Although Gawain had been fully warned, Djokovic's shot quality was indeed excellent. The pressure from different methods and angles restricted Gawain, so that the quality of Gawain's return shots was affected and did not meet expectations.
When you lob the ball high, you can see how high it is but not how far it is.
It was clear at first glance that this was Djokovic's chance. The close connection between the forehand straight line and the follow-up shot to the net in the previous shot created an opportunity. A high pressure shot in front of the net in the next shot would end the point.
At the critical moment, Djokovic once again showed his giant style.
Calm, bold, cunning.
Even though Gawain had anticipated that Djokovic might choose to go to the net, he was still put in trouble. Djokovic's layout was indeed clever, but the poor quality of the return on the previous shot put Gawain in a desperate situation where he was almost dead.
so what?
Of course, continue to observe and continue to defend.
A narrow escape from death means there is still a glimmer of hope.
The line and landing point of Gawain's lob were a little ambiguous. The middle was not the middle and the angle was not an angle. It was pushed vaguely towards Djokovic's left half of the court, but the angle of the diagonal line was not completely torn apart.
This was actually an accident.
Gao Wen tried to control the parabola, but there was not enough space to hit the ball and the friction was not superimposed enough, so there was a slight deviation in the control of the line.
But Gawain glanced at the parabola and realized that this might be an opportunity.
It is precisely because the return ball parabola is ambiguous, neither in the middle nor on the sidelines, which also means that Djokovic's high-pressure lines are limited.
The limited here does not mean that Djokovic can only choose diagonal shots, but that Djokovic's posture when going to the net will limit his own shots.
It is the same for any player, because the reaction space is limited after reaching the net. Once the batting posture is determined, the batting line is also determined. Whether it is a cut or a volley, a straight line or a diagonal line, it is often difficult to change.
Perhaps, the only exception is Federer, whose net technique is perfect and can be changed at any time, and he is omnipotent relying on the control of his touch.
Nadal can also be added. The characteristic of his net-shot action is concealment. Although he seldom changes the line of interception or high pressure temporarily, it is not easy for opponents to recognize it. In addition, with the blessing of rotation, he can often get past his opponents.
Djokovic is not one of them.
So, in the first set, when it came to that high-pressure ball, Djokovic changed the line of the ball at the last minute, but his technique was wrong, and it went directly into the net.
Now, the position of Gawain's lob is ambiguous, and Djokovic's hitting line can be seen from the position of the net and the posture of his body.
Gawain needs to observe calmly——
Djokovic also made a hidden move, moving forward along the road with his body sideways. Originally, Gawain's lob was more towards the backhand position, so Djokovic simply moved forward along the diagonal line, switched to the sideways forehand position, raised the racket high, and looked up at the tennis ball.
From the perspective of stance, after turning sideways, Djokovic can hit any line. The diagonal line is an open space, the straight line is turning back, and the middle line is chasing. There are many options.
But Gao Wen noticed Djokovic's shoulder posture. His right shoulder was not raised, and his left and right shoulders were on a relatively balanced horizontal line.
Slash.
Gawain predicted.
From the overall situation, this is the most likely hitting line for Djokovic, and at the same time, the only way to turn the situation around is open.
There was no time to think and consider again. Seizing his intuition, Gao Wen rushed to his left backhand position.
Tap tap tap, tap tap tap.
His feet moved quickly, his eyes were fixed on the ball hitting action on the other side of the net, and then you could see Djokovic leaping into the air to block the shot and slam dunk, and the tennis ball smashed down like a sledgehammer.
Diagonal. Shallow area. Power. Heavy smash.
Djokovic also knows that his combined efforts are not enough, and the instantaneous block at the net is not suitable for him, but occasionally, he still uses such heavy smashes to boost momentum and break the deadlock. At least the formation needs to be put on.
The target of this shot was very clear. It relied on a shallow landing point to create a high parabola, causing the tennis ball to bounce off the ground and fly toward the audience stands. This also meant that the opponent could not touch the ball, thus ending the game with a winning point.
However……
Strength, or lack of strength.
Djokovic has fully exerted his strength, but is this really the case?
No.
Of course not.
Djokovic's high pressure at the net has not been able to control his posture flexibly. If he uses a little too much force, his hitting posture may deviate, causing his smash to go out of bounds. However, this is a count, so he naturally added some insurance to his smash.
Full strength, that is, real full strength, but there is still some control in the end.
This slight bit of control caused the flight trajectory of the tennis ball after it hit the ground and bounced back to be lower than expected, and it failed to completely pull up the parabola.
Then, a figure appeared on the path where the tennis ball fell for the second time.
It's Gawain.
Slash! It is indeed a slash!
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Gao Wen was not secretly delighted. Instead, he became more alert, his muscles tensed, and he entered a state of complete selflessness, because he knew that the situation was still critical and he still had to give it a try to have a chance of survival.
His footsteps were already approaching the doubles line, and he had already prepared his backhand with both hands. He observed as he moved, and did not rush into the move. Instead, he waited for a moment, then made the move with full concentration and a keen gaze.
Hit lightly.
It's a light hit, without force or topspin, but after controlling the footwork and posture, the ball is hit forward like a spring breeze, using the force of the opponent's opponent to push it in a straight line with rotation and power.
This is the only chance.
From prediction to movement to layout, Gao Wen had a full view of the spatial position of the entire court. He made judgments and decisions in a flash, and there was no hesitation when he took action.
Looks gentle, but actually tense.
It looks light, but it is actually neat.
The tennis ball unexpectedly hit Gawain's racket, then flew back in a straight line, across the ocean, over the cliffs, embracing the starry sky, and landed accurately in the forehand gap behind Djokovic, creating a tranquility amid the raging waves.
Relax and enjoy yourself, stroll in the garden——
Then.
Djokovic could be seen across the court, having just completed a block and smash, looking a little clumsy as he hurriedly adjusted and moved sideways.
The opportunity has been missed as soon as it started.
Watching the thrilling light and shadow break free from the blockade and open its arms to embrace freedom, his steps stopped awkwardly and clumsily.
Wow! The whole audience was in an uproar.
Wow! The O2 Stadium watched Gawain raise his right fist high, his eyes bright, his fighting spirit high, sweat dripping all over his body like a bloody god of war, and his momentum was terrifying. Wherever he looked, he could clearly feel the heat wave coming towards him. His heart instantly lost control and started beating wildly.
Winning points.
It turned out to be the winning point.
Gao Wen survived the desperate situation and fought his way out! Not only did he not give up, but he also fought to the last moment. His calm, wise, steady and generous temperament once again turned the tide of the battle.
Plop. Plop.
The heart pounded against the chest.
Fierce, intense, fanatical.