Chapter 1702: Concentrate on
winning the long game.
"7:7".
"8:8".
Slightly different from clay courts, serve plays a more important role on grass courts. In addition to aces and direct serves, advantage can be established through serve and quick offensive connections can be completed, firmly grasping the initiative of the serve game in one's own hands, which also makes the difficulty of breaking serve rise sharply.
Especially when physical strength declines, players often choose to concentrate more energy on their own serve games, and at the same time the attack launched in the opponent's serve game is also affected. The result of this is that it is relatively easier to hold serve, and the stalemate in long-set deciders becomes more and more obvious.
"9:9".
The stalemate continues.
In the 19th game, Gao Wen finally had a break point in his serve game. This was the first time that both players had a break point in their serve games since the eighth game of the deciding set. Thirty-five minutes had passed since the last break point, once again showing the tension of the game.
However, Gao Wen saved the break point with a signature backhand straight line winner, maintaining the balance narrowly, and then launched an offensive.
In the 20th game, Gao Wen also forced a break point in Federer's serve - at the same time, it was also a match point. This is the advantage of serving first in the deciding set. Once you get the opportunity in the opponent's serve, it is a chance to end the game. The entire center court held its breath.
At the critical moment, Federer once again showed his superb qualities, with a clean ace and a perfect serve, giving Gao Wen no chance to hit the ball from the baseline. He even ended the point before he could touch the ball, saving the break point and match point and pushing the game to a new height.
In the end, Federer scored the winning point directly with a serve-and-volley shot at the net, winning the game. The long-set decision will continue.
"10:10".
"11:11".
The score was a close race, neither side gave up an inch.
From the score perspective, this is equivalent to the sixth set, and the sixth set is about to be a "long set", but the suspense of the outcome is still unclear.
In the 23rd game, Gao Wen's serve fluctuated again. The impact of his physical fitness was obvious and objective. He lacked the power to push off the ground, which led to consecutive mistakes in the first serve.
In fact, Federer also faces the problem of physical fluctuations, but like Gawain, top players are very sensitive to competition opportunities. They have been accumulating physical strength and energy in order to improve their condition and seize opportunities at critical moments, and then complete the fatal blow.
The situation became tense again.
Moreover, this round is particularly obvious.
Gao Wen saved six break points, but also missed three game points. It took him a full fifteen minutes to hold his serve.
The two players have already displayed all their best skills, with the bloody smell surging deep in their throats, and they are supported by a strong force.
On the seventh break point, Federer used his signature sideways forehand diagonal shot across the court and followed the ball to the net, and finally won the point with a classic volley at the net, finally cashing in on the break point and taking the lead in breaking the serve when the long set entered the stage of a test of wills.
Gawain had tried his best, running and sprinting all the way, but his pushing off the ground was not strong enough, and he was unable to reach the front court and touch the ball even after chasing with all his might. He watched Federer use his exquisite touch at the net to volley an excellent small ball to create the winning point and complete a fatal break.
The king of grass is still the king of grass. Federer broke the serve with the most classic tactical routine in grass tennis and finally reversed the score in the deciding set.
Difficult! Really too difficult! The center court was once again in a frenzy, with scalps tingling and souls trembling. This match completely broke people's cognition and set off a tsunami of applause at the All England Club.
Next, Federer will serve to win the match again——
One hundred and thirteen minutes had passed since the last serve to win the match.
Surprise! The last time, Federer had three match points in a row, but missed them all. So, what about this time?
"30:40".
Boom! My head was buzzing with applause, cheers, roars and exclamations.
"Break point!"
"Unbelievable! Dear audience, unbelievable!"
"In Federer's second serve game, Gao Wen got a break point again!"
"This forehand diagonal 'inside-out' shot was like a fairy tale. Federer had absolutely no chance. Gawain's shot was so bold and so clean that he firmly grasped fate by the throat."
"beautiful."
“It’s so beautiful.”
Xu Yang's voice trembled slightly, because he was moved and excited.
"Gao Wen did not give up. He refused to surrender. The 19-year-old young player is still fighting, struggling, and burning all his energy. He firmly grasps every minute and every second on this stage, fully displays himself, bravely pursues victory, and challenges his limits with all his strength."
“The game is not over.”
"Dear audience, the game is not over yet!"
The audience in front of the TV were completely stunned.
Gu Xiao was bombarded with messages from his phone. He kept telling himself not to look, not to look, not to look, but in the end, he couldn't help it.
Two hours ago, when Federer got the match point in his serve game, he turned off the TV and was ultimately afraid to watch any more.
It's over, it's over after all, Gawain's Wimbledon journey. It's not because of disappointment, Gu Xiao understands that Gawain's grass season this year has been brilliant and successful enough, he is not a loser, he can leave the All England Club with his head held high, but he still has a bitter taste in his mouth.
Nervous, exciting, uneasy, anxious... until he could no longer hold on. Federer was like a mountain, standing in front of every player trying to chase the Wimbledon championship. The young Gawain did not have the ability to climb over it for the time being, which made Gu Xiao feel uncomfortable.
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So he turned off the TV and social networks, temporarily needing some quiet and peace.
After a lot of effort, Gu Xiao finally calmed down completely, but the group messages on his phone exploded. After hesitating for a while, he finally turned on his phone.
"Breaking point! Breaking point ahhhhhhhhhhh!"
Gu Xiao was stunned——
The game is not over yet.
After a flurry of activity and stumbling, Gu Xiao no longer cared about the pain from his knee hitting the sofa. He quickly turned on the TV and saw it.
"11:12".
"30:40".
It was Federer's serve to win the match again. Everything seemed familiar, as if nothing had changed from two hours ago, yet everything was different.
Gu Xiao was stunned.
He thought the game was over, but he was wrong, so wrong.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
The whole world fell silent, leaving only the sound of my heart pounding against my chest, and then—
Ah! ACE.
Federer's fans have gone completely crazy. The king of grass has once again gotten out of trouble with the ACE. Ten years have passed, and Federer is still the same Federer.
"40:40".
But this time, looking at Gao Wen on the TV screen with a normal expression, Gu Xiao was no longer nervous or anxious. Instead, he regained the long-lost calmness.
True peace.
"Pah! Gawain!"
"Pah! Gawain!"
The blood began to boil, and Gu Xiao didn't even realize it, as he high-fived, cheered and shouted with the Gaowen fans in the central stadium.
The game isn't over yet.
(End of this chapter)