Running all the way, feeling the power transmitted from the ground with my legs, my toes jumping and running like springs, but when I was about to reach my destination.
Kick with left leg.
Emergency brake.
The body is under control, but the upper body still extends out with the inertia of the forward rush. With a transfer push, the racket is swung out violently.
Long sword, unsheathed.
With a flick of the wrist, the speed of the racket head suddenly increased——
straight line.
A passive two-handed backhand in a straight line while running at high speed.
This is the famous skill that made Gawain dazzle the world at the Arthur Ashe Stadium last year, and it and Federer's sideways forehand both shined in tonight's match.
Bang.
Not only solid, but also sharp.
He tore a path through the tight net and broke through Federer's blockade at the net.
The whole audience's eyes followed the tennis ball flying, and then they could see Federer soaring into the air, breaking free from the constraints of gravity and taking off.
Federer has indeed covered all the lines in front of the net. He entered the net from the backhand position along the diagonal line, with his eyes fixed on his forehand position, so he naturally felt a little more at ease. Moreover, with the forehand in front of him and the backhand behind him, his attention was inevitably more focused on the diagonal position behind him.
In fact, this is what Gao Wen learned from Federer tonight, and he is applying it now.
So, Gao Wen chose a straight line and broke through Federer's forehand position. Everything was placed under Federer's nose. He focused on the control of the line and cut out a narrow escape route.
Federer was shocked.
It was not an accident, but the quality of Gao Wen's backhand straight line was really outstanding. It almost flew along the sideline, making full use of the court.
Federer took two big steps sideways but still couldn't cover it completely.
In an emergency, Federer pushed off the ground and flew up, his whole body fully stretched, his forehand extended to the extreme, and his hands and feet stretched into a straight line.
The racket was at the end, the fingertips were at the end, and he was about to pounce on the tennis ball, but Federer was not satisfied with this and threw his body forward again.
Kill.
The forearm is completely straight, and there is no fancy movement in the wrist. The push is completed entirely by relying on the strength of the body leaning forward. A block and smash releases all the energy.
whoosh.
Tennis ball, gone.
The naked eye could only catch a blurry mustard yellow light, flying along the net towards Gao Wen's forehand position.
What Federer was trying to seize was time, so he naturally aimed at the open space to hit the ball.
Slash.
Forehand.
At this point we can see Gao Wen's layout ability. He has accurately predicted from the previous backhand straight line that Federer will definitely choose the diagonal forehand position; and it is likely to be in the deep zone.
The reason is very simple: after Gawain hit the ball, his footsteps had already cut into the baseline. Because he needed to guard against Federer's return of the small ball, he had to start early to avoid being passive. Federer also noticed Gawain's movement trend, and it was highly likely that he would cut the tennis ball into the deep area while responding to the situation.
Gao Wen, indeed, had to mark the front half, but he also did not forget his back half.
His steps had just started, he cut into the baseline, and then he saw Federer's shot, and his steps continued to move forward along the right horizontal axis.
Small steps.
Cross step.
He kept changing his pace, his heart was beating wildly, but he had completely forgotten to breathe.
Federer is really good. He cut the deep zone very cleverly. He did not try to press the baseline, but instead opened up the angle and pulled the diagonal line as much as possible.
So Gao Wen was forced to move sideways, sideways, and sideways again.
Even though the layout had taken this shot into account, Federer's return was as good as Gawain's straight backhand just now, and still turned the situation around.
——It’s too late.
Gao Wen made his judgment instantly, kicked with his left leg, and then slid with his right leg to rush out.
Ever since he sprained his ankle in the third round against Belučić, Gawain had been avoiding such moves. Even when he slid, he usually slid with his left leg. But now he was completely immersed in the game and couldn't take care of these things for the moment. Without any caution or timidity, he slid out and rushed out.
A split.
The feet, arms, body, etc. have all been extended to the extreme, completely parallel to the ground, with the racket stretched out in the forehand.
A little. A little more. A little more.
The racket felt the impact from the tennis ball, which continued to hit the strings.
One cut. Everything.
Gao Wen had no room to swing his racket, so he cut with one stroke and lightly pushed the tennis ball out in a straight line.
The tennis ball flew back lightly.
The whole venue was silent, because both Federer and Gawain had stretched themselves to the limit, reaching their physical and mental limits.
However.
In the collision between the strong, it depends on who can break the limit.
On the other side of the court, Federer, who had just completed a diving header, started again incredibly, pulled his body, sprinted sideways for the second time in a row and made a diving header.
It's like juggling.
This is definitely the first time that Federer has ever been like this.
The parabola of Gawain's return was not suppressed and was slightly high. Federer miraculously completed an acrobatic one-handed interception from the backhand position.
Huh.
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Amidst exclamations, the tennis ball flew back unbelievably, without spin, power or speed, just like a feather.
But! However! But! Surprisingly! A black figure actually used his hands and feet to support his body, took a big step, stretched his left leg forward, and slid forward for the second time, showing his body's flexibility to the fullest.
and!
The racket was switched from the right hand to the left hand.
It's not a one-handed backhand, but a left-handed backhand.
After stretching the body to the extreme, without waiting for the tennis ball to hit the ground, he directly cuts into the gap above the ground and catches the ball before it hits the ground.
The badminton net-saving posture.
Gently flick the left wrist.
In that brief moment of lightning, his wrist moved awkwardly. At this moment, his left hand had no control at all and could only rely on instinct.
push.
Tennis ball, flying into the air.
Gently, swaying, and gracefully focusing the attention of the entire Arthur Ashe Stadium, the heat and surging of the whole world are all concentrated in this moment.
The tennis ball went over the net, along a straight line, and back into Federer's forehand position.
Time, stands still.
Federer and Gawain, both players have already exceeded their limits and are no longer able to move forward. All eyes are focused on that mustard yellow light and shadow.
Quietly, slowly -
Rising. Spinning. Falling.
Thousands of eyes followed the gazes of the linesman and the referee.
Land. Bloom.
Proud. Blooming.
Linesman: Palms down, hands together, "Inbounds."
Tennis ball, pressed on the inside of the sideline.
There is no controversy. There is no suspense either.
Score.
In an instant, there was a buzzing in my mind——
"5:7".
The victory in the third set tie-break belonged to Gao Wen.
Buzz buzz buzz.
Buzz, buzz, buzz! The hustle and bustle of the crowd surged in my mind. I even forgot to shout or scream. All reactions disappeared. I just stared at the stadium with my mouth wide open. Even if the numbers on the scoreboard changed, it still couldn't break the stagnation of time and space at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Until——
Bang! Gawain pounded his chest with his fist.
Fight. Fight. Fight.
Bang! Again and again, the muffled sound echoed like a drum in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and finally all turned into roars.
God of War, reigns supreme!