Chapter 44 Each Has Its Pros
and Cons This is how legends are formed. In the process of word of mouth, they are exaggerated a little bit, deviated a little bit, and decorated a little bit, and then they expand several times:
During the off-season of 2013, the University of California, Los Angeles held a "Friendly Invitational Tournament". In the official competition, an unknown NCAA player defeated the Australian genius Kyrgios. Throughout the game, Kyrgios was completely suppressed and unable to fight back. He even swallowed a duck egg.
Obviously, from the nature of the game to the course of the game and the result of the game, everything has long been changed beyond recognition, just like an urban legend, leaving a deep mark.
…
Billy Martin let out a long breath, but his brows were still tightly knotted. Even if he raised his hand to relax his brows, they were entangled again in less than two seconds. The worry and anxiety in his heart could not be calmed down, and his mind was filled with questions.
Indeed, UCLA remains the favorite to win this year’s NCAA Tennis Team Championship, with Thompson and Gillon both in the top tier.
However, the team competition tests the overall strength of the entire team. No matter how outstanding the first singles player is, he can only complete one game. Compared with the ability of the top players, the level of the third to sixth singles players is the top priority.
That was the case in last year's championship game against Virginia.
After a fierce battle, the Brown Bears were leading with a total score of 3:2 and were the first to reach the championship point. As long as they could win one more game, they would be able to win the championship. However, in the last two games, they lost both the third singles and the fourth singles, and were tragically reversed by their opponents. They watched the championship trophy slip from their fingertips.
Comprehensive strength is the most precious charm of the team champion.
Although the Brown Bears have a group of strong players, the overall strength of their competitors is not inferior.
It goes without saying that the arch-rival University of Southern California is still the top favorite to win the championship. The University of Illinois, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Virginia, the Ohio State University, etc. are also equally matched. In addition, there are dark horses waiting in the wings, so we must never take it lightly.
Now within the Bruins team, Thompson and Gillon are indeed in pretty good shape, but there are still concerns.
Thompson was the sixth singles player on the team last year, and his record was mediocre. He lost many key battles and his performance under great pressure was disappointing. This summer, he made an overall improvement and was suddenly pushed to the front line, taking on the important task of being the first singles player. Under the pressure of being the center of attention, it is a big question whether he can continue his form in the fall season.
Jilong has been improving steadily in the three years since he joined the team. He was the third singles last year and the second singles this year. In terms of talent and level, he has shown an upward curve. However, due to the difference in physical conditions, Jilong's matches against power players have always been difficult, and his energy and physical strength are greatly consumed. It is also a challenge for him to maintain a good condition throughout the long season.
Apart from them, the third singles player Gage-Brymer and the fourth singles player Mackenzie McDonald both showed typical teenager style - their performance was fluctuating. Sometimes they played like crazy and could easily beat anyone; sometimes they were in a slump and it was not surprising to lose to anyone.
Moreover, it is not just the ups and downs throughout the season, but the ups and downs within a single game are also very obvious.
Of course, this is a common trait among young players, and it is also a feature in youth competitions and NCAA competitions, but as a head coach, Martin needs to consider the overall situation, how to fully mobilize the players' status, and how to reasonably arrange the matchups - just like Tian Ji's horse racing, which is very particular.
The problem is that the positions of the team's fifth and sixth singles players are currently undecided, which may also affect the deployment of the third and fourth singles players, and this is also Martin's biggest headache.
Carruth Sale, Joseph Di Giulio, Dennis Mkrtchian and Gao Wen.
The overall strength of these four players is comparable, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Martin has not yet made a decision and remains open to competition.
On the one hand, we hope that the players can maintain a positive and optimistic spirit in training, form healthy competition, and inspire each other to be at their best.
On the other hand, there is indeed no best choice, and it takes time to observe.
Judging from physical talent alone, Gawain is undoubtedly the most outstanding, especially his feel for the ball and his touch, which left a very deep impression on Martin, but unfortunately, his serve and forehand lack aggressiveness, which is undoubtedly fatal for male tennis players.
Especially in college competitions, these young students are full of energy. Every time they return the ball, they swing their arms and hit it with all their strength. The suppression of power does not give the delicate touch too much room to maneuver, which also forces Gao Wen to easily fall into passive defense of running back and forth.
It is true that Gao Wen's mobility and defensive abilities are top-notch for a 193-cm tall man, and he is not necessarily at a disadvantage in rounds; but on a hard court, constantly running back and forth to defend is actually very draining on the knees, and the effort and benefit of running are often not proportional.
Martin didn't want Gawain's talent to be exhausted in such a way so early. He still needed more patience and wait for Gawain to grow slowly.
Some time ago, Martin naturally did not miss the rumors about "Gawain defeating Kyrgios".
But as a professional coach, Martin also knows that things are definitely not as exaggerated as they seem. At least the nature of the game and the final score are very different from the facts.
Kyrgios is not ranked high in the world, but his physical talent and hitting ability are unquestionable, and he does have the potential to become the world's number one. Given Gao Wen's current ability level, it is almost an impossible task to defeat Kyrgios in a complete game.
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Later, Martin also learned the details of the entire game. With his professional eyes, Martin could see the key points at a glance.
Kyrgios’ carelessness and negligence were very important premises. At the same time, Gawain’s wisdom and composure when facing strong opponents also left a deep impression.
The combination of serves, the choice of return lines, the way to deal with difficult situations... these details can show Gao Wen's tennis wisdom. The score of "5:0" is a bit exaggerated and a bit lucky, but it is also a reflection of Gao Wen's ability.
Since the winter training, Gao Wen's dedication and growth in a short period of time have really impressed Martin, and he is also looking forward to Gao Wen's future growth.
This is also the most valuable quality of young people. Talent is a rare treasure, but not everyone can fully tap their own treasure. Now it seems that Gawain is tapping his potential step by step. In time, Martin believes that Gawain can beat Kyrgios fairly.
However, the spring season is just two months away and the six singles spots are still not confirmed, so they don't have much time left.
(End of this chapter)