Chapter 1669: Walking with Head High
Things are slightly different from what was expected.
Just as Murray said in the post-match interview, Gawain won his friendship with his actions; at the same time, he also won the support of the local media and audiences.
Although Gawain eliminated Murray and his hopes of winning the title on home soil were once again stranded, there was no attack in the post-match news reports and social network frenzy.
In fact, not only that, everyone focused on Gao Wen's post-match performance, and it became a phenomenon that swept the world.
From the news headlines, we can tell that -
"Murray and Gao Wen admire each other and praise each other!"
"Gowon: Murray deserves all my respect and admiration."
"After the match, Gawain gave Murray a standing ovation."
"A peak showdown with no losers."
"A tribute from his opponents, Murray once again commands respect at Wimbledon."
"With a bond that transcends victory and defeat, Murray and Gawain walked off Centre Court side by side."
Bustling with people!
A buzz!
A closer look reveals that these headlines all have one thing in common:
Ignore the results of the game and quietly shift the focus.
Just from the news headlines, it is impossible to tell who won or lost, and it would be no problem to say it was a draw; the focus was all on the off-field highlights.
In fact, this is exactly what the news media intended, to shift the focus of the general public from the outcome of victory or defeat and focus more on the bonds between the players. In this way, the game can be pushed to a whole new level, beyond victory or defeat, presenting a purer and truer face of competitive sports.
In other words——
Perhaps, Gawain's victory over Murray caused Murray to be eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, but unlike in Melbourne, the media did not fan the flames.
Not only that, but one after another, many people praised Gao Wen in different ways!
The entire public opinion trend has changed.
In just half a year, the same story unfolded in a different way.
Of course, there are many, many reasons.
Britain is not Australia, the All England Club is not Melbourne Park, and Murray is not Kyrgios... We cannot generalize; but looking through the phenomenon to the essence, Gao Wen is no longer the Gao Wen in Melbourne at the beginning of the year. Behind the record is one game after another.
A great, solid, and entertaining match.
In the world of competitive sports, everything is so complicated yet so simple. Strength is always the best stepping stone, victory and championship are the best business cards. It is so pure and so strong. Behind the intricate interests and cumbersome etiquette, absolute power has never changed.
This is what Gao Wen was like at this moment.
"Gao Wen, how do you feel about being the first player to reach the men's singles semi-finals at the All England Club this year?"
"Here, can you give me a cup of coffee?" Gawain folded his hands across his chest, as if he was ready to leisurely enjoy afternoon tea and watch the fierce competition in the other three games.
Hahaha! The whole audience burst into laughter.
Everything is so simple.
Although Gawain and Murray had a fierce battle and the whole match took three hours and 35 minutes, Gawain was still the first player to enter the semi-finals, because another match that started at the same time on Court 1 entered a long set and was also very close.
According to the schedule, the match between Murray and Gawain on the Center Court and the match between Wawrinka and Gasquet on the No. 1 Court will start at the same time at 1 pm.
Judging from the pre-match predictions, Murray and Gawain are both typical baseline players, and both of them are top-notch in their ability to maintain a stalemate in rounds. The offense and defense transitions should be throughout. Naturally, this match will be a fight between dragons and tigers, and it will definitely last an extremely long time, and it should not be so easy to end.
Wawrinka and Gasquet are different. Both are typical offensive players and both have one-handed backhands. One is heavy and the other is chic. Their styles are different but the end result is the same. They both have the ability to attack gorgeously. The process should be very fast and the outcome can be decided quickly regardless of victory or defeat.
However! The game was full of twists and turns.
Facing the new French Open champion Stan Wawrinka, Gasquet, who was generally not favored, broke out with incredible fighting power and displayed his gorgeous offense to the fullest. The game was completely entangled, and there was a stalemate of breaking and counter-breaking. The gap between the two sides was never able to be widened.
Gasquet, first set.
Wawrinka won two sets in a row.
Gasquet, another win.
"6:4", "4:6", "3:6", "6:4".
The first four sets took more than three hours, and both players pushed their abilities to the limit and were tightly entangled with each other.
Unexpected!
Totally unexpected!
Gasquet has been criticized for his lack of mental strength, especially when he is in a critical situation. It is for this reason that Chinese fans gave him a not-so-nice nickname, "Tofu" -
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A good dish is only suitable for cold dishes, as a snack to stimulate the appetite, but not for satisfying hunger. It is not suitable for large occasions.
I never expected it!
Facing Wawrinka, who was in hot form from clay to grass, Gasquet performed very well and held on to the game even when he fell behind.
Even though he was trailing 1:2, Gasquet still stood firm and completed a fatal break in the tenth game of the fourth set to tie the score.
If it weren't for the appeal of Murray and Gawain on the Centre Court that kept the audience here, the spectacle on Court No. 1 would definitely be no less impressive.
and!
In the eighth game of the deciding set, Gasquet broke the serve first, leading 5:3 and directly entering his own serve to win the game.
This scene was probably something no one had expected before the game.
As a result, there was a sudden turn of events.
At the winning moment, Wawrinka once again showed his big heart. He seized the brief fluctuation when Gasquet was close to victory and easily broke Gasquet's serve without going through the test of match point. After holding his serve strongly, he chased the score to "5:5", and the victory and defeat returned to the same starting line.
Afterwards, the two players each held their serve and the match entered a long set decider.
Over there, the center court was full of climaxes.
Here, on Court No. 1, everyone is chasing each other.
Although the two giants Djokovic and Federer have not yet appeared on the stage, the 2015 Wimbledon quarterfinals have already produced exciting sparks.
then!
Murray and Glover's match ended first. Glover advanced to the next round with his head held high, becoming the first player to reach the men's singles semi-finals at Wimbledon this year. He then waited quietly for the other three players to meet.
Although the rest time is only a few hours and the recovery of physical strength is very limited, the relaxation on the mental level has another value.
While the close fight was still going on on Court No. 1, after all, no one was sure of the outcome of the long set, Murray and Gawain's post-match press conferences had already been carried out smoothly. This was something that all the news media had not expected, and many reporters were caught off guard.
But this is competitive sports, full of countless possibilities and infinite unknowns. Isn’t this a kind of romance? Of course, the questions about Gao Wen at the press conference still include the outlook for the next game:
Federer, or Simon?
Moreover, there is an ultimate challenge hidden here. What if Gawain's next opponent is Federer? (End of this chapter)