Chapter 65.0 - ATP500 Seoul Open # 0

March 19, 2007 was a monumental day for the Korean tennis community. He also had to. It was the first ATP league to be held in Korea, not the lowest of 250, but the 500 league that was not enough to represent the host country. Someday we will discuss the history of Korean tennis

If it weren't for today, it wouldn't be a story.

Not surprisingly, the media is paying attention to the Seoul Open. Even the ATP500 league has plenty of garages to cover, but not to mention this meaningful contest. First, the word maximum always attracts people's attention. The Seoul Open is all about that

Had in one body.

The opening ceremony of the Seoul Open will begin at 10 am. But reporters were one more drink. Arriving in a hurry for more than two hours, they set up their feet in the eyeballs in search of Hanwoojin's best scoop.

"Hanwoojin, you only need to find him! Don't look at the other guys! "

"Call the door, whether it's the front door or the back door! Go polite and don't put it on, okay? "

"A word, you have to take a picture first!"

Only one week ago, Han Woo-jin was completely famous.

The world's third-largest, Angie Roddick, a fearless rookie proclaimed the championship! That was the scoop of the scoop, not only in Korea, but also in Asia, where tennis-related presses couldn't avoid the big deal.

Although Roddick fell from the throne, he was still one of the closest players to his strongest name. Stronger than Zokovych, who never reached his peak, and his reputation was huge. Hanwoojin, who was barely in the 50th place, could not discuss victory or loss.

But he put it in his mouth. To win, it's up to you to win this competition. Angie Roddick, not Roger Rod, will be on the court thinking about winning.

And that led to a conclusion from the thoughts of all the journalists who gathered for the interview that day.

'This guy is going to be really big!'

The reporters were thrilled at the moment. There are only two kinds of aspirations in this way. He is a idiot who can't take responsibility, or a tycoon that nobody expects. It was a moment when all the journalists were engraved with the name Hanwoojin.

If he really wins this competition… Korea will be welcoming another sports star.

'If that's the case, it's like Park Chan-ho in tennis. It is possible to attract attention on a national scale! '

'The department budget will also increase? I hope you don't see the damn soccer team stretching out. '

'A real tennis revival may come. '

Their conjecture was exactly in line with Cho's ideal future. So it takes expectation without me knowing. If Han Woo-jin really won, they also had a lot of gains. If you can see other people's work coldly, it is people who can't be cool when they do their work.

The same was true of journalists whose motto was objective reporting.

Hanwoojin is receiving the expectations of all Korean tennis players.

"Woojin, are you really going out until the opening ceremony?"

"You don't have to go out and catch your attention. It's amazing how I got one interview that day. "

"But it looks like a celebrity with a scandal… . "

Already spending time arriving at the parking lot inside the stadium. Dark lamps would make sense in this case. Hanwoojin stayed in a car parked in the parking lot long before journalists camped. It was a crude scheme designed to avoid the current commotion.

'What if the condition broke?'

He put his weight on the back sheet with a grim face. It's a condition that has been carefully refined. I couldn't ruin that for the journalists. For them, it would be more advantageous for Hanwoojin to overcome silently than to lose a few words.

But staying inside the narrow car, it was a treble in its own way. Hanwoojin, who was looking for something to do, eventually closed his eyes thinking about checking the boring status window. If you have anything to focus on, it was less moot.

As he lowered his eyelids, a terrible combination of letters and numbers spread out.

[Hanwoojin]

Strength 68 + 2 / Stamina 67 / Agility 67

HP 2675/2680 SP 950/950

Forehand: 16/20

Backhand: 12/20

Serve: 17/20

Volley: 14/20

Smash: 13/20

Dropshot: 12/20

Lob: 11/20

Special Skills: Stinger (Sub / Step 2), Slug (Smash)

'… Okay, my body is the best. '

Today's Hanwoojin was stronger than ever. Stamina was full to the end, and the backhand level during practice added confidence. The power overflowing the whole body was proving the best condition. If you want to eat iron plate seemed to be able to roll. Snow road

When I got up, my eyes lit up like a fire in my eyes.

A sharply trimmed gaze captured the crumpled paper lying nearby. Hanwoojin quickly unfolded the paper and the draw that he had just seen before. No matter how many times you read it, the content does not change. His face hardened hard.

'Two rounds is the first match.'

Lobak Djokovic.

If you come up with each other in the 16th was the name encountered. We will meet monsters that will be the world's strongest powers later. Chills and excitement soar, and the spine freezes and heats up. Players who have this reaction even if they remember their names can't pick their fingers.

Wrote as.

"Perfect player… "

Han Woo-jin was unaware of me. It was because of the overwhelming play that Jokovich of the future showed.

Perfection, the word was the nickname and evaluation of Zokovych, which had been styled since 2015.

All-round player with no gaps on both sides. No drawbacks and outstanding monsters in every way. It was Jokovic who was up to the same level as Roger in his prime.

Radal's level of defense is also inferior to the subject's damage. A mature base, speed of response, and a terrifying pioneer make Radar's defense counter one step ahead. Even before the style was finished, it was terrible, but after it was finished, there was more water.

It is right. It is indeed invincible.

'But not yet.'

But Han Woo-jin did not lose his determination. The completion of Djokovic was still a distant future. The monster that is in line with Roger during his heyday is far from appearing. There was no reason to be scared already.

Even though Jokovic is strong, it was a time when the weaknesses were quite obvious.

If you do not cope with gluten allergies and lead to long-term warfare, you will have physical problems. The return is overwhelming but the sub is not powerful. If you drop your stamina all the time, your return ability will fall, and your counter will crush depending on your defense.

Of course, afterwards it becomes a monster that does not answer even after a quick fight as well as a long game, but now there are many gaps. Hanwoojin boasted an explosive scoring ability, and there were enough corners to rub.

'I know you'll have to stick.'

If your opponent's level is too high, the simulation won't work. Joko Beach's capabilities were within reach since Hanwoojin could not be embodied by video or imagination alone. I wanted to be able to do this only after accumulating data with my body while exchanging balls.

"Ujin, it's time."

When he had just finished thinking, Shin Se-yeon turned to Hanwoojin. The opening of the Seoul Opening Ceremony seemed to be nearing.

Hanwoojin put his hand on the handle of the car door. It was time to go to fight, not to think.

* * *

MBS, one of the few over-the-air broadcasters in Korea, was ready for commentators. If the size is as big as Wen, three commentators including Park Seong-jin, the industry's first factor, were undressed.

And as they sat down and took their breaths, the cameras from various angles came on. The broadcast started immediately.

"Dear viewers, nice to meet you. I'm Park Seong-jin, a commentator who relayed the 2007 Seoul Open. "

"It's an honor to be here. My commentator is Yoon Ki-chan. "

But sitting on the left side of Park Sung-jin did not open his mouth. The situation could have been suspected of a broadcasting accident, but the suspicion was soon dispelled by the following explanation.

"And we have a precious guest. Until last year, Korea's No. 1 immovable player and Korean tennis giant Kim Hyung took the place! "

The commentator who raised himself in the seat, or Kim Hyung, greeted the camera with a warm smile.

"I am so happy to see you again. I'll do my best."

As he sat down again, Yoon Ki-chan, who was nearby, spoke. Do you think they'll sit in the same place like the players and the commentators? It was a very fresh experience for commentators like Yoon Ki-chan.

"I didn't know you would see Mr. Kim again next door. Oh, aren't you a player now? "

"Yes, I completed my retirement report last December. I'm not a professional tennis player anymore.

"Hahaha, if Kim Hyung was just uncle, we wouldn't have to go to the stadium? If you go to any tennis court around the house, there will be a game to see. "

"This, Yoon commented on my face too much. I don't know if it can't be taken with the camera. "

"I beg your pardon? Hahaha!"

It is three people who have spent many years together. Even though their personal acquaintances were not so thick, the three could quickly join together and make fun. Likewise, tennis fans, who have been together for a long time, sat in front of the TV and smiled happily at the narrator's warmth.

But forever I can not talk only. Returning to the main point, the three began to draw stories by exchanging questions and answers centered on Kim.

"This competition is very meaningful. Kim, what do you think of Kim's commentary? "

"Well… I wish I had this kind of competition when I was active. "

"Oh, I'm confident to win. Are you saying this?"

"No, I could have saved my ticket to Tokyo."

"Yeah? Hahaha!"

Unformed as an athlete, Kim's horsemanship has led to a pre-match commentary that could have been boring. They soon moved on to the story of Han Woo Jin's game sequence, which could be called the flower of the tournament.

"Hanwoo Jin is the fifth game scheduled for today? What structure is this ordered in? "

"The Seoul Open will be divided into two groups of 32 finals. That's two joins divided by the last 16. I'll call it Group A and Group B. The first round will be played over four days in Group A on the first court and in Group B on the second court.

Will be divided. Han Woo-jin's match was placed in Group B.

"It's a bit complicated. Maybe it'll take some time on the third? "

"It will be. On average, it takes two to three hours to win two sets of two. It may be pushed until 3 or 4 pm. "

So tennis tournaments are originally held around large parks where there is a break between games, and there is something to spend leisure while skipping a few games. If you're not interested in the game, go outside and have a beer or a can.

It would be a very unfamiliar landscape for Korean audiences who are not used to such a large tennis tournament, but gradually became accustomed to it.

The three commentators, who provided information to viewers in the form of conversation, soon turned to the story of Han Woo-jin and his opponent. The commentary on the players' profiles was quite heavy among the devices that raised expectations for the game.

"Today's opponent Hanwoojin is France's Nicolas Durand. The world ranking is 48th and 6th higher than Hanwoojin. "

"But at that time, you should also consider that Radal played on a hard court, not clay, and was injured during the game. Tennis can be reversed at any time by circumstances and variables. "

As they said, the difference between 54th and 48th was not so great. Hanwoojin alone has defeated the ranks of the 50th or 70th ranks when staying at the top 100. There are some players who are better than the rankings, and there are many players who can't judge the victory by ranking alone.

It was.

Unfortunately, Nicolas Duran was one of the top rankers in France. Not only was he a worthy competitor, he was a genius of Clay Court, who went up to the quarter-finals in the Montes Carlo Open. Compared to Radal, the light is fading, but that's his skill

There was no reason to downgrade.

Eventually, Park Sung-jin and Yoon Ki-chan, who had been talking about for a long time, handed over the bomb to Kim, who remained in a neutral position to conclude either way.

"I think Hanwoojin, who came to here in less than two years, is better. I can't see the floor yet. I can definitely go further. "

"As Park says, Hanwoojin is definitely a good lumber, but it's not enough for Nicholas who has been a top-ranker in Europe for decades. Isn't it, Kim?

Kim Hyung-soo, who was listening to the two of them, stared at the opening scene as he looked over the monitor. Its heavy voice resonated inside the broadcast room, reflecting the uncanny rookies he had faced in the past.

"If Han Woo-jin is at the same level as the Tokyo Open… Maybe we can't win. "

Heebi crossed over the faces of the two commentators who heard Kim's assertive words. Park Seong-jin kicked his tongue with a bitter bitter eye, and Yoon Gi-chan was elated and praised for his right eye.

But Kim's words are not over yet.

"But it doesn't make sense for Hanwoojin's growth rate? The difference between the two stages at the time of starting the Tokyo Open and immediately after the end of the Tokyo Open was different. It was only a week later that my skills improved. "

"then… "

As Park Sung-jin queried with her expected voice and eyes, Kim Hyung still glanced at the calendar that was hanging nearby. The date the Tokyo Open ended was clearly in mid-November. And now is the end of mid-March.

Yes, after four or so calendars.

"From then on… It's been about four months. "

The answer was enough for that.