Squeeze, hit, spin violently——
The quality of the return ball is different, it is indeed different.
Gao Wen and Nadal have met twice in official matches on clay courts. Even when he was in low form, the weight and quality of his rotation were still heavy. When they came to indoor hard courts, the texture of the court greatly weakened Nadal's rotation and the pressure was naturally reduced.
However, entering the second half of the second set, the quality of Nadal's strong forehand topspin was comparable to that of Roland Garros.
The same rotation will have different impact forces on different venues.
Gao Wen was indeed struggling. He instantly returned to the feeling of meeting Nadal for the first time in his professional career in the imperial capital last year. It was the first time for him to re-evaluate and re-understand the quality of his entire strokes.
But the key point is that Gao Wen is no longer the Gao Wen of last September. He has made mental preparations to improve his understanding of the game, adapt to the intensity, and master himself.
Diagonal line, deep area——
The return route itself was something Gao Wen had expected.
then.
The entire swing and hit the ball were not chaotic. Although the quality of the return ball exceeded expectations, Gao Wen also demonstrated his ability to respond on the spot.
Make an effort?
No.
Facing a forehand topspin like Nadal's, there must be enough space to force the ball, otherwise it will go flying and the spin will not be suppressed. It is also because of this that Nadal cleverly uses his forehand to force his opponent to retreat and increase the space between his feet and the baseline. Once he starts to retreat, the difficulty of the offense and defense transition increases.
Everything is a routine.
Gawain was not prepared to retreat, so he could not force the attack; but Gawain also learned a lot of experience from the matches between Federer and Djokovic. He gave up on using force on his backhand and instead went around the ball.
Half roll, half pocket, half push, half send.
Gao Wen's backhand shot was very clever. He wrapped the tennis ball and pushed it in a straight line. He did not use any force, but just hit it lightly. He did not push it deep, but chose a shallow landing point, just passing the baseline of the serving area.
A little effort can achieve great results.
On the other side, Nadal was restrained by his serve and fought hard in difficult situations.
On this side, Gao Wen was squeezed and used softness to overcome hardness to complete the layout.
Tension spreads in another way.
The O2 Stadium, all is quiet——
Not because it's boring, but because it's light and clever.
Tennis has never been just about strength and speed, but about how to arrange and combine and how to plan the game. In addition to the physical confrontation, there is also a collision on the intellectual and spiritual levels.
Just like this moment.
Both Gao Wen and Nadal showed their tennis wisdom.
Then.
When Nadal suddenly stopped and turned, started again, crossed the court and rushed over, Nadal immediately realized that he had no space to hit the ball.
Gawain's push was shallow and light, with no bounce height and no flying power, so Nadal had no time to step forward when he crossed the court. The second fall of the tennis ball was already close to the ground. He had to shoot at a low point to complete the shot, and in the end he could only choose to cut with his backhand before falling into a passive position.
But is cutting just cutting? No.
Nadal's understanding of spin is indeed unique in the ATP. Even in the simplest slice, Nadal still has his own understanding and wisdom.
Straight line, deep area.
Also, side spin.
Nadal's one-handed backhand slice, with a hook-like side spin, flew towards Gawain's position after landing and went into Gawain's arms.
Gao Wen's steps were solid and steady, not chaotic, because the previous shot was completely under control, and he still stayed on the backhand side of the court, able to get to the position at the first time, but while moving to the left, the tennis ball accelerated towards him, and the swing space and hitting position were in a state of change.
It was supposed to be a slow move and a slow shot, but it turned out to be a slow move and a quick shot.
Such a time difference can often cause interference.
then--
Gao Wen hits a backhand shot into the deep area.
Nadal showed no sign of weakness and pushed the ball deep with a backhand.
"Backhand vs. backhand".
The two players stand in a straight line, forming a backhand confrontation, relying on landing point and rotation to clamp each other.
Who will break the deadlock first?
Gao Wen.
The answer is still Gawain.
After several consecutive backhand confrontations, Gawain took advantage of the opportunity when Nadal used topspin to contain the opponent, and instead of retreating, he took a step forward.
One took the initiative to step forward and grabbed a rising point——
One of the shortcomings of Nadal's strong topspin is that if the opponent seizes the opportunity and steps forward in time, without waiting for the spin to be fully released, and grabs a rising point and shoots directly, then this will become an opportunity for the opponent to attack.
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Kei Nishikori and Fabio Fognini are two players who are very good at this. Maybe Nadal can always beat them, but it is always particularly awkward when they meet. The incompatibility of their playing styles is a very important part of the reason.
After the US Open, Gao Wen's confidence reached a peak. In the Asian season and the European indoor hard court season, the number of shots he actively cut into the baseline also gradually increased. Although he still likes to stay at the baseline, his tactical routines have been significantly enriched.
At this point, he seized the opportunity.
Backhand shot, grab the point.
Diagonal line, exert force.
Very suddenly and without warning, Gawain launched another attack, speeding up the entire return rhythm.
Tap, tap, tap.
Nadal ran all the way across the court, his speed had reached the extreme, his footsteps were almost invisible, and he arrived in a flash -
Although it was a little awkward, it was still done smoothly.
Obviously, Nadal was mentally prepared, his reaction and start were very timely, and there was no surprise, he anticipated Gawain's hitting line.
When the steps are in place, hit another forehand shot with super topspin.
And, deep area.
The strong rotation rushed towards Gawain's position like a Hot Wheels.
This time, Nadal returned the ball with obvious purpose, aiming at Gawain's position and pulling out a strong topspin, creating squeezing and impact, trying to disrupt Gawain's continuous attack.
Maybe Gawain can't attack as unleashedly as Federer, but never underestimate Gawain's ability to attack continuously.
Even when defending, pressure needs to be created. This is what top defense is all about.
but!
Will Gawain just wait there obediently? The answer, of course, is no.
When Gao Wen chose to step up to grab the rising point, he had already laid out the next shot. Noticing Nadal's topspin, his pupils quickly contracted, and he moved in small steps to set up the formation.
Adjust, keep adjusting, adjust continuously.
Step forward, cut to the baseline, and continue to grab points.
Although Nadal had used super topspin to create a squeeze, Gawain not only did not retreat, but also aggressively moved forward to launch an attack.
Also, sideways forehand.
Gao Wen did not hesitate to move his body to the side, opened his arms like a roc spreading its wings, and attacked forward with a forehand stroke, rushing to the rising point and exerting force instantly.
Ah! The power deep in Dantian was released just like that.
Straight line, hammering, thundering!