This year's Grand Slam US Open has already started on August 28. Sharapova, the No. 3 seed, was divided into Zone 2/4. It is worth mentioning that there are five female athletes in China participating in this year's US Open competition, and three of them are also divided into Zone 2/4.
Among the three Chinese athletes in District 2/4, except for No. 24 seed Li Na, the other two athletes were eliminated in the first round, and Li Na was worthy of the title of a domestic tennis queen. She met Lorenzo from Spain and Danieli from Greece, and then met the famous French 13th seed athlete Pierce.
However, Li Na's luck was very good. Although Pierce defeated Li Na 6-4 in the first round, she suffered a leg injury during the game and had to give up the game. Li Na successfully entered the US Open 16 and is considered to be a big breakthrough.
The opponent Li Na met in the fourth round was Sharapova.
By comparison, Sharapova's promotion is much smoother. As the third seed, she easily defeated Dutch athlete Kragisek in the first round with a total score of 2-0. The total score of 2-0 when she defeated the French athlete Lova, and the win was easier than the first round; in the third round, Sharapova met her compatriot Likhovtseva, Likhovtseva was a doubles-based athlete, her highest ranking in the singles event is fifteenth. Compared with Sharapova, there is a big gap in her strength, so Sharapova still easily advances with a total score of 2-0.
In the fourth round of the US Open, Li Na played against Sharapova, one was the 24th seed of the tournament, and the other was the third seed of the tournament. From this ranking, it can be seen that the difference in strength between the two, so the US media generally think that there is no suspense in this game, Sharapova will get a promotion with an overwhelming advantage.
But the domestic media don't think so. In the eyes of the Chinese, one is a queen of domestic tennis and the other is Zhang Guan's girlfriend. The contest between the two should be a showdown against Maimang, so even if the broadcast time of the US Open is very poor, it was good for the domestic audience to watch the game, but there are still many people waiting in front of the TV in the middle of the night to watch the contest.
This is a game of special significance. Except for the two athletes, the broadcast camera is capturing most of the two adjacent positions in the front row of the auditorium. Two men are sitting there, one the husband of Li, Jiang Shan, the other is, of course, Sharapova's boyfriend Zhang Guan.
So there was a strange phenomenon on the scene. The two athletes worked hard on the field as if they were enemies. In the audience, the relatives of the two athletes were talking intimately, as if they were brothers.
...
"How many days are you going to stay in the United States?" Jiang Shan said while looking at his wife on the field and then shook his head slightly. This time Li Na was too big and would be caught by Sharapova.
"I'll stay for more than a week. I have to go to Greece in a few days to participate in the track and field World Cup on the 16th." Zhang Guan then asked, "Brother Jiang, how about you? After the US Open, you didn't spend much time with that queen. How many days?"
"You have a match on the 16th, and we have a match on the 18th. The Chinese Open is about to start! The home game, Li Na must have participated." Jiang Shan said suddenly and then said, "This time I came out together among the athletes, Zheng Jie, and they will go back first. Li Na and I have to wait until when the US Open competition ends, the organizer still has a US Open charity day and Li Na wants to participate."
"Charity Day? What is this? I haven't heard it before!" Zhang Guan said.
"It is after the US Open that athletes go to the community to do some fundraising and like other tennis open events rarely have this kind of event. They at most get dinner, the Americans like to do it." Jiang Shan explained.
"It is possible that Maria must also participate." Zhang Guan said.
Jiang Shan nodded, "That is inevitable. The top 16 athletes should all participate, or they may be separated. For example, a group of several people will go to a community. The specific situation is not clear to me. I didn't listen to the arrangement at that time! Anyway, Americans have to eat and live, so it's free to travel here."
The two were talking in the audience, and Sharapova had already won the first game 6-4.
Sharapova seemed very relaxed. She had entered the state. She felt that the next round should end soon. She drank some water and changed the racket.
And Li Na's face is very dignified. Sharapova's style of play is very aggressive. Whether it is a forehand or a backhand, the strength and depth of the hitting are very full, and the angle is the most demanding, and Sharapova likes it very much. Replacing the traditional online volley with a powerfully rotating batting, this often made Li Na make a mistake in her judgment.
Li Na is not yet a future Grand Slam champion. Although her forehand angle is now very variable, her backhand style is relatively stable, the ball speed is not as fast as in the future, and it does not pose a threat to Sharapova. The biggest shortcoming of Li Na now is that her serve is not stable enough and the double turnover rate is very high. For the future queen, serving is her most important offensive weapon. But today, her serving is unstable, which means that her sharpest weapon has been scrapped.
In the second round of the game, Li Na's shortcomings in serving instability showed up. She made several double-handed mistakes. As a result, she quickly lost the game with a score of 2-6, and Sharapova successfully advanced to the Quarterfinals.
...
In the hotel restaurant, Zhang Guan was accompanied by Sharapova, and the two shared breakfast.
In yesterday's match, Sharapova played against French athlete Golovin. Golovin was the 27th seed in the tournament. The ranking is still under Li Na, but it is more difficult for Sharapova to win, although it is the total score was 2-0, and she won, both players reached a tie-break, and in the first game, the two sides also broke three times, which can be described as fierce.
"It seemed very hard for you to win yesterday." Zhang Guan continued, "It seems that Golovin knows your style very well."
Sharapova nodded, "Perhaps it is because we are more familiar with each other! Golovin was also born in Russia and later immigrated to France."
"It turned out to be the case." Zhang Guan found out about this for the first time, and then he continued, "Then your next opponent will be the French! Mauresmo seems to be the top seed athlete at the US Open this time."
"Yes, I have had three contests with Mauresmo before, but I have never won! But I am confident to beat her in the next game! I prepared some targeted tactics, Mauresmo is a slower athlete, So I'm going to play more fiercely in the opening stage!" Sharapova said, looking up behind Zhang Guan, and then said, "Max is here!"
Zhang Guan turned his head and saw that Sharapova's agent Max Eisenbud came over.
Max Eisenbud is one of IMG's ace agents. After Li Na's solo flight in the future, he also became Li Na's agent.
IMG is also a world-class giant in sports and entertainment, and IMG is the first sports company to enter the Chinese market and has close ties with domestic officials. There are shadows of IMG participation in the domestic Football League A and the Football Association Cup, the basketball CBA league, the table tennis games, the Chinese Open, etc.
Sharapova and Zhang Guan got up at the same time, and Max Eisenbad walked over quickly, and when he approached, he said, "Good morning you two! I'm sorry to disturb your breakfast."
"Max, there must be something important, or you wouldn't be coming here so early," Sharapova said.
"Yes, but Maria, I didn't come to you this time, I came to find Zhang Guan," Eisenbud said.
"Find me?" Zhang Guan was a little surprised.
"Yes, Mr. Zhang Guan, here is an invitation letter for you." Eisenbud pulled out a letter from his briefcase and handed it to Zhang Guan, saying at the same time, "The sponsor of the US Open invites you to participate in the Charity Day event. They don't know your contact information, so they came to me."
"Charity Day!" Zhang Guan nodded. He heard Jiang Shan say this before, and then he asked, "I'm not a tennis athlete, why did the organizers think about me?"
"I think because you are Chinese!" Eisenbud continued, "The news I heard is that if you agree to attend the US Open Charity Day, they will arrange for Maria to be with you in the nearest district. The district held a charity fundraising event, and your compatriot Li and her husband will also be present. You know that there are many Chinese and Chinese immigrants living in Flushing, Queens. If you attend, it will probably have the best effect."
"They really can choose people." Zhang Guan smiled and then said, "Maria must attend this charity day event! Then I will accompany Maria for a trip!"
"Okay, I will inform the organizer," Eisenbud said.
"I haven't participated in similar activities in the United States yet. I don't know what I need to do?" Zhang Guan asked.
After thinking about it, Eisenbad said, "Generally it means shaking hands, taking photos and signing with everyone, and live performance..."
"Live performance? Performance?" Zhang Guan felt a little surprised.
"No, no, you misunderstood. It's not a literary performance, it's a sports performance." Eisenbud said with a smile, "For example, basketball, it will probably let the star show ball skills, fancy dunk or 1V1 bullfighting or something; Baseball will perform several hits; as for tennis, it may be an exhibition game, let's you guys play a game or two on the spot!"
"I have to play again! I can't beat Maria." Zhang Guan looked at Sharapova involuntarily and said a little discouraged.
"Surely I won't let you fight with me." Sharapova interjected and said, "Didn't Max just say that the Li couple will also go, it is estimated to be a mixed double, you and me, against the two couple."
"Fight with them? How can I play this! Li Na's husband Jiang Shan, who was also a professional tennis athlete, is also the best-mixed doubles athlete in our country! What's more important is that the couple has played mixed doubles for several years! I'm just a tennis rookie..." Zhang Guan complained.
"My dear, it's just an exhibition game. You don't have to look at the outcome, it not important." Sharapova smiled slyly, then said, "And you said, you are a tennis rookie, if you lose, I will take responsibility."
"Uh, okay, it seems that I need to be blamed..." Zhang Guan sighed softly.
At the same time, Zhang Guan had another thought in his heart,
"I don't know how to do it! I will learn a few new tennis skills and give you a big surprise!"