Return to 2002: Freestyle Superstar

Chapter 41 Xiao Chen, do you want to join the talent pool?
Chen Ran didn't know that several important figures in the Chinese tennis world had just started a discussion around him.

He was very satisfied with his first match. Facing the national team players ranked 500+ in the world, he showed absolute suppression.

The crazy special training over the past two months seems to have had remarkable results.

After easily winning the first game, Chen Ran returned to the hotel arranged by the organizing committee with a travel bag on his back.

The Magic City in 2002 was actually very prosperous, with towering buildings everywhere.

After taking a shower, Chen Ran came out of the hotel and strolled through the streets of Magic City, enjoying the cool autumn breeze.

In this era, there were only a few vehicles on the streets of Shanghai. There were far fewer vehicles than there would have been more than ten years later, and they were basically dominated by Santanas. Unlike later, when even BBAs were mass vehicles, Porsches were also common.

Nowadays, the house price in the center of the magic city is only three to four thousand one square meters. Unfortunately, Chen Ran doesn't have any extra money to buy a few houses.

After wandering around for a while, Chen Ran's cell phone suddenly remembered that the caller was from an unfamiliar number.

If you receive a call from a stranger 20 years later, it is most likely from a house seller, a pyramid scheme, or a telecom fraud. In short, they are trying to make some money out of your pocket.

In 2002, at this point in time, Chen Ran felt that this strange caller was probably someone he knew.

He answered the phone, and soon a familiar voice came from the phone: Xiao Chen, this is Lao Liang. We met in Hangzhou two months ago.

"Oh, it's Vice Chairman Liang!" Chen Ran reacted immediately, "What do you want from me?"

The other party should have obtained the number from Deputy Director Sun Jianye.

"You are participating in the competition in Magic City. I am also in Magic City. Would it be convenient for me to meet?"

After Chen Ran thought for a while, he replied: "Okay, just in the hotel where the contestants are staying."

He was not surprised by Liang Hui's call. He had eliminated a player from the national team.

The 25K event is the highest level competition in the ITF Hope Tournament, and above it is the ATP50K Challenge.

In China, there are not many ITF25K hope games throughout the year. Many Chinese players are counting on this to improve their points. Chen Ran eliminated others in the first round. This is a pure job loss.

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Ran saw Vice Chairman Liang in a neat suit in the lounge area of ​​the hotel lobby.

"Chairman Liang, if you want me to participate in the Asian Games, we don't have to talk." After meeting, Chen Ran said straight to the point, "I think the quota has been decided. I, a person outside the system, also I don’t want to do anything like a sinner.”

"Of course, if the country needs me in the next session, I will be willing to participate. I will only be 20 years old by then."

"Don't worry, looking for you today has nothing to do with the Asian Games." Liang Hui replied immediately.

He sighed in his heart, this guy is so shrewd, he blocked all the roads as soon as he opened his mouth.

This 16-year-old boy doesn't look like he has much character. He speaks straightforwardly, but every word he says seems to have been carefully thought out.

"Xiao Chen, the coach of our national team said that you are almost among the top 200 in the world. It seems that you have been training hard in the past two months." Liang Hui said with a smile.

Chen Ran looked serious and serious: "Leader, I am self-employed at my own expense. If I don't train seriously, all the money I spend will be wasted. I also hope to get back my money by playing in the ATP Tour as soon as possible!"

This guy is so treacherous. He always emphasizes that he is a "self-employed person". The implication is that he wants to say "I am not under your control."

"Yes, the players of our national team are so unenterprising just because they have state funding and no sense of crisis of unemployment." Liang Hui shook his head and sighed in disappointment.

Chen Ran was disapproving and replied: "This is not necessarily true. Talent, opportunity, hard work, environment, and coaching are all indispensable. The selection of tennis players is different from that of basketball players. They just need to be tall and strong." "Maybe those on the national team. The players have all worked hard, but perhaps the most talented ones have not been discovered."

Is this kid praising himself by beating around the bush?

Liang Hui continued: "That's it, Xiao Chen. I'm looking for you because I hope you can enter the talent pool of our country's tennis. When I explained it to the General Administration, I can also say that these are talents we have discovered among the people."

"Oh, what do you need me to do?" Chen Ran asked with concern.

He's no stranger to tapping into talent pools.

In order to mobilize the whole country to prepare for the 2008 Yanjing Olympics, China has established talent pools for various sports in the hope of discovering hidden gems among the people.

However, in reality, this approach is more formal than meaningful.

Basically, those who can enter the talent pool are athletes within the system trained by major sports associations.

Especially for major sports such as football and basketball, which attract great attention and have high commercial value, the players who can enter the talent pool must be players in their system.

But there are exceptions, such as billiards prodigy Ding Junhui.

Ding Junhui dropped out of school early and was trained by his family at their own expense.Later, because of his performance in major competitions and rising to prominence, he was noticed by the Billiards Association.

But billiards is not an Olympic sport, but tennis is. In particular, tennis's influence is far greater than that of billiards. This is also the biggest bargaining chip in Chen Ran's hand.

As an Olympic sport, Chen Ran is also a player outside the system, which makes the Tennis Association show its thirst for talents.

Liang Hui looked at Chen Ran and smiled slightly: "You don't need to do anything, just keep playing your game. Entering the talent pool just means that Xiao Chen, you have entered the selection range for the Yanjing Olympics."

If you don't want to be interested in the Asian Games, it's impossible that you won't be interested in the Olympics either, especially if they are held in China.

Even the top tennis players in the world attach great importance to the Olympic Games. What an honor the Golden Slam is.

"There will be the Athens Olympics in two years. Xiao Chen, you are almost there. You should have some ideas." Liang Hui said slowly.

Chen Ran was silent for a while and said with a smile: "Boss, don't you have any requirements for giving me such benefits?"

"If you don't make demands, I will feel uneasy. So everyone should open the windows and speak frankly."

"Haha..." Liang Hui smiled awkwardly, "Xiao Chen is really direct in his speech. I can still hurt you."

He also lamented the caution and caution of this 16-year-old boy, and he had to tell the truth.

"It's like this. The exchange of managers between various projects in our sports system is very frequent." Liang Hui said slowly.

Chen Ran nodded in agreement.

This is true. For example, in the future, those in charge of track and field, those in charge of canoeing, and those in charge of table tennis will eventually be in charge of football. This is also a characteristic of China.

"I may be transferred out of the tennis department in a few years, but if Xiao Chen enters the talent pool under my recommendation, if you perform well in the future, I will also have political achievements." Liang Hui also chose to be honest.

……

(End of this chapter)