Chapter 1816 Status Adjustment
"4:6".
Fish won the first set. The 34-year-old veteran once again demonstrated the sophistication and maturity of the golden generation and won the first set.
Gao Wen was not panicked about this, and it could even be said that he had foreseen this scene.
He has already prepared himself mentally.
When people saw the score results of the first round, in which Gawain swept Zverev Jr. after losing only three games, they took it for granted that Gawain had fully recovered from his injury and that the defending champion was ready to enter another top-level showdown.
But in fact, adjusting the state of tennis is not that simple.
Gao Wen knows that he needs time, games and confrontations. He not only needs to find the highest state, but also needs to improve the lowest state. The ultimate goal is to maintain the average state at a high level until the second week of the Grand Slam to complete the adjustment.
The first round of competition is just the first step.
Objectively speaking, there is still a certain gap between Gao Wen's current state and his average level, which can be seen from Zverev's game.
Gao Wen rarely chooses to take risks in hitting the ball. He does not aim at the corners and edges, nor does he actively change the line. He also rarely changes the line to break his balance in difficult situations.
In general, it was still mainly based on control and layout, combined with changes in rhythm, seizing Zverev's shortcomings of lack of experience, as well as the eagerness to win mixed with the shame and pressure of "highest consumption". That subtle mentality became Gao Wen's breakthrough. He focused on attacking the heart and took control of the game step by step.
In the post-match interview, Gawain spoke the truth in his response to Courier. He really did not think the score could reflect the intensity of the game.
For the second round, Gao Wen was prepared for difficulties. He was ready not only to lose one set, but even to lose two sets.
In fact, from a physical perspective, the injury has indeed healed and has no impact; but the body's adaptation to the game, adjustment to the intensity of the game, and recovery after a five-set, three-win game, etc., all of these still take some time, and the ability to adapt to the intensity of the confrontation is improved step by step.
In addition, the batting feel also needs to be slowly adjusted, and the analysis and judgment of the situation, the analysis of batting selection, etc. in a split second also need to be reorganized. Although those senses and feelings are all there, without the actual combat of the game, those feelings are ultimately not smooth and sensitive enough.
Making the right choice at the right time and keeping a clear head in a split second is itself part of the "state".
Gao Wen did not rush things, nor did he plan to do it all at once, but took it step by step.
During the break between sets, I reviewed the entire first set of the game.
Gao Wen thought that his performance was pretty good, so he kept the score close, but that was all, and he did not put more pressure on Fish.
Starting from the second set, Gao Wen's first step was to improve the quality of his ball.
By disrupting, limiting and counterattacking Fish's offensive touch through the quality of the return ball, the most important thing is to interrupt Fish's offensive fluency. Regardless of whether Gao Wen's offense should increase the threat to open up the situation, at least it should create some trouble for Fish.
Unlike Zverev, Fish is an experienced player and has met the Big Four many times. He can even be regarded as a fellow witness of the growth of Nadal, Djokovic and Murray.
This also means that Gao Wen's layout needs to be more sophisticated.
In fact, Gawain did the same.
The first game of the second set.
Fish immediately felt something different, not a drastic change in tactics or condition, but a subtle change in the quality of the ball.
The hitting force is slightly heavier, the return ball lands slightly deeper, the hitting ball has slightly more rotation, the line layout breaks the inertia a little more times... and most importantly, the stalemate of the round ball is slightly longer.
It was clear from his shot selection that Gauvin was making adjustments.
In the last match, it was Zverev who preferred to remain in a stalemate and prolong the round, while it was Gawain who shortened the number of shots when changing the rhythm.
But now, the positions are reversed. Fish hopes to end the round as soon as possible, but Gawain limits Fish's offensive effectiveness by changing the landing point and hitting method, and the round is gradually prolonged.
Comparing a set of data is very intuitive: the average number of rounds in the first set is 3.8 shots.
The average number of rounds in the first three games of the second set was 5.5 shots.
The whole change was very obvious, especially for Fish who was in it.
Although Fish's offense is still sharp and the rhythm is still tight, his offensive efficiency is slowly declining.
For one thing, Fish's control over the game was loosening.
Secondly, physical energy consumption also began to increase.
In fact, from this level we can see the control of the two players in the strong confrontation, as well as the skill reserves in their arsenal. Even if Gao Wen still has not adjusted to the best, his foundation is undoubtedly deeper.
Then.
In the ninth game of the second set, Fish served.
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Gawain suddenly exerted his strength and played fast, changing the seesaw pattern of the rounds and overturning all the previous confrontational arrangements in the second set, catching Fish off guard. Instead, Fish lost himself in the rhythm mode he was best at, making consecutive hitting errors, most of which ended up in the net.
It was obvious at first glance that Fish was trying to speed up and create confrontation with flat shots as much as possible, but he hit the ball too quickly and too hard, causing it to go into the net.
"0:40".
Although Fish saved a break point, Gawain immediately returned the serve with a stunning forehand straight line, accurately finding the landing point in the large triangle area near the baseline and the sideline, and broke the serve with an ace return.
Then, in his own serve to win the set, Gawain increased his speed further, taking advantage of a gap when Fish was in a slump and had not yet gained a firm foothold, and scored four points in a row, delivering a love-game and easily holding his serve.
"6:4".
Gao Wen won the second set and the two players returned to the same starting line.
True professionals can see that Gao Wen has gradually taken control of the situation, using the quality of the ball to create restrictions and pressure, and then completing the attack through variations. His tactical thinking throughout the second set is clear and proactive enough.
Perhaps, Gawain's batting condition can only be considered about 60% to 70% of his peak condition, but Gawain knows how to skillfully use this condition to achieve his goal. This is also a manifestation of Gawain's gradual transformation into a master.
Not to mention the comparison with the Asian season in September last year, even compared with this year's clay court season, we can see the curve of gradual growth.
If Fish had not been able to break Gawain's layout, bring more impact, or change the rhythm, the third set would have been very likely to fall into Gawain's control.
He can control the situation without even improving his condition or taking any risks.
Fish's answer was to give it a try. After all, he had nothing to lose, whether he was facing the world's second-best player or the last tournament of his career. Everything had come to an end. He didn't need to hesitate or hold back. He just needed to show himself to the fullest.
The third set was exciting and brought another little surprise.
After the game resumed, Fish was the first to break.
(End of this chapter)