Chapter 2019 Personal Ability
The situation suddenly became tense——
Both players' return shots were frantically testing the edge of out-of-bounds, the switching between offense and defense was dancing wildly and precariously on the edge of the cliff, the tension of the confrontation was instantly pushed to the extreme, and the quality of the entire game suddenly rose to a higher level.
Then, Murray also showed his quality.
Facing the backspin cutting ball hitting his feet, the rebound ball showed unparalleled wrist control. He lifted and pulled the ball outward, and hit a skateboard backslash in an incredible way, aiming at the sideline again for high-speed flight.
Attack continuously and pull the trigger.
and!
That’s not all.
In the next step, Murray pressed forward with all his strength. His center of gravity was squeezed and shaken, and he leaned forward without hesitation and sprinted forward by inertia.
Target: Net.
In the most unlikely situation, Murray chose to sneak attack with the ball at the net.
This scene seems familiar——
In the US Open semi-finals and finals, Gao Wen used this tactic, suddenly going to the net when the opportunity was not right. It seemed reckless but was actually cautious, and seemed risky but was actually steady, making Federer and Djokovic panic and the balance was overturned.
All along, it has always been Gawain who has been learning, drawing experience and wisdom from the four giants and applying them flexibly in the game in his own way; and now, Murray has also begun to learn Gawain's interpretation of the game, which truly means that Gawain has a place among the giants.
"Bounce + follow-up ball to the net", this combination does break the speculation, but Murray's eyes are particularly firm, and his steps and body remain light.
Then, Murray could see that Gao Wen on the other side of the net was advancing at full speed, making a sliding sprint, and completing a pull-up shot at a low point with a two-handed backhand. The control of his forearm and wrist showed that the ball was going to fall over the net.
Murray's muscles tensed up.
Step forward!
Step forward!
Step forward!
When facing a return ball that falls sharply over the net, you need to keep your feet as close to the net as possible to find a suitable hitting point. At the same time, the racket face needs to maintain an angle as much as possible. If you press too hard, it will go into the net, and if you hit it too wide, it will go out of bounds.
Murray was fully focused and pushed forward with his backhand gently, completing the hit before the tennis ball fell. The hitting position was above the net, which gave Murray enough space to press down, but he still needed to be careful.
First of all, be careful not to use too much force and hit the ball away.
Secondly, be careful not to be unable to withstand the force and touch the net.
Control. Brake. Pull back.
The action was done in one go. After completing the volley at the net, the preparation for the next shot was quickly connected. Murray not only showed the courage of a giant, but also showed the comprehensiveness of his skills. In a blink of an eye, he gained the upper hand again.
At this moment, we can see that Gawain's agility and lightness in the second start after the sudden stop and turn, and his continuous large strides in lateral movement, have enabled him to arrive before he can even blink, and he even has time to observe.
Murray's heart tightened, oh no!
In the last volley at the net, Murray was still too cautious. He did not exert his full strength and did not push the ball deep enough, leaving space for the return ball. Gawain gained some breathing space and Murray became the target instead.
...How to deal with it? Before Murray had time to think carefully, Gawain had already made his choice. After all, Gawain was still passive. Seeing that the tennis ball was about to land, he had no time to adjust and had to shoot immediately.
One jump, one pull.
High ball! Murray immediately adjusted his steps.
Rub, rub, rub.
The friction between the soles of the shoes and the court made a harsh sound, surging on the eardrums. Only then did they realize that the O2 Stadium was silent and everyone was holding their breath. They had not expected the game to suddenly become tense and exciting. They were drawn into the game before their brains had time to think.
Retreat, and retreat again.
Murray retreated while observing, determining his position on the court and where the tennis ball would fall. He was about to return to the baseline. If he did not intercept, his advantage at the net would be easily broken by Gawain.
Murray knows Gawain. If he is unable to complete the half-court high pressure and is forced to retreat to the baseline, Gawain will immediately go to the net to put pressure on him without hesitation.
No, we can't wait any longer.
Murray jumped backwards like an onion being pulled out of dry land.
Uh ah!
With the power of his waist and abdomen bursting out, at the moment when the tennis ball was about to pass over his head, Murray stretched his body to the extreme, and used his wrist to grab the racket and smash it down.
Ah! Ah! The power from deep in his dantian exploded, and Murray had completely freed himself from the constraints of gravity, but his movements were still forced, precarious and shaky, and he could barely reach the ball to hit it. It was really difficult to exert force in such a movement.
However, it was intercepted in the end.
One cover, one press——
Even though he couldn't exert any force, Murray still used his wrist to control the line, shooting diagonally, pressing the backhand, pushing deep into the area, and the tennis ball turned into a streak of light and shadow.
Hmm! After hitting the ball, Murray sank his Qi into his Dantian, and returned to the ground with the pull of gravity. Without waiting to adjust, he rushed back to the net again, taking steps to keep his center of gravity light, and staring at Gawain.
Push off the ground, run wildly, and sprint.
Gawain had turned into a streak of light, rushing towards the backhand position like a meteor, with full concentration and clear eyes. Even in a passive position, he still exuded an unshakable determination. With a glance, the entire court space was already in his sight.
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Murray knew that Gawain was looking for a route through the net.
So, what will Gawain choose?
Straight line? Diagonal line? High ball? Murray's pupils shrank, and he took a step forward. His footsteps paused slightly in front of the net, deliberately distracting Gawain's sight, and then he moved towards the forehand position.
straight line.
Murray prepares to block the straight line.
He knew that a straight line was more difficult and that ordinary players would often choose to break the net diagonally, but Gawain was not an ordinary player. Noticing Gawain's early racket-leading action and his control of stride length and frequency, Murray judged that Gawain should be prepared to choose a backhand straight line to break the net.
With a kick and a rush, Murray's body flew out in the first instant.
Then--
Guessed it right.
A straight line, it is indeed a straight line. Murray has lost to Gao Wen four times this year, and he has made his own judgment on Gao Wen's route choice.
However, before he could express his joy, Murray's face changed.
quick.
Fast and heavy enough.
Gawain used his left leg as support, braked, controlled his body, and grabbed a rising point with a two-handed backhand. He took advantage of Murray's weakness of leaning back and unable to exert force with high pressure. He chose to exert force himself, turning defense into offense, turning passivity into initiative, and increased his speed and strength with a backhand straight line.
Very sudden, but very solid.
This is Gao Wen’s current ability.
Even when in a passive situation, he still kept a clear mind and found the right way to turn the situation around. It only took one shot to turn defense into offense.
A gap is enough.
Facing giants with top abilities is no exception; or to put it another way, it is precisely because he is facing giants, facing giants standing at the top of ATP, that Gao Wen is more focused, more dedicated and more powerful.
Murray had guessed the route accurately, but his steps were actually a little slow. After all, when he was standing in front of the net, his entire reaction time was compressed. When he extended his forehand, he could feel the surging force of the tennis ball rubbing against the racket strings and hitting his wrist before he had time to prepare.
Oops.
You don't even need to look to tell from the feel of the ball: it's a parabola, off track, and a horrible sight.
(End of this chapter)