be diligent and sincere and do your best every day.

These are the three sentences that summarize Marin Cilic.

bang!

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“and-!”

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【“Game, Cilic.”】

Cilic, who took the lead with a serve and finished it off with a forehand, succeeded in balancing the match.

He looked back at the player box and clenched his fists.

The new coach did the same.

Because the strategy worked, the joy doubled.

Take the lead with a serve and then switch to a forehand rally.

After that, I focused on tying up Shinwoo’s feet.

Switching to the backhand first or not attempting a drop was also part of the strategy.

The biggest reason for the above strategy was to keep Shin Woo-ju in the Deuce court, a forehand rally position, and there was clearly something to be gained through this.

To hit a low forehand without moving.

That part has been going well since the middle of the first set.

A boy maintaining a poker face over the net.

It’s hard to know what you’re thinking.

What is clear is that there is a lot going on.

‘so? How is it going to come out?’

Marin Cilic is soaking up the pure joy that comes from facing a strong opponent.

He is feeling a little disappointed that this match will not be played best of 5.

* * *

▷ SET 1

4: New Universe

4: Marin Cilic

The strategy brought by the opponent has already been figured out.

Low forehand.

It was so blatant that I couldn’t have noticed it.

But it wasn’t uncomfortable.

No matter how much you try to create a low bounce with a flat shot, hard courts bounce higher than grass courts anyway.

Enough to remove it.

Barrel, barrel, barrel.

Barrel, barrel, barrel.

First of all, serve first.

He threw the ball over his head with his left hand.

bang!

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bang.

My opponent threw his body to catch the serve sent to the center service line, and I moved forward and took the forehand.

bang!

After that, they moved to the net.

The situation is in control.

bang!

The opponent attempted a passing shot to avoid me, but the shot went too far to the side and missed the alley line.

【“Fifteen, Love.”】

Currently, I am based on serve and volley.

This is not a strategy that has been prepared.

It’s just a judgment I made after seeing that my serve today was better than usual and my opponent was having a hard time returning.

So far, it’s working.

If you respond, you can change it again.

Barrel, barrel, barrel.

“… .”

Taang-!

This time, the serve was sent toward the center service line.

In the beginning, we switched from focusing on wide.

This was also changed after seeing the other person’s reaction.

From the third serve game, the opponent took about half a step closer to the line, so naturally he chose the opposite direction.

bang.

The ball falls shorter than before.

This time, he advanced all the way to the net.

First, the body was opened.

To deceive the other person.

If you do this, you may think that you are pushing it.

But I plan to pull it.

bang!!

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“Wow!”

The first set is going a little disappointingly.

I lost my chance at victory due to an unexpected accident.

After confirming that one of the racket strings was loose, I replaced it with a new one, but I was still worried because I did not change it according to the original routine.

This is why mistakes continued to occur in strokes.

It felt really stupid.

Also, the string came loose.

What I paid attention to.

I had plenty of rackets anyway, and changing it a little early shouldn’t have affected my tennis.

I think it was a good experience.

It won’t work if you don’t do that in the future, okay?

Mistakes need not be repeated.

Taang-!

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bang.

It’s like three serves in a row.

The opponent’s return is short.

So I move on.

But this time I had to volley, so I brought my racket to the ball and dropped it behind the net.

【“Forty, love.”】

If the opponent opposite me was someone other than Marin Cilic, I would have expected an ace on this serve.

Because I would have given up on this game.

but.

Barrel, barrel, barrel.

Barrel, barrel, barrel.

I know I’m not.

The other person will never give up.

Any time and under any circumstances.

The moment I tossed the ball, the air changed.

I’m going to ignore this for now.

Taang-!

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bang.

I sent the serve wide out of concern for the center service line, but Marin Cilic was standing in the same spot.

The return that was received relatively easily comes.

I quickly adjusted my grip.

Semi-western grip.

The current return will have a low bounce.

Because there is no strength in the cheek.

It must have been at a height that I was uncomfortable with, but I swung my racket hard without any hesitation.

bang!

A shot that fell into the open court in the opposite direction immediately led to a score, and after taking the set, I took the ball out of my pocket, handed it to the ball person, and walked toward the bench.

At the same time, I glanced over the net.

The other person looked different.

A wandering swordsman.

Maybe it’s because I saw a movie a while ago.

It’s a Japanese movie from quite a long time ago.

I happened to like classic movies or movies that were about 10 years old, so I was watching whatever I could get recommended. A Japanese fan recommended one, so I got the video and watched it.

The main character of the movie is a swordsman who pretends to be blind.

A sword technique called Baldosul (拔刀術) is used.

And with that, he reigned as the strongest.

I’m not saying that Marin Cilic is that swordsman.

This just occurred to me.

anyway.

A wandering swordsman who carries a sword his whole life reflects his disciplined life into his swordsmanship.

The level is very high.

So I get respect.

However, on the other hand, since he knows nothing except swordsmanship, he is vulnerable to irregularities.

I don’t know if he can cut the clumsy part with a strong and upright sword, but I think the reason Marin Cilic couldn’t reach the top is because he clearly had weak points.

“Whoa-”

As I closed the bottle of diluted vitamin water, I looked once again in the direction of Marin Cilic.

As before, he still appears to be a swordsman.

why?

Why wasn’t it at Wimbledon?

Because it’s a cathedral?

When I think about it, I think I couldn’t think like this at Wimbledon because I was so overwhelmed by the tennis itself.

But that doesn’t mean I can afford it right now.

It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with leisure.

… .

… .

I don’t know.

Lightly brush your hair with your hands.

We shook off complicated thoughts together.

I don’t know everything about tennis.

There was a lot more world that I didn’t know about.

We will find out slowly in the future.

is not it?

Clap clap clap clap-

“Hwi-ik!”

Before a game where a break would lead to a first set win, I switched courts and stood at the baseline.

Now, the opponent will perform a kick attack.

Because the serve is the biggest weapon.

Then I have to defend against it.

We have also prepared ways to block it.

The slice return was an excellent choice.

I also hold the sword in my hand tightly.

I have the same weapon.

Barrel, barrel, barrel, barrel… .

You must not take your eyes off the other person.

Because he uses a very fast kick technique.

But now we are playing tennis, not a duel.

Taang-!

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“Fault!!”

It became impossible to use the skill that the opponent was most proud of.

You may choose a different approach, but it is much easier to deal with.

bang!

A serve that falls next to the center service line.

The speed was noticeably slow.

I am ready for everything.

bang!

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“Waaah-!!”

The return, which was pushed backhand with force, passed to the right side of the opponent where it landed after the serve.

It’s the type of return that Roger Federer boasts about, and I took it for a moment and used it.

If it were a real swordsman’s match, there would be talk about schools and orthodoxy, but such debates never occur on the tennis court.

In the end, winning is the best.

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(Chris Fowler) – ESPN Caster

“Oh, it came out.”

(Patrick McEnroe) – ESPN Commentary

“I usually say this during Roger Federer’s matches, but if you don’t have a 100% sure second serve against this boy, you’ll end up in trouble like you are now. That’s a great backhand return. Cilic has a strict personality, but sometimes he can be that loose. The universe didn’t miss it. Excellent.”

* * *

【“Game, set, universe.”】

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“YEAH–!!!”

“That’s it!!”

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▷ SET 1

6: New Universe

4: Marin Cilic

When they managed to win the break again and take the set, the coaches in the New Universe player box stood up and screamed.

Andrei also jumped up from his seat and clapped his hands.

This set victory was also touching for him.

At last Wimbledon, Shin Woo-joo lost to Marin Cilic with a set score of 3:1.

The first two sets were a close match that went all the way to a tie break, but when you look at the actual details, it was revealed through certain indicators that it was a complete defeat for Shinwoo.

At that time, Shinwooju could not bring a single break.

But today, I won two in the first set alone.

Of course, we cannot guarantee that this will happen in the remaining matches as well.

Marin Cilic is also a player with class.

But apart from all this, what was important to Andrei was the fact that the strategy he had prepared worked.

In fact, the last two months have been rough.

Although I didn’t show it.

With Shin Woo Joo quickly gaining fame on the tour and even sitting on a big money cushion, the boy wanted to pay a fair price to Andrei and TNU as a whole.

I personally checked the tennis coaches’ fees and set the settlement ratio, and received more money from the academy than I earned in my entire life.

There was compensation, but it felt like no work.

This is the reason why its presence has become less frequent recently.

But in the meantime, one man helped me a lot.

Andrei was an unexpected person.

Ace Joyce.

Shin Universe’s sparring partner is the main character.

“I told you. “I heard you have the ability.”

“I’m so glad.”

“Be more confident. Because I’ve said it every time, you are more capable than you think.”

“… okay. thank you.”

“Nothing to say.”

As a coach, not being able to stay at the top level of the ATP is a very big weakness.

However, it is also true that a man who never became a professional player, like Bob Brett, who coached Marin Cilic, leaves his name in history as the best tennis coach.

That fact is also a source of great comfort and strength to Andrey Simic today.

“The flow will change from the second set.”

“I guess so. “I usually adjust my strategy at this time.”

“From now on, it’s out of our hands.”

“It’s a battle between real swords and swords.”

The biggest reason why tennis is a difficult sport for coaches is because most of their work is done outside of the public eye.

When entering a match, the player becomes the main character.

Even a well-prepared strategy often becomes meaningless after the second set.

And Andrei knows this well.

“Cilich also has good recovery properties.”

“Because he is a strong man.”

“huh.”

Marin Cilic’s come-from-behind victory ranks in the top 10 among active ATP rankings.

This is a testament to his outstanding mentality, and his usual attitude of being a role model for others had a huge impact.

“Do you still believe in Mulberry?”

“of course.”

“Okay – high five.”

slap.

While Andrei and Ace Joyce were laughing, lightly touching their palms, the referee made a call announcing the second set.

【“Time, player ready.”】

All the strategies we had prepared were revealed.

From now on, it’s a completely different fight.

Hoping that Shinwoo would stand tall as the winner at the end of it all, Andrei went into concentration mode again and looked down at the court.

From somewhere, a voice is heard cheering for the new universe.

“Space Fighting-!!”

“Cheer up-!!”

Before I knew it, some Korean words had become familiar to my ears at TNU.