Chapter 2037 Key Matchup
Stalemate, heat, and intensity——
Nadal's forehand hit a flat shot, and after two consecutive forehand super topspin suppression, the Spanish bull's signature attack on the fast hard court finally came on the scene, with power rolling in layers.
Generally speaking, Nadal's forehand finishing action is around the top of the head, which is a strong topspin; when Nadal tries to speed up the attack, the finishing action will not go around the head, but will be completed under the shoulder, which is a flat shot.
Nadal's grasp of the attack can be seen from his racket-closing action. Nadal has been in mediocre form this season. If he uses full force in a forehand flat shot, it will often go directly out of bounds because he cannot control the power. Therefore, his racket-closing action stops at a position parallel to his shoulders, and he dare not let the finishing action of the racket head pass through the armpit and continue to flick back.
Until now.
In London, Nadal's forehand shots were in full force, whether it was the strong topspin around the head or the flat shot under the shoulder, all were in place, which also indicated that Nadal was exerting full force without reservation.
Although he is known as the "King of Clay", never underestimate Nadal's energy on hard courts. From topspin to continuous suppression and offensive connection, Nadal's forehand has completely opened up the situation.
But, on the other side of the net was Gawain—
"Forehand VS Backhand" is the most important and core matchup in the match against Nadal, specifically referring to Nadal's forehand and Gawain's backhand. In other words, whether Gawain's backhand can withstand Nadal's forehand attack and find a counterattack opportunity is the key to the game.
Just like now.
Nadal's forehand was at full power, completely suppressing Gawain's backhand, and then Nadal went straight for the killer. How did Gawain respond?
Fight back?
No, it can't.
If it were any other player, Gawain might have hit the ball back with a straight backhand line, or he might have slowed down the tempo and changed the situation with a backhand slice, but facing Nadal, neither of these two tricks worked.
In the former, because of the different textures brought about by the switching between strong topspin and fierce power, the backhand shot often cannot withstand the power and it is easy to make mistakes in returning the ball.
In the latter case, the slice return was exactly what Nadal wanted. He had many forehand attack options in his next shot and could easily end the round.
So, Gawain's choice is...
Backhand pull with topspin.
Using spin to deal with Nadal is obviously a choice that ordinary players dare not make. Djokovic and Murray do not often take such risks. They often choose to transition a shot and control the return ball in the middle to find breathing space, but Gawain made a bold choice.
Use both hands to clap back, lift, and raise, using strong friction to fully pull up the rotation, and use the wrapping of the wrist and the pushing of the forearm to fully pull up the parabola.
And, push deep.
In fact, topspin plus returning the ball from deep in the baseline is also a very important technique for Gao Wen. He has this ability with both forehand and backhand. He can defend instead of attack and launch a counterattack through the combination of spin and landing point.
really--
Nadal tried to launch continuous attacks, but Gawain's return ball landed very close to the baseline, and the strong topspin and rapid rise created a squeeze that made the hitting point difficult. Nadal had no way to attack directly, and he rushed back again with a roll and a flick of topspin.
Subconsciously, Nadal still tried to create a confrontation through strong topspin, but the connection of the entire offensive round was interrupted.
This is still Nadal's habit on "clay court". It was not until Moya became Nadal's head coach that he slowly changed this habit on hard courts. As for now, this instinct is still engraved in his bones.
On the other hand, Gao Wen is more proficient in the connection and transition of hard court attack. He is ready at the first moment, and immediately seizes the buffer space with a two-handed backhand. He uses his forearm to swing quickly without hesitation, and the racket head moves directly at a speed like skating, silky and smooth, and attacks resolutely.
Bang! Backhand straight line.
The tennis ball turned into a stream of light, tearing open the gap of Nadal's backhand. Although Nadal's speed had been increased to the extreme and his footsteps were in place at an incredible speed, the hitting point was still far back. He had to try to catch the ball with his backhand behind his body, and the swing of the racket was not retracted, so he hit a cannon.
This point belongs to Gao Wen.
Boom!
Boom! Boom!
The O2 Stadium was simply crazy. From offense to defense and then back to offense, this round showed the powerful collision between the two players to the fullest. And with Gawain's points this time, break points appeared again and again.
"40:AD".
The fourth game, Nadal serves.
The two players were in good form from the start, and the quality of their attack and defense transitions was elevated to a new level. The confrontation became more intense, with the stalemate and heat filling the entire court.
Then--
Nadal missed two game points, but also saved three break points. Five deuces in total still failed to determine the winner. The single game lasted over eight minutes, which was extremely long.
but!
Gao Wen got the fourth break point with his amazing defensive counterattack and continued to ignite the game, pushing this giant showdown to a new peak.
Wonderful and continuous.
Nadal was sweating profusely, his shirt was completely soaked, and the hot sweat gathered into a small river, flowing rapidly.
His eyes were focused, his attention entirely on the subject.
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
Perhaps, some people will say that this game has nothing to do with qualifying, and there is no need to fight so hard. Instead of wasting energy and physical strength on such an insignificant game, it is better to save energy for the upcoming semi-finals. Even if this game is related to the semi-final showdown, a simple test competition will be enough. There is really no need to go all out.
Strategically, this is correct.
But for both Gao Wen and Nadal, the year-end finals are not only about victory and championship, but also about the duel between masters.
Every game is a peak showdown.
The only thing you need to focus on is the opponent in front of you, be more pure, simple and sincere, and restore the original appearance of competitive sports.
In the rolling heat, Nadal was ready and continued to serve.
District 2.
One shot.
Although the ball was closer to the forehand position, the strong side spin after landing went into Gao Wen's arms, which was obviously a chase serve.
The first serve at 180 kilometers per hour is not fast, but the strong rotation fully enhances the power and quality of the tennis ball, successfully limiting Gao Wen's return space.
Gawain took a sideways step to the left and leaned his upper body backward, trying to make room, but Nadal's spin control was indeed sophisticated and excellent enough, and the spin attached to the slightest tail force ate up Gawain's little remaining hitting space, and his forehand could only rely on his forearm.
There was no rotation, no power, no speed, and even the control of the parabola was unsatisfactory. In a hurry, Gao Wen could only choose to control the line and try to push the return ball as deep as possible by relying on the outward swing force of the skateboard.
As for the effect?
Gao Wen was not sure either.
Sideways, straight, push deep.
This was Gawain's tactical intention. He then watched the tennis ball fly out a rainbow bridge and float past slowly.
(End of this chapter)