Tangled in Trophies- Lando Norris

3. Shoots and shots

Evangeline Vittori sat in the small, bright office of her manager, Clara, the walls adorned with posters of past champions and magazine covers. Clara had been Evangelines PR manager since she entered the sport professionally, at first the job was a breeze for Clara. She was the epitome of a put together, organised person, her blonde hair never out of place and papers never not filed. Evangelines debut season made it easy for the middle aged woman. After all everyone loves an underdog, and thats exactly what Evangeline was at the time. No one knew who the girl was and then suddenly, out she came becoming a grand slam champion in her first professional year. It was a story the media went insane for. The rookie who won it all. Now after five years of winning grand slams and being ranked as the number one female singles player in the sport the task of PR manager had started to become a task, with many fans and diehard followers of the sport now resenting Evangeline for "taking the heart out of the sport". People had started to find her repetitive winning and ability to shut down any competition immediately frustrating. Evangeline didn't understand peoples hate, she reminisced on how it felt when she first started, the cheers from the crowd as she unexpectedly won against more experienced players, the adrenaline as she climbed the ranks and continued to win matches. Now all Evangeline got from crowds was boos and sighs of frustration as on watchers anticipated the defeat of Evangeline's opponents. Although she didnt understand it Evangeline didnt mind to much, if they wanted people to beat her people simply needed to try harder, she hadn't given up her childhood and happiness to not win, losing meant suffering and Evangeline despised the feeling.

Clara was animatedly flipping through a folder, her brow furrowed with concentration while Evangeline stared off at the woman's walls, now five of her own championship titles sitting proudly next to her managers previous clients. "Evangeline, you need to do this photoshoot. It's crucial for your image. We can't let people see you as just an intimidating villain any longer" she insisted, her tone firm yet encouraging.

"I get that, but do we really need to dive into the whole 'struggles of young athletes' narrative?" Evangeline replied, crossing her arms. "It feels so... staged, I'm more then happy to let people think I'm the villain if it means I'm true to myself, people wanted a champion and they got one, if they want others to win people simply need to train harder" Clara sighed at the girls response before laying back in her chair.

Clara sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I know it seems that way, but think about it. You've dominated the tennis circuit for three years now, and while your wins are impressive, they've also made you a target. You need to show the world there's more to you than just trophies. This is an opportunity to connect with fans on a personal level."

Evangeline hesitated, her thoughts racing back to the constant criticism she faced from fans and opponents alike. Winning hadn't shielded her from their scorn; it had intensified it. "I just don't want to come off as trying too hard," she said quietly. "It feels like every time I open up, it's used against me." The girl was speaking the truth, no matter how hard she tried to bring back the positive outlook her fans used to have it failed, people now said she took the thrill out of the sport, people often admitting they want her to lose to bring back balance to the competition. She was either to cold or too emotional, in your face or icy, trying to hard or robotic. There really was no winning for the girl.

"Trust me, this is your chance to redefine how people see you. We want them to know you're relatable, that you face challenges just like everyone else. You're more than just a champion, Evangeline. You're a person," Clara urged. "Doing this cover will show people that, all it is is a few questions, some photos and you wont be the only one there. There are some other athletes that are signed under the company that will also be attending, if all goes wrong simply direct the attention to them"

With a reluctant nod, Evangeline agreed. "Okay, fine. I'll do it. But if it feels too forced, I'm walking away."

Clara smiled, relief washing over her face. "Great! Now, let's get you ready for the shoot."