On May 5, local time in the United States, the space city of Houston.

At the Toyota Center, amid the disappointed voices of the fans in the stadium, the timer on the sidelines still showed the number "0:00".

This is Game 7 of the first round of the NBA playoffs, and the Utah Jazz take on the Houston Rockets away. Although the two superstars of "Yao Mai" both scored 29 points, they still couldn't stop Boozer's 35 points, and the Houston Rockets lost 99-103 at home to the Utah Jazz, ending their playoff journey this season.

Zhang Guan, who was watching the game, looked at Da Yao with a disappointed face on the court, and Da Yao was still encouraging his teammates, as if to tell them that he would make a comeback next year, but Zhang Guan knew that Da Yao had missed the best opportunity of his career, and from next year, he would be plagued by non-stop injuries until he finally retired.

"It's a pity!" Zhang Guan shook his head. Although he already knew the result, he still felt very sorry when the match was over.

The Rockets lost, and Da Yao's mood was naturally a little depressed, but since Zhang Guan came to Houston, Da Yao still had to do his best to be a landlord, so he feasted Zhang Guan and Sharapova at Yao's restaurant the next day.

"Try this roast duck, authentic Peking duck." Da Yao pointed to the roast duck on the table, and then said: "There used to be a Quanjude in Houston, but then it closed, so I invited the roast duck master there." ”

"It's not easy to eat Peking duck in the United States!" Zhang Guan sighed lightly, changed his voice, and said: "Do you think that the current Rocket team lacks a good offensive organizer. ”

"Offensive organizers? Although Alston is not a star-level point guard, he is still qualified. The current Rockets offense should be pretty good. Maddie is averaging 24 points per game this season, I'm 25, and the two of us are almost 50 points combined. The inside center strengthens the outside line, but the Rockets have always been a tradition. Da Yao smiled. He continued: "Coach Van Gundy is also a coach who emphasizes defense, and sports pundits have been saying that the Rockets lack a good interior bench to take the pressure off my shoulders. ”

"That's right, you and Maddie's offense is indeed the kind that can't be solved, when you both are firing at full power. The rest of the NBA really can't defend against it, but have you ever wondered what if one of you doesn't have a good hand? Or was one of them injured? When the time comes, as long as you restrain the other person, your attack will not be smooth. You're all good offensive finishers, but you're not professional offensive playmakers. Zhang Guan continued: "In addition, I think the Rockets should bring in another All-Star player, or a superstar player!" ”

"Another star? How is this possible! Don't you know that the owner of the Rockets is the most slamming in the NBA! We're not the Lakers or the Knicks. Da Yao said with a smile.

"I think the 'Big Three' model is a trend in the next few years. Just imagine if LeBron, Wade, and Bosh were on the same team! Zhang Guan said.

"How is this possible! All three of them are supposed to be NBA superstars, and they are all in their prime. Three superstars in one team? Even if the three of them want to, there is a limit to the salary cap for NBA teams. Da Yao continued: "But I don't have to worry about that, anyway, I'm not the owner of the team, and what I said doesn't count." ”

"Buy a team in the future and be your own boss, don't you just talk about it, just like Jordan!" Zhang Guan said with a smile.

"Don't tease me, NBA teams are so expensive. I can't afford it! However, if you save money in the future, the CBA team will be able to buy it. Da Yao's voice changed. Then he said: "Speaking of playing basketball, why don't you come to play basketball when you suddenly changed careers from track and field?" ”

"Playing basketball? I really didn't think about it at the time. Zhang Guan said.

"You should switch to basketball!" Da Yao looked at Zhang Guan and said: "With a height of more than one meter nine, his physical talent is stronger than that of a black man, and the key is that he is fast enough." Your burst and your speed once soared. Who can keep up with the ball and break through! If you're really playing basketball, I'm going to pull you into the national team, and when it's time to play against the Europeans, I'm going to go out of the three-second zone and bring their center out. You make a breakthrough and break up the opponent's defense. ”

"Is it that easy to play basketball? Hehe, I don't read much, don't lie to me. Zhang Guanke ignored Da Yao's demagogy.

Da Yao smiled awkwardly, and Zhang Guan continued: "Playing basketball is much more troublesome than playing tennis, at least I can't enter the NBA." Do I still have to fight in the lower leagues in China? It's different when I play tennis, a sponsor wild card that lifted me into the Australian Open, won a Grand Slam title, and I had no problem playing in all tennis tournaments in the future. ”

"That's right. Playing basketball is really too time-consuming. Da Yao nodded, and then said: "Two days ago, I saw that there was a tennis Masters in Miami, and you didn't seem to go to it!" ”

"Didn't go. I've been training all this time. Zhang Guan said vaguely: "In a few days, you will know the news of the view network!" ”

"Okay, I wish you the French Open in advance!" Da Yao smiled and raised his wine glass.

……

A few days later, Zhang Guan left the United States and flew to Europe to prepare for the French Open.

The biggest feature of the French Open is the clay court, and in tennis, the clay court is second only to the hard court in terms of extensiveness, especially in continental Europe, there are many clay courts, not only in France, but also in many countries in Western Europe. For example, the Tennis Masters Rome Station, Hamburg Station, the Tennis Tour Portugal Station, Sweden Station, the Netherlands Station, Croatia Station, the Golden Event Germany Station, Austria Station, etc. are all used clay courts, and it is precisely because of this that Nadal, a player who is good at playing clay, can brush up the points to the second place in the world, as long as he can win a French Open and a few clay tournaments every year, he can brush the ATP world ranking to more than 4000 points.

Zhang Guan did not rush directly to Paris, France, where the French Open was held, but first rushed to Germany. First, because Sharapova had an old injury that required a series of recuperations in Germany, and secondly, because the training conditions in Germany were better than in France.

In Germany, Zhang Guan rented a clay court for competitions for training.

"Clay courts!" Zhang Guan stepped on it with his feet, and then couldn't help but bend down and touch the ground. Although the ground is paved with red clay, it is actually very solid.

"It's pretty sturdy!" Zhang Guan said involuntarily.

"Nonsense, it's red clay, you think it's sand!" Coach Zhang smiled and continued: "At that time, my clay court was not so strong, but now with the new technology, the clay court is much stronger than before. Don't underestimate this kind of clay court, it is much more troublesome to lay than hard ground. At the bottom of the laterite field is the drainage system, then a layer of large gravel is laid on top, then a layer of small gravel is laid, and then rolled, the diameter of the surface gravel after rolling cannot be greater than 5 mm, and then clay and sand are laid, and finally laterite is laid. Laterite is not a natural laterite, it is a laterite that has been treated with an anti-slip agent and must not be larger than 0.3 mm in diameter. With such fine red soil, even if an athlete falls, he will not suffer skin injuries. ”

"It sounds more troublesome than laying a plastic floor, and it also adds anti-slip agent, so you don't have to worry about slipping." Zhang Guan's envoy slid his steps.

"Although some anti-slip agent is added, it doesn't mean that it can't be sliding, and I always think that if you use sliding steps on clay courts, the effect is very good." Coach Zhang continued: "Let's get used to the court and teach you some special sliding techniques on clay. ”

"Special sliding tricks?" Zhang Guan's eyes lit up, and he suddenly remembered that Coach Zhang won the French Open at the age of 17, and clay is also one of the courts that Coach Zhang is best at, and he must have a lot of unique skills on clay courts. (To be continued.) )

PS: The first chapter is delivered, during the double monthly pass, and I have something to do this Saturday, and I said that it will break out every weekend this month, so let's advance it to tomorrow.