Thursday, 15 November 2018

The Prince of Tennis

Drama: The Prince of Tennis
Chinese Title: 奋斗吧, 少年! / Fen Dou Ba Shao Nian / Formerly 网球少年 / Wang Qiu Shao Nian
Broadcast Network: Hunan TV
Broadcast Website: Mango TV

Broadcast Period: July 22, 2019 - September 4, 2019

Air Time: Monday-Wednesday 22:00 (two episodes), episodes online 23:00 (See Viewing Calendar)
Genre: Inspirational, School, Youth
Language: Mandarin
Episodes: 42
Director: Zhao Xiaoxi, Zhao Xiao'ou
Screenwriter: Li Jia
Production Company: Tencent Pictures, EE-Media, Wan De Fu, Huanyu Film
Producer: Yang Yan
Origin: China
Source: Adapted from the Japanese manga of the same name by Takeshi Konomi

Love Meter

Synopsis and Plot Summary

A story that follows a tennis prodigy and his teammates pushing the boundaries to make personal breakthroughs. Instead of playing for themselves, they gradually come to understand the importance of teamwork and the true meaning of competition.

Long Ma (Peng Yuchang) migrated with his family to the US at a young age. He inherited his father's inborn talent for tennis to become an exceptional player amongst his peers. However, Long Ma lives under the shadow of his father's success. In order to outdo his father, he devotes his entire life to the sport. The same wilful determination that helps him become a better player also changes his attitude towards tennis as it begins to exist as a tool for him to achieve his dreams.

Hoping that Long Ma can find happiness, his father send him back to China to enroll in the school where he once spent the best days of his youth. After joining the tennis team in Qing Xue High School, Long Ma encounters new possibilities as he meets players from different backgrounds and faces off with the strongest opponents.

Fun Facts

Filming began on June 22, 2018 in Nanjing.
The cast was introduced on June 16, 2018 when the boys attendedn Tencent Movie Night.
Professional tennis players Li Na and Jiang Shan guest star in the drama.
Filming wrapped in October 2018.
On Jul 18, it was announced that the drama will premiere on Jul 22. The Chinese title has been changed from Wang Qiu Shao Nian which means Tennis Youth to Fen Dou Ba, Shao Nian! which translates to Fight, Youth!.
A previous Chinese adaptation of The Prince of Tennis starring Qin Junjie aired in 2008.

Cast

	Peng Yuchang as Long Ma
	Dong Li as Tao Cheng
	Zhang Yijie as Zhou Zhu
	Xie Binbin as Kou Guoguang
	Zhu Zhiling as Shi Dayong
	Xu Ke as Wang Ying'er
	Sean Wu Xudong as Zhang Haitang
	Li He as Qian Shimin
	Fan Linfeng as He Xinglong
	Li Na as Qi Na

Supporting Cast

Jiang Shan as Racket Repairman
Ireine Song Yiren as Qi Ying
Ming Ren Yankai as Ji Jingwu
Wang Yanyang as Ya Jiuxin
Wu Qijiang as Lu Xiangqian
He Jiayi as Qi Na
Rimiko Li Junhao as A Ku / Ku Weilun
Yu Kaining as Huang Jing
Zhang Keyuan as Ma Xiuwen
Lu Jia as Peng Xiang
Liu Yongxi as Sha Sha
Chen Shangze as Xu Ziping
Sun Jiayu as Xu Xingzi
Kong Chuinan as Sima Yiwu
Liu Chenglin as Shen Weiming
Yang Chenyi as Shi Tienan
Wang Yongfeng as Yan Jiang
Ming Peng as Wei Kefei
Gu Yu as Chen Desen
Yu An as Hua Chonghong
Fan Xiaodong as You Shixing
Gao Xin as Yue Yang
Yang Ze as Hu Liangliang
Jin Zhongxi as Feng Zhiyuan
Micky Jiang Xinqi as Ji Nuo
Shi Zixun as Song Ci
Lou Ming as Shen Qianshi
Liu Yufeng as Nan Jianzhi
Huang Xingyuan as Tan Yitai
Peng Gang as Fang Yadong
Yuankun Zhang[19] as Ma Lintao
Hong Wei as Coach Tian
Yang Caiying as Chen Huimin
Lan Bo as Guan Yue
Zhao Ziqi as Zhuo Yu
Hunt Liu as Qiao Ze
Jerry Chang Cheng as Liang Tian
Tang Xiangen as Liu Zecheng
Deng Zhiyuan as Qin Yifei
Fu Yandan as Yu Zifeng
Yao Junzhe as Lin Xiyan
Lei Ming as Kui Jian
Li Zhengjun as Zuo Xiaohu
Zhang Hang as Wu Quan
Xiang Yunlong as Tian Zilong
Ren Yunjie as Bai Shiting
Wang Yibo as Liu Yan
Li Shuren as Lu Sheng
Tan Xu as Ke Jie
Cao Junxiang as Jin Wentai
Xu Ruilin as Wang Yaren
Shen Qi as Yuan Chi
Xu Hao as Dai Ding

Soundtracks

Zheng Shao Nian (正少年) by Qun Xing (群星)
Xun Zhao (寻找) by Wang Yuexin (王栎鑫)
Qing Chun Da Man Guan (青春大满贯) by Hu Xia (胡夏)

Episode Ratings

Hunan TV
Date	Episode	CSM59 Cities (%)			CSM Nationwide (%)
Date	Episode	Ratings	Audience Share	Ranking	Ratings	Audience Share	Ranking
2019-07-22	1-2	1.034	8.167	4	0.570	5.630	6
2019-07-23	3-4	1.076	7.802	4	0.610	5.660	6
2019-07-24	5-6	1.085	8.390	5	0.640	6.410	6
2019-07-29	7-8	1.140	8.421	2	0.650	6.140	6
2019-07-30	9-10	1.019	7.802	5	0.560	5.350	6
2019-07-31	11-12	0.985	9.126	5	0.450	5.590	9
2019-08-05	13-14	1.083	8.692	3	0.500	4.960	5
2019-08-06	15-16	1.149	7.957	3	0.490	5.470	6
2019-08-07	17-18	1.097	8.547	5	0.540	5.530	5
2019-08-12	19-20	1.069	8.481	6	0.520	5.300	7
2019-08-13	21-22	0.998	7.597	7	0.480	4.620	7
2019-08-14	23-24	0.940	7.970	6	0.450	4.980	7
2019-08-19	25-26	1.129	9.980	4	0.490	5.830	7
2019-08-20	27-28	1.267	10.751	5	0.510	5.510	6
2019-08-21	29-30	1.168	9.980	4	0.490	5.480	7
2019-08-26	31-32	1.231	9.399	2	0.550	6.860	7
2019-08-27	33-34	1.138	9.410	3	0.580	6.410	6
2019-08-28	35-36	1.151	10.370	3	0.500	6.070	7
2019-09-02	37-38	1.128	7.934	3	0.310	3.930	11
2019-09-03	39-40	0.947	9.058	6	0.310	4.060	10
2019-09-04	41-42	0.939	8.709	5	0.350	4.330	9
Average	1 - 42	1.084	8.788		0.502	5.434