Chapter 2045: Equally matched
Ah!
Ah! Ah!
The O2 Arena was in a frenzy, a madness that no one was immune to.
Although the Ilie Nastase group attracted countless attention after the group draw, and everyone thought it was a veritable death group; the actual game process was slightly different.
I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, but the game was certainly less exciting than I expected.
So, expectations accumulated again and again, and finally all gathered in the final group match between Gawain and Nadal, but to be honest, people were not sure what they were expecting.
Maybe, they should look forward to the semi-finals?
However.
I never expected that Gawain and Nadal would join hands to present such a wonderful, exciting and intense game.
Just when everyone thought that Gawain would continue his strong performance since the US Open and rush towards victory, Nadal showed his continued upward form since the Asian season and fought back with an unparalleled performance.
"Pah! Rafa!"
"Pah! Rafa!"
The O2 Arena was generous with its applause, and everyone stood behind Nadal. They were looking forward to a more intense match and a more exciting confrontation. Now Nadal has created an opportunity.
The key is, can he grasp it? Don't forget, it's Gao Wen standing on the other side of the net.
but!
Nadal grasped it.
After saving three break points, Nadal scored the winning point with a volley at the net on his third game point and set point, and snatched the second set victory in a perfect 46 minutes.
Ah! Ah! Nadal finally exploded, roaring like a king, clenching his fists and roaring.
The fun is about to begin.
Following Federer and Nadal, Gawain's streak of not losing a set in London this year was also broken, and he was ultimately unable to continue his strong performance.
But compared to regret, there is more excitement and excitement.
Because this also proves once again that the competition in this year's year-end finals is unprecedentedly fierce. Even the underestimated, ignored and neglected Berdych and Ferrer should not be underestimated, and the championship race is even more intense.
Of course, it was disappointing that the first two rounds of the group stage were decided so early, which was far from the fierce competition we had imagined. But from another perspective, the gap between the first and second echelons was directly widened.
The Big Five are truly extraordinary.
Moreover, there is now an even more important suspense: who will have the last laugh in this match? In the first two sets, both players won the last laugh with a break, each winning 6:3, which is also in line with the style of indoor hard courts: serving is crucial.
To some extent, the playing styles of indoor hard court and grass court have many similarities, and a break may determine the outcome of a game.
No wonder during the coin-guessing session at the start of today's game, Gao Wen chose to serve without hesitation after guessing correctly. Now, the value of serving first is reflected.
In the deciding set, Gao Wen served first.
"After two sets of high-level and high-quality matches, the physical consumption of both players is now more obvious. In the last few games of the second set, the serving side encountered some troubles, mainly because the receiving side consumed less physical energy and was more daring to shoot and fight for the ball. Now in the deciding set, this will become another unknown factor."
"Of course, the year-end finals are best of three sets, and the overall test is different from the best of five sets in the Grand Slam, but don't forget that this is only the group stage, and there are still semi-finals and even potential finals to come. How to allocate physical energy and how to adjust the state is also a subject."
"Gawain and Nadal have one thing in common, which is to go all out. They will not let down their guard just because the semi-finals are behind them, nor will they lose on purpose to pick their opponents. What's more, the loser of this match will have to play against Federer in the semi-finals. I don't think anyone wants this to happen, but the issues facing both players are the same."
"How to mobilize the state, how to limit the opponent, and finally, how to win without exhausting yourself. From this perspective, the control of the serve is crucial."
Not only Zhan Jun and Hu Litao, commentators from various countries are also discussing the same topic. After all, there are no rest days in the year-end finals. Tomorrow is the semi-final. Gao Wen and Nadal need to play consecutively, and they are facing Federer and Djokovic respectively. These factors must be taken into consideration and they need to discuss.
However……
No one knows what is going on in Nadal and Gawain's minds at this moment. They can only wait and hope and watch -
The break between sets is over and the deciding set begins.
As soon as we stepped onto the field, the atmosphere at the O2 Arena was different.
"Pah! Rafa!"
"Fight!"
"Pah! Rafa!"
"Fight!"
You come and I go, and the battle is intertwined.
Unlike the end of the second set, the audience’s cheers and shouts are now completely equal. In addition to hoping that the players they support will win, they are also looking forward to a decisive battle that will live up to everyone’s expectations.
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
As soon as the game started, the whole atmosphere became lively.
"40:0", then Gao Wen won the serve with a forehand straight line winner, and the "love-game" began.
"40:15", Nadal immediately fought back. Although he lost a point with his backhand going into the net, he managed to keep his serve.
——Zhan Jun’s prediction was correct.
Firstly, the physical exertion was severe in the final stage of the second set, and both players needed some breathing space.
Secondly, both players realized that control of the serve in the deciding set is crucial. Only by controlling the serve can they allocate their physical strength reasonably, so both of them were more careful in their serve.
After a few exchanges, the first two serving games seemed relatively simple, without too many twists and turns, but the tension in the air became more and more intense, and that invisible tension unconsciously cut off one's breathing.
In the next few games, the two players slowly began to exert their strength, trying to create waves in the opponent's serve, but there were not many opportunities, so both players did not fight rashly, and delicately maintained the balance of confrontation.
In a blink of an eye, the game had entered the middle stage, and the flashes of swords and sabers slowly began to overflow.
Game 6.
Nadal's serve was the first to show flaws, and he lost three points in a row and fell into a "0:40" crisis. Gawain took full control of the situation and began to exert his strength with a better performance.
but!
On the edge of the cliff, Nadal showed his fighting spirit. He not only saved three consecutive break points, but also saved three more break points one after another. After a stalemate of fourteen minutes, he seized his third game point and saved his serve.
Such a thrilling, ups-and-downs roller coaster experience made the entire O2 stadium lose its mind.
Just when they thought the game couldn't get any more exciting, the two players once again pushed the intensity of the game to a new climax with their unparalleled performances.
Saving your energy for the semifinals? Not happening.
Every game requires all-out effort. There is no calculation, no adjustment and no room for maneuver. Everything is so pure. Just focus on the game in front of you.
This is battle.
(End of this chapter)