Gao Wen made an unconventional ace and easily saved the first break point. For hard courts, the importance of serve is evident.
Shibahara Shuhei didn't think much about it, because the power and speed of Gawain's serve were not intimidating, and more like a lucky ball. He was more annoyed at his error in judgment, blaming himself for the ace, and then concentrated on
Strength and be ready to face the next break point.
But soon, Gawain told Shibahara Shuhei with his actual performance——
Luck is often a part of strength; in many cases, it is also a deviation created after strength reaches a certain level.
At the next point, you can see some clues.
After serving, he hit a straight forehand and then a diagonal backhand. The quick connection and solid hitting completely pinned the opponent to the forehand position. He watched dumbfoundedly as the tennis ball fell into the gap behind him. Here he was,
The tennis ball was there, seemingly close at hand, but unable to react, as if it was separated by the Pacific Ocean.
Gao Wen returned the ball neatly and saved another break point.
No chance at all——
The landing point of the entire batting line is all calculated by Gawain.
Starting from the center of the serve, Shuhei Shibahara's return space was squeezed, and the adjustment of his steps was slightly affected; then he straightened his steps with a forehand shot, forcing Shuhei Shibahara to move laterally in a panic, even though his footwork was far away.
Very fast, even if he loses his balance, he still reaches the position quickly and completes the return of the ball.
But I didn't expect that Gao Wen was not planning to score with a straight forehand shot. Instead, he was setting the stage for the ball. His eyes never left the tennis ball. When Shibahara Shuhei barely completed the touch defense, Gao Wen had already moved in advance.
——
Waiting for the backhand slash position early, getting ready to hit the ball, and observing Shibahara Shuhei's stance, he steadily hit a two-handed backhand slash, returning the ball quickly and heavily, and the entire two-handed backhand
His hitting was very solid, and he was clearly on his feet early on.
Shibahara Shuhei subconsciously wanted to make up for the gap on his forehand, but was caught off guard by Gawain's backhand shot, leaving him pitifully standing there.
What is overall layout?
This is called overall layout. You create enough pressure through your own shots to force your opponent to return the ball according to your expectations. It's like creating a trap in chess. You watch your opponent step into the trap step by step, and then hit the fatal blow.
Looking back at the ace from the previous point from this point, Shuhei Shibahara felt that his thinking speed could not keep up. The fact was that Gawain did not leave any chance.
After calming down, the quality of Gao Wen's batting improved by more than one level. From power to speed, from placement to spin, from tactics to execution, his condition improved in all aspects. On the surface, it seemed that he was facing two break points.
On the edge of a cliff, but Gawain's score was completely effortless.
With no breathing time and a sudden burst of wind and rain, Shuhei Shibahara could no longer keep up with the rhythm, both physically and mentally.
The next point was a de-energized serve from a wide outside angle.
It was obviously not fast, the speed at the moment of shooting was only 170 kilometers per hour, but the landing point was precise, and there was external spin after landing. Shuhei Shibahara watched the ball speed fluctuate and believed that he could catch it, but he missed it after moving laterally.
When he hit the ball, the tennis ball had already flown over his head.
ace!
This is clearly bullying Shibahara Shuhei's height! Although both were directly scored by ace, the two serves used completely different hitting methods. The entire serve routine was elusive, which immediately increased the threat level by several levels.
.
The next point was a flat serve from the middle.
There was no spin or tricks, a completely flat hit, and the serve at 185 kilometers per hour did not seem to be considered a heavy serve. However, the sudden increase in speed once again broke Shibahara Shuhei's prediction, and he changed the tactical combination during the three consecutive serving stages.
, especially the increase in speed disrupts the rhythm.
Faced with the tennis ball that was rushing towards him from close range, Shibahara Shuhei couldn't get out of the way in time. He couldn't stretch the ball at all, so he just barely blocked it with his racket.
The tennis ball flew high into the sun, and then slowly landed in the service area on Gawain's side. At this time, Gawain had already rushed to wait for a heavy shot with high pressure.
Faced with such an easy shot, Gawain finished the game with ease and ease, just like taking a leisurely stroll. It should have been a crisis of consecutive break points, but Gawain's way of handling the situation completely eliminated the tension and suspense.
Shibahara Shuhei just stretched the racket symbolically, but there was no chance at all. Then the tennis ball had already formed two jumps - just like the table tennis ball, after bouncing on the ground twice, it is a dead ball.
The bells were ringing and the wind was rolling. Before Shuhei Shibahara could catch his breath, Gawain had already scored four points in a row. From facing two break points to successfully holding serve, it only took less than two minutes. The situation was confusing.
It has already been reversed.
When Gawain faced off against Yoshiro, his advantage in terms of tactical layout was not obvious yet, but now facing Shuhei Shibahara, the entire gap suddenly widened.
"Ahhh!"
From the stadium stands, there was a sound of cheering. Although the Bruins had already secured the victory of this game in advance before Gao Wen came on the stage, the new season kicked off and the home audience still applauded vigorously and looked forward to it.
A hearty victory set the tone for the season, with both players cheering for the team's young players.
However, amidst the applause, a girl could be seen jumping high, waving her hands vigorously, and cheering passionately:
"Come on! Gawain!"
"Come on! Gawain!"
Such an excited and enthusiastic support attracted all the attention of the surrounding people. However, the girl did not have stage fright. She just waved her Bruins baseball cap vigorously, enthusiastically boosting the morale of the scene, and even other spectators also shouted.
A good-natured laugh.
The Bruins' home court, the Los Angeles Tennis Center, is not big. It was put into use as early as 1984. The largest court can only accommodate 3,800 spectators. It is far from being considered a top tennis venue, but on the West Coast, as the University of California
The home court of UCLA is famous.
Today, in order to welcome the opening of the new season, although the opponent is weak and it is difficult to pose a threat to the Bruins, about 500 people came to the scene to cheer for the tennis team. At this time, the cheers were impassioned and youthful.
The entire audience turned their attention away.
The clear and enthusiastic cheers made Gawain raise his head and look towards the source of the sound. At a glance, he saw Elena Badin's youthful and beautiful figure, with her long silky hair tied into a high ponytail.
Swaying gently with the jumping steps, it seems that you can see the golden sunlight dancing on the hair tips.