Chapter 169: Fighting Side by Side
"Competition, Gao!"
As the referee announced the result of the game, the audience burst into thunderous applause.
Undoubtedly, UCLA and USC are sworn enemies in the same city, and they are mortal enemies who want to tear each other apart; but at this moment, they are all fans and ordinary people, and they sincerely applaud this wonderful contest.
This is the charm of competitive sports.
At the same time, there was a lot of noise in the live broadcast room.
“As the first singles player in today’s match, Gao Wen’s performance was perfect.”
"The tactics throughout the game were clear and the execution was resolute. It wasn't that Sacramento played badly, but that Gao Wen's performance was so outstanding that it was eye-catching."
"Peter, what do you think?"
Sofar knew he had received enough praise, so he turned the microphone over to Sampras.
Sampras lived up to expectations.
"First of all, Sacramento's defensive ability is still excellent. His anticipation and touch are still top-notch in the NCAA, which also created many exciting rounds for the game."
"But it was precisely because of Sacramento's outstanding performance that Gao Wen's control of the game became more prominent."
"We can see that Gao Wen has a clear understanding of his own shots, when to choose which shots, what effects each shot should achieve, and at the same time, he can create a certain situation for the opponent. This tennis wisdom is a talent that countless professional players dream of."
"From the way Gao Wen handled the tie in his serve game, we can see that he was aware of the crisis and knew how to improve his condition and change his tactics to regain the initiative. This was also the key to breaking the balance of the game."
"Sacramento only had two break points today, and he failed to convert them. On the other hand, Gao Wen had 14 break points and finally broke four of his serve. The difference is still very obvious."
Sofar captured a detail of Sampras.
"Are you saying that Gao Wen has reached the level of a professional player?"
"Yes, I personally think so."
Sofar was a little surprised that Sampras spoke so highly of Gawain, it was really an eye-opener.
But strictly speaking, Sofar also agrees.
"In the first singles match between the two teams, Gao Wen's match really boosted morale. Not only did he win by a large margin, but he also had many wonderful rounds."
“In this match, Gao Wen’s sharp attack really made a splash, continuing the Bruins’ momentum in the doubles match and seizing the initiative.”
“If the Bruins can win the national championship today, Gao Wen’s performance will undoubtedly be an important turning point.”
Of course, everyone knows that the game is not over yet, and anything is possible, not to mention that it is a Los Angeles derby. How could the Trojans just sit there and surrender? Gawain's performance was indeed outstanding and wonderful, but he could only play once. The next step is to see how other players perform. This is the essence of team competitions.
However, as Sofar said, the battle for momentum in team competitions is also very subtle, and the conversion of pressure and motivation happens all the time.
Today, the Brown Bears' women's team's counterattack and victory has boosted the morale of the team. They performed exceptionally well in the doubles match, winning the doubles points neatly and getting off to a good start. Following closely behind, Gao Wen put in a perfect performance, resisting the all-out attack of Sacramento and winning a complete victory.
If the doubles match had too many variables and the Brown Bears' victory had a more or less euphoric effect, then Gao Wen's complete victory showed the suppression at the level of strength, and the confidence of the entire team was instantly boosted.
When Gawain defeated Sacramento, Thompson, who was supposed to be the first singles player, jumped high and pounded his chest like King Kong, celebrating Gawain's victory passionately. He was not disappointed because he was scheduled to play second singles, but became more motivated.
Thompson apparently isn't the only one.
Buzz buzz buzz.
The whole place was filled with heat.
In the locker room, Gao Wen saw McDonald preparing to appear on the court.
The second match between the two sides was the No. 4 singles match.
Gawain didn't say much, but just gave MacDonald a big hug and patted him hard on the back, passing on his strength in this way.
No words were needed, McDonald's blood also boiled.
The Trojans' No. 4 singles player is Max de Froome, who rose rapidly in the second half of the season. He was not ranked at the beginning of the season, but now he is among the top 80. It's just that Froome's progress cannot be seen because Gawain of the Bruins is too dazzling.
It is worth mentioning that in the first Los Angeles derby of the season, Froome, who was the fifth singles at the time, burst out with amazing energy in a desperate situation, successfully defeated MacDonald, and pulled the Trojan back from the edge of the cliff, allowing the game to continue.
In short, Froome has what it takes to beat MacDonald, and he also has the courage to fight in desperate situations.
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Whether McDonald can get revenge is also a big attraction.
McDonald was fully prepared to face an opponent who had easily defeated him in two sets, but Froome also knew clearly that the Trojan had no way out. If he lost the game, the Bruins would get the match point directly, so from the first point, Froome was in full swing.
The first set, “6:4”.
Froome relied on his superior performance at the critical moment to suppress McDonald and win the first game.
But just as Froome is growing, so too is MacDonald.
McDonald held on to the game patiently despite having difficulty finding opportunities. He took advantage of Froome's physical fluctuations at the end of the second set to break the serve and took the victory of the second set, winning the game 6:3.
The entire audience went crazy.
As expected! The Los Angeles derby never disappoints.
In the deciding set, McDonald and Froome were very close. It was obvious that both players were running out of energy. The intensity of the confrontation dropped significantly, and their control over their own serve games also dropped sharply. Instead, they were able to find more opportunities in the receiving games.
As a result, the deciding set turned into a break battle, with both sides breaking each other's serve twice and the scores rising alternately.
Until the very end of the match, in the almost suffocating tension of the entire stadium, McDonald was the first to explode amid the enthusiastic cheers of the Bruins, and then fought with all his might in Froome's last serve, which he had to defend throughout the match.
On match point, McDonald ran all over the court, saving two consecutive attacks from Froome that were about to win points, and barely completed the defense with trembling hands. Finally, he forced Froome to open a larger angle in the third attack, which resulted in an out-of-bounds attack, ending the competition for the entire game.
"6:4".
Fourth update.
(End of this chapter)