Even Gawain wanted to applaud Tsonga. This time the ball control was indeed very, very, very good, but Gawain was not ready to give up.
Regardless of whether he can catch up in the end, he should at least try to see. Gawain's fighting spirit is burning brightly, and every inch of his muscles is exploding.
However, it’s not enough, it’s still not enough——
Tsonga's ball had everything it needed to land, to release force and to release force, to spin and rotate, and it directly pushed Gawain to the edge of the cliff.
then.
One kick.
One punch.
He slipped and rushed out.
If it were on a hard court, then this ball would definitely be helpless. The only thing that can be done is to applaud Tsonga; but here is clay, and there is more knowledge, speed and rotation in footwork on this court.
Differences can often become unknown variables in the game.
However, Gawain firmly remembered Graf's opinion:
Sliding and spinning are essential weapons for adapting to clay court games.
Close.
Both Gawain and Tsonga performed well in the first three rounds, but their only regret was that their opponents lacked stamina.
A gentle flick of the wrist was like a slender hand lifting a veil. There was no force at all, it was just a push.
Tsonga, covered in embarrassment, with wet sweat stuck to the red soil, looked like a superhero who had failed to transform.
One rub, one pick.
Especially Gao Wen, against Thiem and Parley, he was defeated in the last set of two consecutive games. It was one-sided and the strong confrontation could not last until the end.
The difficulty of the "sliding step" technique lies in: first, balance, how to cleverly maintain the body's center of gravity; second, control, combining multiple factors such as timing, strength and speed, when to start, how much acceleration to attach, and when to brake.
How to start again after braking.
However, today, the game has entered the final set, but the back-and-forth battle still maintains a strong sense of tension, and the suspense of victory or defeat is still unknown.
The so-called unfamiliarity and unskilledness refer specifically to the second half.
For Gawain, the former is not difficult, and you can see the importance of basic footwork skills at this time; but the latter is a completely new subject.
There was a long trail behind him, and the hem of his clothes fluttering in the wind was so graceful and light, like a sudden flash of lightning, flashing before his eyes.
boom!
In an instant, the whole place surged, and the passion and enthusiasm deep in the heart finally could no longer be suppressed and exploded with force.
Originally, due to the potential threat of the weather, people should leave one after another. No one wants to be soaked in the rain, but that is not the case at the scene. The Philippe Chartier Stadium is slowly filling up little by little, and the attendance rate
From 60% in the opening stage, it has gradually exceeded 80%.
The spectators at the Stade Philippe-Chartier are in for a treat—
Gawain was sitting on the ground eating dirt, panting like an ox, his face was red, he didn't even have the energy to roar, he just clenched his fists and his eyes were bright.
Can't catch up.
Not far away, Tsonga had fallen to the ground, and the entire left field had been completely cleared. Although Tsonga stood up quickly, it was too late to start, especially when Gao Wen pushed a midfield ball, which was not deep, but
It was enough. He crossed Tsonga's position and flew towards the backcourt.
It can be seen from the state of the two players that they did their best for this point without reservation.
Not to mention compared with top players like Nadal and Thiem, there is still a gap compared with ordinary clay court players. After all, I am still a novice.
In fact, Gawain still needs to continue to learn his sliding steps.
so--
At this moment, any audience watching the live broadcast of the game, without exception, all applauded.
Gently, softly, softly, the tennis ball flew back again.
Amidst the roar that swept the entire field, Tsonga walked towards Gawain and asked with his eyes; Gawain raised his hand to indicate that he was fine, stood up with his racket supporting his body, and then walked towards the net and met Tsonga.
He fist-bumped in celebration, and a smile crept up the corner of his mouth.
As soon as the pace started, Tsonga realized that he could not catch up, so he stopped helplessly and watched the tennis ball form two jumps.
Because I was worried that I would not be able to control the speed and hit the net, I started a little early. As a result, my power was exhausted, and then...
Even though he was not very skilled, and even though he came to Roland Garros under tremendous pressure both on and off the court, Gao Wen was still very resolute in his tactical execution.
rustle.
Then, the racket head appeared.
Gawain's calculation of the distance and position of the sliding step is still not accurate enough, just like now——
High and floating.
Midfield.
"Don't be afraid to fail, and don't be afraid to make mistakes."
Seeing that the tennis ball has begun to fall for the second time, it seems that it can no longer withstand the pressure of rotation and gravity, and it falls vertically.
But soon, Gawain realized that it was too early to start.
what to do?
However, they saw that Gawain's upper body was completely leaning forward, and the flexibility of his body had been pushed to the extreme. From the audience stands or the live broadcast screen, you can see that from the thigh to the torso to the racket, it extends into a straight line, and the breath extending behind him
The waves and white lines perfectly display the grandeur of the vision.
From tightening to relaxing to tightening and finally back to relaxing again, it was a close-quarters fight that saw red bayonets, and finally ended abruptly in this way.
However, this is enough.
There is still a small half step left.
Before the footstep reaches the bottom line of the teeing area, the sliding step has already been pushed out, and the clay court turns into a ski resort in a second, with billowing red waves flying.
Sliding, he jumped out without hesitation.
rustle.
It can be seen at a glance that Gawain is not pursuing the ultimate - of course, it may be that his body has reached the extreme and there is no way to continue to pursue detailed control; on the contrary, the entire return arc looks very ordinary and simple, just like this.
Lift up from the ground and return to the other side.
When the game reached the final set, when the game was almost three hours old, the two players still showed such a state and dedicated such a wonderful round.
The entire audience was silent, silently watching the two players on the court——
straight line.
Closer.
Ahhhh!
Ahhhh!
The applause and whistles climbed steadily, creating an incredible heat wave. Even the layers of dark clouds covering their heads were reduced to supporting roles. Even if the end of the world came, they were still reveling in the party and firmly grasping it.
Every minute and second of life, burn and bloom as much as you want.
Snapped.
Some players, because of the one-point victory in front of them, often dare not try these unfamiliar technologies, and still choose the way they are most familiar with and comfortable to play, refusing to step out of their comfort zone; but this is wrong, and they need to take a long-term view, anyway.
You need to learn and adapt, and try as soon as possible to shorten the trial and error time.
Even the two players are no exception.
Moreover, it continues to rise. For a fourth-round game, such a scene is really rare. It seems that the entire Roland Garros' attention is gathering towards the center court.
There is no doubt about Tsonga's appeal, but the wonderful performance he and Gao Wen jointly contributed is the key.