Yuan Meng has a dilemma, her mom/manager/financier. Pix on FB
Tony arranged a lunch with Ras last weekend in a Greek restaurant in Astoria. I was dumb founded. The two women had skipped the town; he’s just her one time practice partner. The relationship should have ended. They go their separate ways. Apparently it’s not. Tony wanted to help the Dream Girl, so does Ras. Tony’s interest was purely doing good. Ras’s bit more, he’s also interested in finding coaching/managing in China in the near future, for he is smart enough to know that he isn’t going to make it on the ATP circuit.
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He is the same age as Dream Girl but much more mature, can have a conversation. Not just “I like to read comic books, I love to watch TV ..” He ranked #2 in Greece as junior, but didn’t get alone with the president who ran the federation. Not only been denied sponsorship, he’s even scratch off fm the Olympics in Athens in 2004. Right now he lives in LA, attending Irvin as senior or had just graduated. He and Tony agree on one thing: Dream Girl needs help, needs a know-how coach, needs a worldly manager, and on top of them all, a solid financial backer. Yu’s smart enough to take her so far, but now she stands on the way. After all, 鸟枪换炮 era, you got to use the cannon to survive, in order to win. Yu just doesn’t have it. They reasoned that when she saw Dream Girl leap at Australian Open, shot up to 90+ in ranking, she thought the time to reach top 10 was just few more months. (She perhaps signed the Adidas deal without consulting a lawyer, or anyone with tad of knowledge.) But she didn’t realize the higher you go, the more difficult it becomes. She has Dream Girl practice only 2 hours a day. There is no training regime. This just doesn’t cut. Jonathan’s said he could be her manager, but too bad she can’t afford him; he also commented on my question whether they had consult a lawyer before ink the Adidas deal: “hiring a lawyer needs money … .. ” Yu is very sensitive about people who offers help (suspicous of their motives?) – she doesn’t seem to be asking, and is very protective of Dream Girl (guarding her investment?). I found it’s one of the saddest things that one doesn’t know his or her limit. (Or Yu knows but afraid losing control, hence her investment?) Would Chairman Mao be remembered or judged differently should he retired after 1949? I’d think so.
This shortsightedness, 鼠目寸光 sounds familiar? China’s improvement over the past 30 years is tremendous, and I’m very proud of it. But in the company of other highly developed nations, China is green, unsophisticated, can only see what’s under its nose. If you want to be in the major league, make the investment. Lacking education? Hire a pro. Between financial means (that can make many things happen) and talent, I think talent plus hard working is more vital. Ivan Boesky had hoped that his son would make into tennis. He even built an indoor tennis court on his compound. Obviously money can’t buy talent in this regard. (Or maybe his son found better thing to do.)
I asked out loud, does Dream Girl want your help, or Yu appreciate your help?
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