Chapter 939: Staying Calm in the Face of Danger
"Shh!"
At Rod Laver Arena, spectators were organizing the situation and calling on everyone to remain quiet, not because of Gawain, but because Djokovic was about to break serve.
Buzz buzz buzz.
There was still a surge in the air, but Gao Wen remained calm and unmoved. He stood in the second zone early and prepared to serve.
Gawain knew that he could lose the match and Djokovic could win, and that this was a fact, not just a probability.
However, Gao Wen also knew that if Djokovic wanted to win this game, he would have to fight to the end because he would not surrender.
Absolutely! No! His battle is far from over.
The more difficult and the more dangerous it is, the more focused and the more motivated I am. After passing the test of extreme physical strength, my heartbeat and breathing are back on track. My attention is completely focused on the next point. For the time being, I don't think about victory or defeat, or the championship. I just focus on the game.
Snap. Snap.
From the sound of the ball bouncing, it can be heard that Gao Wen's mentality is very stable and there is no fluctuation at all.
District 2.
One shot, inside corner.
Deep area.
Gao Wen chose a very tricky landing point, just on the baseline of the serving area, a line ball; the speed was not fast, but the topspin was very fierce.
Djokovic was a little surprised, and his forehand was squeezed a little, and he barely made it through, but at the critical moment, he still showed his unparalleled feel for receiving the serve and actually controlled the arc of the return ball.
The whole audience watched as Djokovic's return ball flew back unsteadily and actually successfully hit the baseline.
Wow! Everyone exclaimed! Djokovic's serve quality was indeed very good. Even though Gawain's first serve quality was good, he still couldn't suppress him.
To a large extent, this was also a link that Djokovic attached great importance to today. He continued to put pressure on Gao Wen through his return serves, causing Gao Wen's serve to have problems again. He had made eight double faults in the first two sets, and it seemed that he had returned to the Doha season overnight.
For male players, the game will indeed be very difficult if they cannot establish an advantage through serving.
Especially when facing Djokovic, who is known as the "world's number one baseline player" today, losing the offensive advantage in the first three shots would be a disaster.
Bottom line!
Deep area!
Moreover, backhand! Djokovic's return was in the middle, but he slightly suppressed the backhand. It was obvious that he was bullying Gao Wen's poor backhand condition today and continued to suppress him.
The harsh sound of the soles of his shoes rubbing against the court was very obvious, and it was immediately apparent that Gawain was adjusting his steps continuously. He did not choose to step back, but instead made room to the right to create enough space for his backhand swing, and then—
Push off the ground!
Turn around!
Swing!
Push! Gao Wen's backhand shot was still very firm, without any hesitation or wavering.
In fact, Gao Wen had long realized that his backhand felt bad.
It has something to do with the weather, physical fitness, competition environment, etc., and most importantly, it has something to do with the opponent. Every link is closely related.
But the problem is that the backhand is an important part of his fight against Djokovic. If he retreats like he did against Nadal in last year's Imperial Capital Open, then Djokovic, like Nadal, will be able to easily seize Gawain's weaknesses and take control of the game without even using 100% of his strength.
This is their ability and also their experience.
Therefore, from the first set to the second set, Gao Wen had been adjusting all the time. Even if there was a risk of making mistakes, he had to stick to the tactics unswervingly.
Just look at the two backhand change of direction errors at the critical moment of the second set tiebreak.
Even if he loses the game in the end, he will try all possible methods and burn all his energy to fight until the last moment.
Slowly, slowly, Gao Wen did regain some of his touch. Although he was still unstable, he was no longer passive in the third set.
The same is true at this time.
He was fully focused, not distracted, and unwavering. The entire hitting action was smooth and flowing. His flexible footwork left enough space for the swing, and he swung the racket in one smooth motion.
Bang! Tennis ball, pushed back quickly.
Flat hit!
Slash!
Blind spot!
Gao Wen showed his courage and determination. Facing the break point, he used his backhand without reservation and directly aimed at the blind spot of the big triangle at the baseline to launch an attack.
"ah!"
Djokovic was also a little surprised. He anticipated Gawain's diagonal return, but did not anticipate the speed and landing point, so his steps were slightly out of place.
However, for Djokovic, this return ball was still not a problem. He showed his flexible physique and successfully grabbed the hitting point with a big step, then blocked the ball with a two-handed backhand.
An iconic shot!
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
Djokovic 's most iconic move is the "dunk" shot, whether it is forehand or backhand, all can be dunked.
Relying on his unparalleled hitting talent, Djokovic is like a solid wall, and he can bounce back any shot, even against Nadal's super topspin. So when watching Djokovic's game, the common scene is:
He ran back and forth at the baseline, and then kept returning all the balls until his opponent became weak. Either his opponent made a mistake and gave away points, or there was a gap in the connection of his opponent's steps, and he seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack.
This shot is Djokovic's signature skill, and it is also the unique skill that makes him the best baseline player.
At this time, Djokovic once again picked up Gao Wen's short, flat and sharp shot.
Whoosh! The ball was returned. The speed was not fast, but it was flat and light. It seemed to be wobbling, but in fact it went along a diagonal line back to the empty space on the left side of Gao Wen's court in a blink of an eye.
From the beginning of the serve, Gao Wen's footsteps were always in the middle court, and he was suppressed to the right side by Djokovic's shots, so that the left half of the court was basically idle.
Djokovic tore open the angle of the diagonal shot and found the opening easily.
Although the force was a bit light, the angle and landing point still made full use of the venue, forcing Gao Wen to move sideways quickly.
Gawain, on the move.
Djokovic, too, is on the move.
Because Djokovic also knew that this return shot could cause some trouble, but it was impossible to win points, and he needed to defend against Gawain's next shot.
As expected!
Gawain's light footsteps were in place in the blink of an eye, and he raised his two-handed backhand high again, like a cannon, aiming at Djokovic's half of the court.
Straight? Diagonal? Middle?
Djokovic moved his feet twice towards his forehand position, but he feinted and then returned to his backhand position.
The reason is simple.
Gao Wen's backhand fluctuated significantly. From the end of the second set to the beginning of the third set, he changed the line three times, all of which went out of bounds.
Therefore, Djokovic needs to guard against Gawain's backhand straight line, but he doesn't need to be too nervous. He should focus more on defending the diagonal line with his backhand.
Look, facing the Big Four, once their own lines cannot be opened, they will be able to immediately tighten their tactics step by step, leaving people with no breathing space.
One comes and one goes.
Everything happened in a flash, and then Gawain hit the ball -
Slash...? (End of this chapter)