The diagonal blind angle, Dimitrov directly tore the angle apart.
The diagonal line was diagonal, and Sock used his strength to further tear the angle apart, making full use of the width of the doubles court and fully mobilizing the angle.
Free!
Sock, like Dimitrov, also aimed at a gap and exerted all his strength. It can be seen from the hitting action that he was swinging the racket aiming at the winning point.
At this time, Dimitrov's position was a bit awkward:
First, his steps were continuously moving up vertically, and Sock's diagonal shot was just out of his position.
Secondly, I had just completed the volley forehand attack, and my body weight continued to press forward. When I started the second time, my steps were stuck in place.
but!
Don't forget, this is a doubles match.
A blue gust of wind roared along the net and across the entire court.
Gawain.
After finishing the previous shot, he dodged and observed Dimitrov's shot. During the short gap, Gawain had already noticed Sock running away.
The answer to Sock's hitting line is very simple, because in the straight direction of Sock, there is Pospisil standing in front of the net like a high wall. Naturally, he only has one option: a diagonal line.
make a prompt decision!
Gawain has already started.
The connection between big strides and big strides is like a rushing river, mixed with roars and echoes, and merges into the hunting wind. In just a blink of an eye, the figure has already moved from one end of the net to the other, cutting off the entire audience.
The voices ready to cheer and celebrate blocked Sock's attempt to win.
In the high-speed state of running at full speed, the feet are skating quickly on the clay, and the emergency braking control is still not precise enough.
So Gawain simply followed the trend.
He did not choose to brake in an emergency or give up controlling his footsteps. Instead, while continuing to slide, he followed the inertia of forward motion and used a one-handed backhand to intercept the flight path of the tennis ball and block it for a beat.
The racket is positioned above the net, pushing down from top to bottom. Although it does not exert force, the rhythm of hitting the ball can still create impact.
Snapped.
The sound of hitting the ball is not solid, more like a light hit.
On the opposite court, figures intertwined.
In a short period of time, he also completed a defensive replacement——
Pospisil has returned to his position.
He walked to the center of the court, stood in front of the net, covered different routes in front of the net, and happened to hit Gawain's return ball.
Subconsciously, Pospisil had already made an volley.
Just like badminton, before the tennis ball hits the ground, it has already seized the opportunity in front of the net. With a forehand block, the tennis ball hits straight back.
At this time, Gawain was adjusting his steps and trying to return to defense. In his sight, he could see Dimitrov and Pospisil engaging in a head-to-head confrontation.
Once, once.
Then, again—
Once, once.
In the blink of an eye, the two people had already played two rounds in front of the net. There was no strategy at all. They relied entirely on conditioned reflexes. It was dizzying.
This time, Pospisil gained the upper hand——
As the fifth-ranked player in the world in doubles, confrontations in front of the net are a daily part of the game, and those strategies for dealing with them have been deeply engraved in his muscle memory.
Even if it is a conditioned reflex, his return line and hitting technique can still seize the opportunity.
In just two rounds, Pospisil continued to exert pressure by using changes in wrist hitting, forcing Dimitrov's return ball to go up in a parabola.
A high ball means an opportunity to press down. Although it is not a high-pressure ball, it is still a ball under pressure, which is equivalent to a point kill in badminton.
Pospisil is definitely not to be missed.
Adjust in small steps, take off slightly, and find the hitting point slightly above your head.
Swing the racket.
push down.
Judging from the batting action, it should be a light hit, but at the moment of release, the wrist makes a downward movement, and the speed of the entire batting increases.
Moreover, the placement is also very particular.
Slightly deviating from Dimitrov's position, but not too far away. To put it simply, it destroys Dimitrov's judgment of the hitting space. Even if he successfully intercepts the downward ball, it will be very difficult.
With accurate control, Pospisil was able to add another high-pressure shot.
The entire tactical intention is very clear and very strong.
Snapped!
Crisp, light and smart.
After two rounds, Pospisil took the lead in creating an opportunity and breaking the deadlock. The moment he hit the ball, there was a roar.
It is exerting force and also controlling.
It can be seen that Pospisil is very eager for this point, and his attention and state have been raised to the extreme.
Then--
A figure appeared.
It's Dimitrov, and at the same time, it's Gawain.
Pospisil's hit hit the spot at the junction of the two opposing players, and there was no time for discussion between the two players, so both players started and rushed towards the hit point at the same time.
Gawain was in front and Dimitrov was behind. The two figures overlapped. As a result, Gawain was still in front and intercepted the return ball.
The tennis ball is flying.
Pospisil was overjoyed: Here comes the high-pressure opportunity.
The previous shot was a point kill without full force; this time it should be a high-pressure shot with full force.
Pospisil continuously adjusted his steps to prepare for the high pressure, but——
etc.
etc!
Something doesn't seem quite right.
After half a beat, Pospisil realized that Gawain's volley was very delicate and detailed, and the arc control was perfect, and it was actually over the top.
Actually! Over the top! Success!
Pospisil, 193 centimeters, is as tall as Gawain. He stands in front of the net like a wall, close to the net, always ready for high pressure.
As a result, Gawain's lightning-fast racket control actually hit an overhead ball miraculously, defusing all attacks.
Pospisil:???
Is this reasonable?
The whole audience exclaimed. Obviously, no one expected that Pospisil's menacing combo at the net would end in such a nihilistic way.
However, the ball is not over yet, so where is Gawain's shot?
Whizzing.
Whizzing.
The tennis ball passed over Pospisil, then passed over Sock who was about to hit the net, and flew towards the baseline.
Wow!
The whole audience was stunned.
Sock was also a little panicked. He was originally going to press forward and join Pospisil to block the ball in front of the net. However, Gawain reversed the situation with one shot.
Run wildly.
Sprint.
Sock, running all the way, returned to the bottom line in a flash.
Press the line!
Gawain's lofted ball actually put the general on the line and landed accurately in the boundary. Amidst the exclamations of the audience, this huge problem was handed over to Sock.
The only good thing is that Gawain's shot was already very difficult, so the control was slightly insufficient, with almost no rotation. After landing, it went straight up and down, which also left Sock with room to hit the ball.
Sock made an emergency stop, turned 180 degrees clockwise, rounded his forehand, and used the power of the rotation to hit the ball with all his strength.
ah!
Along with the forceful movement, he roared, and for a while the world was spinning, trying to increase the speed and power of the ball.
And Sock did it.
In this shot, Sock showed his talent in the forehand position.
McEnroe once said that Sock's forehand is among the top five in the ATP and has the ability to challenge Del Potro. This is not pure strength, but a comprehensive strength. Sock's forehand position
He has indeed mastered multiple hitting weapons and can continue to exert force even in difficult situations.