Chapter 314: Boosting Morale
"Beautiful!"
Zhan Jun couldn't control his excitement and couldn't help but applaud Gao Wen.
Beep, beep, beep! Roar, roar! The audience at Arthur Ashe Stadium was no exception. Whistles and cheers instantly broke out, because this was the most exciting round since the start of the game. Even though this was Isner's home court, the New York audience did not hesitate to applaud, looking forward to seeing a better game.
Anyway, the game has not yet reached the critical moment to decide the outcome, so they still have the leisure to applaud their opponents.
The whole place roared! Gao Wen felt the roar of the whole place, and his heart began to beat wildly. He clenched his fists tightly, feeling the blood boiling up, and cheered himself up.
In the studio, Zhan Jun was watching the replay with Hu Litao.
"Isner's first serve was still of high quality, 133 miles per hour, and very stable, but Gawain bought a little time with excellent anticipation and successfully received the serve; and in extremely difficult circumstances, he turned the situation around with excellent and delicate touch."
"Yes, it was this overhead lob. Isner is 206cm tall. It is not easy for any player to lob over his head. But we can see that Gawain's wrist control is so delicate and focused."
"Moreover, his attention remained focused after this shot. He remained highly focused. The shot that broke the net and scored also showed a good feel. The racket head speed increased instantly. Look! There was another sharp drop over the net!"
"pretty!"
“It’s really beautiful!”
Zhan Jun and Hu Litao exchanged opinions with each other, and unknowingly, the two exchanged glances. A shudder of excitement rushed from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads, like an electric current.
It's not because we see hope for Gao Wen's victory. In a tennis match, any player may hit a magical shot in a flash of inspiration. There is nothing to be surprised about. What is more important than the number of "top ten shots" is sustainability, and whether the excellent state and performance can be maintained throughout the game.
It was because they saw Gao Wen's talent. They had not expected that Gao Wen, a 193 cm tall guy, was a player with quick feet and delicate touch. His soft touch and calm rationality in times of crisis were truly eye-opening.
Regardless of the outcome of this game, one thing is certain: Gao Wen's future is worth looking forward to.
The two commentators exchanged glances, then calmed down and continued to focus on the game.
On the court, Isner was not frustrated by Gawain's wonderful shot, which shows his calmness and composure as a veteran.
Isner then responded with another 130 mph ace, easily winning his serve and bringing the score to 3:3.
The first point was brilliant; the next point was neat and tidy.
It feels like going from hot water to cold water in a sauna. The huge change in temperature really catches people off guard, but this is the norm in tennis matches.
Zhan Jun's eyes followed Gao Wen's movements, observing Gao Wen's reactions and explaining at the same time.
"For young players, this is a huge blow. They just scored a brilliant goal and their morale just rose, but in the blink of an eye, their opponent used an ace to stabilize the situation. They were really helpless."
"This is where Federer's best game is, he can always use ace in time to control the situation. It's not great to make an ace when there is no pressure, but to make an ace at the critical moment when it is needed, this is the real ability. Obviously, Isner also has this ability."
"I hope Gao Wen can stabilize his mentality, stay focused, not be affected, and turn around to focus on his serve."
So, how is Gawain doing on the court?
Steady and focused.
How could Gao Wen's faith be shaken by an ACE?
After confirming that his first-round opponent was Isner, Sampras fully played the role of consultant and gave advice to Gawain.
When he was young, Sampras himself was a master of serving. He knew clearly that when the serving ability reached the master level, it would be difficult to shake, especially for someone like Isner, whose serving was the most powerful part of his tactical system and was very solid and reliable.
Even if it can be shaken and disrupted, it is not that simple.
When playing against a serving machine, you need patience and carefulness, and you must continuously try to receive every serve that you may touch. Even if it only evolves from an ACE to a straight serve, you must not give up. You must continue to touch the ball. There are three main reasons: one is to put pressure on the opponent's serve, one is to prevent the opponent's serve from entering the comfort zone, and one is that you need to find the feel of receiving the serve.
The first two points require looking at the game, the momentum of both sides and their states of control; but the third point is the only thing the receiving side can and must do.
Just now, Gao Wen was implementing such a strategy.
After five rounds of competition, Gawain finally adapted to the atmosphere of the Grand Slam and the feel of the Arthur Ashe Stadium - of course he still needs more time to adapt, but at least now he can spare the energy to make different attempts in the game, just like in his previous games.
Therefore, Gao Wencai spared no effort to run and chase the ball, not to shake Isner, but to test him and to improve his own condition.
In this case, Isner immediately served an ace, but Gawain naturally didn't care at all and turned around to focus on his serve -
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Now they need to test Isner's firepower in the rounds. Sampras told Gawain that Isner's weaknesses are running and backhand ability, which is not a secret in the tour. Everyone knows that they need to suppress the backhand when playing against Isner. But Isner's forehand ability is underestimated, precisely because his serve ability is so good that people often don't see that his forehand attack is very good.
Therefore, among the countless serving machines on the tour, Isner has stayed in the top 20 in the world rankings for the longest and most stable time.
If Gawain wants to create opportunities, he must break through with his forehand, making Isner's forehand weak, and then his entire offensive system will be shaken, including the stability of his serve.
It was impossible for Gao Wen to test Isner's serve, so naturally he could only test his opponent on his own serve.
Four minutes later—
"Competition, high."
Although Isner once caught up to "40:30", Gao Wen still firmly held his serve and continued to lead the score, entering the break with a "4:3" lead.
Zhan Jun didn't see Gao Wen's tactical intention for the time being - after all, he still lacked understanding.
"Although there was a little fluctuation, Gawain still managed to hold his serve. This young player performed far beyond expectations on the Arthur Ashe Stadium stage for the first time."
"But now the first set has entered its final stages, the competition will become more and more intense, and each game will be more intense. The real test is coming."
(End of this chapter)