Chapter 1815: Be Prepared
On the fourth match day, the schedule for the Arthur Ashe Stadium was released, with a small surprise.
Daytime.
The first game is "Azarenka VS Yamuna-Wickmayer".
The second game is "Halep VS Kateryna-Bondareko".
The third game, “Gawain vs. Fish”.
Night show.
The first game is “Federer VS Steve-Darcis”.
The second game is "Wozniacki VS Petra-Cetkovaska".
There is an accident——
Wozniacki entered the night session ahead of two championship candidates, Azarenka and Halep. The Danish beauty's market appeal was recognized by the US Open.
Of course, there are surprises too -
Gowen entered the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the second consecutive tournament.
Although Fish also plays a role, there is no doubt that Gawain is the real protagonist.
This is in direct contrast to the previous three Grand Slams this year, and it is worthy of being half a home court.
Generally speaking, in the first two rounds of Grand Slam tournaments, the tournament organizing committee often gives priority to ensuring diversity on the central court by arranging different matches for different top players, including local hopes, topic duels, and players whose popularity has skyrocketed in the Challenger League and the Youth Storm.
Even the Big Four often left center court, briefly giving the spotlight to other players to shine.
Of course, the Big Four are the Big Four, and it is highly likely that they will hold the first two rounds of the competition on the central court, especially for Federer and Nadal. This is a privilege, and also a unique treatment they have won after a long period of continuous struggle and competition.
They deserve this honor.
Now, the US Open organizing committee has set an example with practical actions:
At least in the North American market, Gawain's box office appeal has risen across the board. Not only has he completely suppressed Wawrinka, but he has also surpassed Djokovic and Murray. He is now on par with Federer and Nadal. And he has won more favor because of his refreshing youthful style.
People get tired of the old and love the new, and this is true even in the world of competitive sports. After getting used to the faces of the Big Four, Gao Wen's sudden emergence finally changed the status quo.
Naturally, Gao Wen won more support.
It's just that simple.
Applause, round of applause.
Countless eyes are once again gathered on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is more worthy of discussion and attention than any previous second round of the event.
The suspense of victory or defeat may lead to completely different endings——
If Fish wins, it will undoubtedly be the biggest upset since the start of the US Open, and it will also witness a wild final journey for the local hero.
If Gawain wins, things will be much simpler. The audience will take off their hats to Fish and become witnesses of the final period of his career.
In other words, no matter what the result is, it should not be missed.
Including Gawain himself.
For his part, despite all the focus on Fish's potential retirement, Gauvin is not taking it lightly.
If Gawain thought that Fish was about to retire and his mind was no longer on the field, and that he could easily win, then he might fall, and the final outcome might be really uncertain.
From the performance in the warm-up match, it can be seen that Fish did not lose to the in-form Murray. He did not show any awkwardness or helplessness due to being away from the game for a long time. Instead, he went into the match with a light heart and enjoyed the last leg of the journey. He gave it his all and showed his best form.
As the saying goes, “No one can beat someone who truly enjoys himself.”
This is true for performance and competition as well.
The truth is so simple.
What's more, Fish is a dangerous opponent.
Although the comparison is not entirely accurate, Fish and Nishikori are somewhat similar in some ways -
Grab the rising point.
Fish's game is very aggressive. He is a typical player who is better at offense than defense. Most of the time, he basically gives up defense and attacks all-out. The whole rhythm is compressed very tightly. He often rushes to get the rising point and refuses to retreat to avoid falling into a passive position. His footsteps are always near the baseline.
The difference between Fish and Kei Nishikori is that Fish has stronger physical fitness. From serve to forehand, he has more power and has no problem attacking with his own force. Not only is he impactful in the opponent's serve, he is also more in control in his own serve, and his threat coefficient rises sharply.
Moreover, Fish plays very smartly. Although he doesn't like to plan, he relies on his excellent touch and his choice of return route is often surprising.
Judging from the impact and pressure, Fish is one level better than Kei Nishikori. Although his lower limit is lower, his offense still relies on the feel of his touch. If he doesn't play well, he may lose the game miserably. But at the same time, his upper limit is also higher. His step-by-step, smooth offense is indeed pleasing to the eye.
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For those players who are not familiar with Fish's style, they are often caught up in Fish's rhythm before they have time to catch their breath, making it difficult to breathe.
Federer and Nadal are no exception. Even if they are familiar with each other, they still need some time to adapt and adjust every time they meet.
On the contrary, Djokovic and Murray were not afraid of this style. They rolled around and went around, changing the rhythm of the round through baseline fighting, like quicksand, slowly dragging Fish into the slow pace they were accustomed to.
For Gao Wen, he is not afraid of Fish's playing style, but he needs time to adapt, everything is new.
Facts also prove this point.
"4:6".
Gao Wen, lose the first game.
The cheers at Arthur Ashe Stadium were not one-sided. They still supported Gawain and applauded the wonderful rounds; but when Fish cashed in on the fourth set point to win the first set, the stadium was still crazy.
The madness of losing one's mind seemed to be able to witness the miracle of Fish's farewell journey in his career, just like Sampras' last US Open, when he went out in a low-key manner but miraculously persevered to the end.
This was the first set Gao Wen lost at this year's US Open.
Was it because Gao Wen was careless? Or was it because the injury still had an objective impact? No, none of them, it was simply because Fish played really well.
The shots were fast, flat, heavy and deep, and the impact of the whole rhythm and power was very obvious; and the touch in the first set was excellent, and all the shots aimed at the corners on the key points were within the bounds, and there were indeed many wonderful top five shots.
Without excuses or reasons, Fish won the first set with superior performance.
Even though Gao Wen was fully prepared and tried his best, he was inevitably caught up in Fish's rhythm in the first set. It was not like a grass court, but it felt like a grass court game. It was indeed a rare experience.
but.
The reason for the loss in the first set was not just Fish's unilateral outstanding performance. After all, this is tennis, and the back-and-forth confrontation is the focus.
To be precise, we can look at it from another angle. It was mainly because Gawain failed to suppress Fish's attack in the first set, and the quality of his return ball could not limit Fish, so Fish played smoothly.
In every aspect, Fish doesn't look like a player ready to retire. He once again shows the talent and ability of a top player. Gao Wen must be vigilant.
Otherwise, the trend of the second game is also an unknown.
(End of this chapter)