Chapter 35: Even a Lion Must Use Its Full Strength to Hunt a Rabbit

Zhang Long had just executed a forehand flat shot, characterized by its speed and precise trajectory. Immediately after the strike, he retreated, anticipating that Jiang Hong would opt for a deep-court return, and positioned himself accordingly.

However, just as his body moved past the baseline, he saw Jiang Hong suddenly flick his wrist. A drop shot!

Zhang Long’s eyes widened in surprise; this was clearly unexpected. Without breaking stride, he sprinted back toward the net. Thanks to his recent specialized training, Jiang Hong could consistently place his drop shots within 1.5 meters of the net. While competitive matches involve many variables—such as swing mechanics, trajectory, and power—this particular drop shot was highly successful, landing less than two meters from the net.

Zhang Long lunged forward, taking three steps before diving.

"Bang!"

He managed to flick the ball back just before it bounced a second time. But as the ball cleared the net, Jiang Hong was already there, delivering a powerful overhead smash to secure the first point of the second game.

"0-15!"

Zhang Long remained on the ground for a moment before rising and wincing; the desperate dive had clearly caused a minor injury. On the sidelines, his coach slammed his seat in frustration. "That reckless kid—it’s just one point, he didn't have to push himself like that!" The coach was worried that Zhang Long might have compromised his physical condition over a single point.

Zhang Long soon stood up and brushed off his knees. Jiang Hong breathed a sigh of relief; he certainly didn't want his opponent to be forced to retire due to injury so early in the match. Besides, while Zhang Long’s skill level didn't pose a significant threat, he was still capable of pushing Jiang Hong to find his rhythm.

Zhang Long returned to the baseline to serve. The game was tightly contested, back and forth, but eventually, Jiang Hong managed to break his serve. Despite Zhang Long’s best efforts, the score had reached 5-1. Zhang Long had only managed to hold one service game, while two of Jiang Hong’s service games were love games. Even the one game Zhang Long managed to hold was a grueling battle that reached deuce. This result was not unexpected, as Jiang Hong’s current level was essentially that of a player on the lower-tier circuit.

Zhang Long, however, did not see it that way. He felt helpless against an opponent who was essentially a nobody. His breathing was rapid as he gripped the tennis ball.

If he failed to hold this game, he would lose the first set.

"Bang!"

After tossing the ball, Zhang Long unleashed a powerful serve. The angle was excellent, clipping the center line. Jiang Hong scrambled from the outer corner of the deuce court toward the center. He reached the position in a hurry and swung, but his expression changed the moment his racket made contact. The ball was too fast.

"Snap!"

As he hit the ball, Jiang Hong knew it was a lost cause; he hadn't fully wrapped his racket around the ball to control the trajectory.

"Out!"

Following the umpire’s call, the score reached 15-0. Zhang Long breathed a visible sigh of relief; the pressure of having held only one service game was immense.

Jiang Hong felt annoyed with himself after losing that point. It wasn't that he lacked the skill to return the serve, nor was it an unforced error. It was simply that the match had been so easy that he had become complacent, thinking his opponent posed no threat. Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. He, a novice without even a ranking, had allowed himself to get carried away.

Jiang Hong’s gaze turned serious again. Facing Zhang Long’s subsequent serves, he began to move aggressively at the net. 15-40! Jiang Hong needed only one more point to clinch the first set.

Zhang Long felt the crushing weight of the pressure. "All or nothing!"

Zhang Long served again—a successful first serve. Jiang Hong anticipated the landing spot and moved early, hitting a heavy forehand topspin to the opposite corner. Zhang Long, not a complete amateur, quickly sprinted to meet the ball. Jiang Hong did not change the direction, instead sticking to the cross-court pattern.

Although Zhang Long returned the ball, the pressure mounted. Jiang Hong’s shots were landing incredibly deep, and he also had to remain wary of another drop shot. After five exchanges, as Zhang Long returned the ball, Jiang Hong stepped aside, planted his feet, braced his arm, and fired a flat forehand.

"Bang!"

The ball streaked across the court like lightning, heading straight for the baseline.

Zhang Long stared at the ball in despair. "That’s too underhanded—weren't we just rallying?" He watched helplessly as the ball landed just beyond the baseline.

With that break, Jiang Hong took the first set 6-1.

Jiang Hong picked up his racket, walked to the rest area, and sat down to wipe the sweat with a towel. He took a small sip of ice water from his thermos.

Across the way, Zhang Long sat in his own rest area, looking dazed. He realized he was inferior to Jiang Hong in every technical aspect, and he could only attribute his loss to a lack of skill and bad luck. Tennis matches inherently involve an element of luck; sometimes a player can reach the finals without ever facing a seed, simply by catching lucky breaks.

As the umpire’s voice echoed, the match resumed. The rest period between sets was only 120 seconds, illustrating the high physical demands of the sport.

By the second set, Zhang Long had reconciled himself to the fact that he was no match for Jiang Hong. He decided to treat it as a training match against a master. Without the burden of expectations, he played better. He managed to hold two service games in the second set, ultimately losing 6-2.

Perhaps because the first set had been such a crushing defeat, Zhang Long felt quite satisfied after the second, believing he had shown improvement.

The two met at the net to shake hands. Zhang Long was puzzled that he had never heard of such a skilled player. "Hello. With your strength, you shouldn't be playing in the qualifiers. Why haven't you participated in tournaments before?"

Jiang Hong laughed. "This is my first tournament, so I only had the chance to enter the qualifiers."

Zhang Long was stunned. Most professional tennis players start competing in various youth or official tournaments from a very young age. There were very few who practiced in isolation until they were masters before finally emerging.

"Are you part of a provincial team, or are you an independent player?" Zhang Long asked.

"Independent."

"That’s quite free; you can choose which tournaments to enter," Zhang Long said, feeling a tinge of envy. Provincial team members were often restricted, even if they were willing to pay their own way to compete, to avoid scheduling conflicts with other teammates.

"There are pros and cons. Self-funded participation comes with a lot of pressure," Jiang Hong replied with a light chuckle.

After all, one has to accept the constraints that come with the freedom. It was only fair.