Chapter 941: Life on the line
Raise it high!
Put it down gently!
The agile curves are stunning.
“Huh!”
The whole audience exclaimed and gasped.
because!
It was a short shot! Djokovic also chose to use a short shot to surprise the opponent, copying and pasting Gawain's performance on the first break point and giving him a taste of his own medicine.
Djokovic cut a backhand diagonal shot towards the right front court of Gawain. The thrilling arc made the hearts of the whole audience rise high.
Gao Wen accurately predicted the backhand shot and was about to move to his forehand position; but he did not expect the ball to be chosen, and his steps paused slightly.
However, the difference between Gawain and Djokovic is that even if it was not predicted, Gawain was not surprised and was mentally prepared in advance because he knew that this was the case when facing the Big Four. The tactical routines were changing all the time, and once he changed, they might also change immediately.
Moreover, it is important to note that Djokovic went to the net far more times than Gawain tonight. Under Becker's coaching, Djokovic's net technique and net awareness are slowly changing, and are being honed through actual competition, eventually evolving into a weapon at critical moments.
Therefore, Gawain’s reaction was swift.
With a push of his left calf, the whole person rushed out directly, following the inertia of moving to the right, slightly changing the route and rushing forward along a diagonal line.
Squeak! Gao Wen is online.
Swish, swish, swish! Djokovic also went to the net.
The reactions of both players were very timely and fast, their footsteps were connected immediately, and then you could see two figures going to the net at the same time.
The difference is that Gawain was trying to save the ball, while Djokovic was trying to block the subsequent shot.
Gao Wen noticed Djokovic's figure immediately.
If it is the group of young players born after 1990, they have superb baseline strength but weak awareness in front of the net, and their subsequent connection often cannot keep up.
But not the Big Four.
After choosing to dunk, their subsequent tactics also took shape in their minds. They knew whether to defend the baseline or go to the net to block the ball.
Apparently, Djokovic watched the match between Gawain and Murray, and was impressed by his delicate touch at the net. So, Djokovic went directly to the net without hesitation, getting close to the net to further block the ball, and the two players immediately entered the close combat mode.
From this detail, we can see that Becker to Djokovic, Sampras to Gawain, have a direct impact on their tactical systems.
Earlier this year in Doha, both players competed in doubles matches in order to hone their net skills.
The last time they met in doubles, Gao Wen and Nadal won. So what about this time in singles?
Gao Wen was judging Djokovic's position from the corner of his eye.
Although Djokovic is not a giant and lacks advantages in physical blocking, his extensibility and flexibility are particularly good, coupled with excellent prediction, so his coverage in front of the net is also extraordinary.
Because Djokovic had planned ahead, his steps to the net were more relaxed, so he even got into the state earlier than Gawain. He took small steps to prepare for the next shot to block the ball. His tense but flexible muscles showed the strong confidence emanating from inside and outside.
This is also a kind of psychological pressure.
What should he do? What choice should Gao Wen make?
Tap tap tap.
Gawain's main attention is still on the tennis ball. This time, Djokovic lacks some control over the ball. The line and landing point are very good, but the force is not unloaded completely, so the tennis ball bounces particularly high after landing. Obviously, Gawain's rotation and Djokovic's rotation are superimposed on each other.
This also means that Gawain has enough height to complete the shot.
Forehand!
Sweep!
At the moment of attack, Gawain's wrist slightly adjusted, not a soft wrap, but a straight impact -
Like baseball.
In fact, this was a fake move. On the surface, it seemed that Gao Wen was preparing to play the ball back, but in fact, Gao Wen was hitting a deep return ball.
So what's the difference? The difference is in Djokovic's response.
Originally, Djokovic's wrist had softened, ready to handle the delicate ball in front of the net and return a more difficult ball.
As a result, Gawain's return ball hit him directly, so Djokovic had no time to adjust and reflexively stretched out his hand to block the shot on his right side.
Bang! Djokovic still blocked Gawain's shot accurately, but he had no control over the return ball, and the tennis ball actually went up.
Next second.
Gao Wen just jumped out sideways and crossed the ball like a carp leaping over the dragon gate. At this time, there was no space for a two-handed backhand action, so he hit a one-handed backhand at the highest point of the tennis ball's flight.
Just a light touch.
The softness and delicacy of the wrist are clearly revealed.
Then, the tennis ball flew back——
Slash.
Djokovic pushed off the ground hard and threw his body out in the second start, trying to complete the interception.
But, it was a little off.
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Just a little bit.
The tennis ball broke through Djokovic's blockade, landed within the bounds and bounced out.
"40:40".
"ah!"
Gawain, finally released, howled to the sky.
“Ahhhh!”
After being suppressed for too long, Gawain finally couldn't control himself anymore and roared out with great pleasure.
Boom! The Chinese fans and neutral fans in the stadium finally couldn't control themselves anymore and collectively raised their arms and cheered, screaming and roaring directly exploding in their ears.
"nice shot!"
Zhang Sheng felt like his heart was about to stop beating.
"Great shot! The two players battled with wits and courage, showing courage and determination in this point."
"Djokovic tried to copy Gawain's small-ball tactics and break the balance, but we could see Gawain's handling of the situation."
"He predicted Djokovic's interception at the net, so he changed his hitting method from a shallow short ball to a deep long ball at the moment before he shot. This also disrupted Djokovic's interception and eventually created an opportunity for his next interception, saving the third break point."
"incredible!"
"We must understand that Gawain is only 19 years old this year. His wisdom and calmness, experience and intelligence are truly impressive."
"Even against Djokovic, Gawain still showed incredible top level."
"Djokovic lost control of his emotions a little bit during this point and yelled at the players' box."
Djokovic is indeed dissatisfied, very very dissatisfied——
To yourself.
After experiencing a painful reversal in the Paris Masters, Djokovic suffered two consecutive defeats against Gao Wen, which is a painful memory for him.
Therefore, last year in London and this year in Melbourne, Djokovic's attention was raised to the highest level to ensure that he would not lose the battle due to carelessness.
but!
At the critical moment, Gao Wen saved three break points in a row with a solid and brave, bold and delicate performance, which was not a good thing for Djokovic.
This is true in any competitive sport. In top-level competitions, missing opportunities will be punished.
"ah!"
Djokovic also roared out, even with two sets in hand, he must not take it lightly.
(End of this chapter)