Cheng Che's first serve reached a speed of 226 kilometers per hour!!
Zverev saw the ball leave his hand the moment it was released and instinctively bounced to his left.
But before his racket could reach its destination, the ball had already hit the service court, bounced up, and crashed into the barrier behind him.
15 to 0!!
Zverev straightened up, glanced down at the landing point, then turned back to look at Cheng Che opposite him, took a deep breath, and gripped his racket with a serious expression.
In the domestic broadcast studio, Lin Yan's voice trembled with suppressed emotion:
"Two hundred and twenty-six kilometers. Cheng Che's first serve in the French Open final reached his fastest speed of the French Open. Zverev had absolutely no chance to react."
Zhou Zhou swallowed hard.
"That ball speed is incredible on clay. Clay balls are naturally slower than hard balls, so to hit a ball this fast shows he's in excellent physical condition today."
The screen was instantly flooded with comments.
Holy crap, 226 on the first shot???
[ Zverev didn't even move his foot, and the ball had already bounced off the barrier.]
[Isn't this clay court? How come it's beating like hard court?]
Cheng Che was in top form today; I sensed something was off when he was warming up.
Second point, Cheng Che serves. Outside corner.
Zverev guessed the right direction and launched a forehand attack.
But the moment he made his move, Cheng Che had already moved.
He took a step to the side, then hit a backhand shot, the ball flying just below the sideline.
Zverev didn't even have time to run.
Thirty to zero.
The stands fell silent for a moment.
A France spectator stood there with his mouth agape, his hot dog frozen in mid-air, unaware that sauce had dripped onto his trousers.
The person next to him glanced at him, then opened their mouth but didn't say anything.
Lin Yan took a deep breath. " Cheng Che's serve and attack... he moved at the same time Zverev made his move. What kind of prediction is that?"
Zhou Zhou chimed in, "It's more than just one level. Look at Zverev's expression; even he can't believe it."
The live chat exploded with comments again.
[ Zverev: I hadn't even run yet, and the ball was gone!]
Cheng Che's prediction was terrifying; did he know in advance which way the ball would fly?
[The world's fourth-ranked player got beaten like a rookie]
[Don't rush, don't rush, it's only two points, Zverev is a slow starter]
Zverev serves for the third point.
The ball went into the service box, Cheng Che returned the serve to the middle. Zverev hit a forehand topspin shot across the corner, the ball with heavy topspin landing deep on the baseline.
This is his signature shot; almost no one on clay can return three consecutive shots like this.
Cheng Che took two steps back and slammed the ball back with his forehand; the ball's speed was even faster than his incoming shot.
Zverev moved to the side to reach the ball, blocked it with his backhand, and the ball bounced high. Cheng Che jumped up and hit a forehand overhead smash.
40 to 0!!
Zverev stood behind the baseline, head down.
He looked at his racket, his fingers trembling slightly.
The suppressive effect of the [ Champion ] title was amplified at this moment.
Zverev's hands trembled even more noticeably.
He switched the racket to his left hand and wiped the sweat from his palms on his pants with his right hand.
He cursed himself inwardly, "How many Champion have you won? What are you afraid of?" But his body wouldn't obey him; his legs felt heavier than usual.
Lin Yan swallowed hard in the broadcast booth, his voice a little dry:
" Zverev's serve... Cheng Che three break points. Look at Zverev's eyes; when he looked at Cheng Che, he wasn't thinking about how to play, he was thinking about how to survive."
Li Na said something from the side:
" Zverev has collapsed. His hands are shaking, and his legs are heavy. No matter how good the technique, an athlete can't perform in this state."
The comments section was flooded with messages.
[ Zverev's hands are shaking, I saw it.]
Not only were his hands shaking, but his eyes were also glazed over. He didn't even run towards that ball just now.
Lin Yan said Zverev was thinking about how to survive, which made me laugh so hard, but it's really true.
[ Cheng Che: Warm-up complete. Now we'll start recruiting.]
[The world's fourth-ranked player was so frightened, just how strong is Cheng Che?]
First set, 6-2.
Zverev went back to his seat and covered his face with a towel.
His breathing was heavy and rapid beneath the towel.
He mentally reviewed the previous rounds.
His serve was fine, his forehand was fine, his tactics were fine. But with every shot, Cheng Che was always one step ahead of him.
That kind of speed isn't about physical speed, it's about quick judgment!
It seemed like Cheng Che knew where the ball would fly before he even released it.
In the second set, he tried to speed up the pace.
He forced a break point in the first game.
Just as the cheers of the Germany fans in the stands began, Cheng Che served a shot from the outside, reaching a speed of 224 kilometers per hour.
Zverev guessed the right direction, but the ball was too heavy, causing his racket to bounce backward and the return shot to go into the net.
Forty to forty.
The second break point. Cheng Che served another outside corner, this time aiming at the body.
Zverev dodged to the side, and the ball grazed his shoulder.
He stood in the receiving area, watching the ball hit the barrier, with only one thought in his mind: This guy isn't going to give me any chance today.
Lin Yan's voice came from the broadcast booth:
"Two break points, two saved with his serve. Cheng Che's serve on crucial points was too solid. Zverev did everything he could, but Cheng Che just wouldn't give him the chance."
Zhou Zhou chimed in, "That's the difference between top players. Zverev can only do 'good' on crucial points, while Cheng Che can do 'perfect' on crucial points."
The viewers in the live chat were tense for a moment, then relaxed.
[ Zverev is probably going to be mentally devastated after both break points were saved by an ace]
Cheng Che's serve was absolutely unreasonable; he served an ace on a crucial point.
[ Zverev: I finally forced a break point, and this is how you treat me?]
[This is the confidence of a world Champion; they don't hold back on crucial points.]
Since then, Zverev has never been able to get a break point again.
He stood at the net, watching the ball land on the red clay behind him, bounce, and roll away.
He said something to himself that even he found absurd: Had I wasted my whole life playing tennis?
Lin Yan paused for a moment in the broadcast booth, then said:
" Zverev's expression... I've been commentating on tennis for so many years, and I've rarely seen him show that expression on the court. This isn't just being defeated; it's being completely humiliated."
Li Na nodded in agreement. " Zverev is a very proud player; you rarely see him like this. But Cheng Che's performance today would have been the same regardless of who was in his shoes."
The live chat is going crazy with comments.
[ Zverev's expression... it broke my heart to see it.]
He didn't even run for that ball; he just watched it land.
[The world's fourth-ranked player was beaten to the point of questioning his existence; is this Cheng Che's true strength?]
I was initially worried that clay soil would be Cheng Che's weakness, but now it seems like a complete lack of strength.
In the third set, Cheng Che hit that shot.
Zverev serves, to the outside corner. Cheng Che receives the serve and hits a forehand smash, the ball flying just below the sideline.
Zverev ran over and reached the ball, then returned a deep shot with his backhand.
Cheng Che hit a long cross-court shot with his forehand, Zverev moved to the side to reach it, and returned a deep shot with his backhand.
The two players were locked in a stalemate for more than ten shots when Cheng Che suddenly dropped a small ball.
Zverev rushed up from the baseline, stretched out his racket, scooped the ball up from the ground, and lobbed it high.
Cheng Che took two steps back and delivered a forehand overhead smash.
Zverev retreated and retrieved the ball. Cheng Che then applied another high press.
Zverev scoops the ball up again. Cheng Che a third high-pressure shot, but this time he doesn't kill the ball outright.
He pushed the ball to Zverev's backhand side, forcing the Germany to run towards the sideline.
Zverev ran over and reached the ball, but his return shot was shallow.
Cheng Che jumped up and slammed the ball into Zverev's half of the court, where it bounced off.
[ Camera Language ] Triggered.
[ Iconic Moment ] triggered.
Cheng Che stood on the red clay field, the sunlight shining from the side, illuminating half of his face.
Sweat glistened slightly on his forehead, and his jersey clung to his back, clearly showing the lines of his shoulder blades.
He tilted his head, looking at Zverev, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Lin Yan remained silent for a long time in the broadcast booth before finally speaking, his voice a little hoarse:
"That shot... Cheng Che's overhead smash at the net, he hit it three times. The first time he could have killed it, but he didn't. The second time he could have killed it, but he didn't either. The third time he chose an angle, forcing Zverev to run to the baseline. That shot was a shot of the brain."
Zhou Zhou's voice was also a little dry. "And the expression on his face after he landed... it was as if he had expected all of this."
Li Na, standing nearby, remarked, "That's the confidence of a top player. He knows he'll win, so every choice he makes on the court is about enjoying the game."
The comments section was so full that the screen was completely obscured.
Holy crap, that was awesome!
I took a screenshot of the moment he landed.
[That tilt of the head, that look in her eyes, I died.]
[ Zverev: He's watching me. He knows I'll run that way. Cheng Che: You're right.]
Is this the Great Demon King?
[ Lin Yan's voice was hoarse; this was the first time I'd ever heard a commentator like this.]
[The audience members all stood up, did you see that?]
At the end of the third set, the score was 6-1.
The score was 3-0 throughout the match!!
In the stands, 15,000 people stood up at the same time.
First came scattered shouts, then they grew into a chorus, and finally merged into a single sound.
Cheng Che!
Cheng Che!
Cheng Che!
Someone held the national flag above their head and waved it frantically.
Someone rolled up a banner into a tube and banged it against the railing, making a dull thud.
Someone stomped their feet. The stands of the clay court are made of steel, and when a group of people stomped at the same time, the entire stand shook.
The rhythm grew more and more precise and louder, as if something was gathering strength.
Then, a melody started playing over the stadium's public address system.
It's the intro to "We Will Rock You".
Two drumbeats, then a pause, then two more.
Someone in the stands immediately recognized the sound and started stomping their feet.
Stomp your feet, stomp your feet, clap your hands. Stomp your feet, stomp your feet, clap your hands.
The voices of 15,000 people overlapped, echoing from the bottom to the top of the stands, from left to right, turning the entire Philippe Chatrier Stadium into a giant resonating chamber.
We will, we will, rock you!
We will, we will, rock you!
Fifteen thousand people sang at the same time, their voices so loud it sounded like they were going to blow the roof off.
Some sang until their faces turned red and their necks bulged, some closed their eyes and swayed their heads, and some waved national flags to the rhythm.
French accents, English accents, and Chinese accents were mixed together as they sang the same line.
Cheng Che stood on the court, listening to these sounds, turned around, and bowed in each of the four directions.
With each bow in a different direction, the cheers from that direction rose higher, the stomping became louder, the clapping more synchronized, and the singing louder.
By the time he straightened up, the entire Stade Philippe Chatrier had turned into a sea of cheers.
Pei Jingshu jumped up in the stands, waving her colorful sticks frantically while singing.
Chen Wei held her arm, afraid she would jump to the front row, but she herself started stomping her feet too.
Cheng Che looked towards the stands.
In that direction, Pei Jingshu was waving at him with colorful sticks.
He smiled and nodded in that direction.
The comments section was so full that the screen was completely obscured.
[ Champion!!! French Open Champion!!!]
From the Australian Open to the French Open, two Grand Slam titles!!!
[The whole audience was singing "We Will Rock You," and I got goosebumps.]
[I could feel the sound of 15,000 people stomping their feet at the same time, even in front of my screen.]
He played the most terrifying tennis I've ever seen today.
Zverev was so badly beaten he questioned his existence.
[That ball, that tilt of the head, that look in my eyes, I'll remember them.]
[The new king on the red clay, I Che Baby, am worthy of the title.]
[A 3-0 victory in the finals, allowing the opponent only four games—what does that mean?]
Now I finally understand what Great Demon King is.
[ Xia Country's first men's French Open Champion!!!]
Cheng Che, you deserve all the cheers!
Qin Lie was already waiting in the players' tunnel.
He patted Cheng Che on the shoulder without saying anything, but his eyes were a little red.
Cheng Che smiled.
"Let's go," he said, "To receive the award."