In the third set, Gao Wen took the lead in breaking serve, but Nadal immediately broke back successfully, and the score returned to even balance. The two players exchanged a break of serve, always maintaining a neck-and-neck attitude, and the game was still close.
Nadal, who served first, had a slight advantage. As long as he could hold serve, he could maintain the lead and continue to put pressure on Gawain.
Obviously, Gawain also realizes this and needs to take the lead in making changes.
It just so happened that Gawain was young and could get through the peak of his physical strength a little faster, then launched a continuous attack, and experienced fluctuations at the end of the game.
In the eighth game, Gao Wen experienced three tie-breaking tests but never sent out a break point. In the end, he struggled to hold serve and continued to withstand the pressure to maintain the balance of the score.
In the ninth game, Gao Wen did not take a break to adjust, and then continued to attack Nadal's serve, and the intensity of the confrontation increased significantly.
In this round, Nadal also clearly felt the pressure——
He got game points four times, but missed them all four times; he then gave up a break point, but saved it in a thrilling manner, and then returned to a tie for the fifth time.
Immediately afterwards, in a tug-of-war of 33 shots, Nadal cashed in the winning point with a straight backhand. His center of gravity shook and he almost lost his balance after hitting the ball, but Nadal finally released.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!"
The God of War roared, Nadal clenched his fists, the muscles all over his body were tense and veins popped out, murderous intent surged in his eyes, his sweat was boiling like burning magma, and his overwhelming momentum directly exploded the entire audience.
By the end of the third set, Nadal had passed the peak of his physical strength and regained his touch, but the trouble of poor condition still lingered. Nadal indeed played very hard and frustrated in this game.
However……
In the next point, after seven rounds, a forehand shot stretched out of the baseline and ended with an out-of-bounds. Nadal wasted this game point again.
Back to a tie for the sixth time.
Nadal was very dissatisfied with his forehand performance. He rarely hit the string with his fist to express his anger——
Nadal is the only player in the ATP Tour who has never dropped his racket, not even once. The most extreme action is to hammer the string with his fist, and he only hits it once, and he will never lose his composure a second time.
Everything stems from Uncle Tony's education since childhood.
In Uncle Tony's view, the racket is a tool of the game and a partner in the game. If the player makes a mistake in hitting the ball, he should find the reason from himself. There is no need to blame the props, let alone his friends who are playing alongside him.
Moreover, Uncle Tony emphasized that countless young players may not even be able to own a perfectly strung racket due to financial constraints, and they should not destroy or damage the racket casually.
When Nadal was a child, Uncle Tony made an iron rule that if little Rafa dared to drop his racket, he would never set foot on a tennis court again.
It is precisely because of this that Nadal has never dropped a racket in his entire career. You must know that even as elegant as Federer is no exception. Not only was he a fiery prodigal at the beginning of his career, but he still couldn't help it when he became the king later.
Occasionally I would release my emotions by banging my camera.
Today, in the fourth meeting of Gao Wen and Nadal's career, he saw Nadal hammering the string to express his anger for the first time.
On the one hand, we can see Nadal's frustration and dissatisfaction with his forehand performance; on the other hand, we can see the specialness of Roland Garros. Nadal cares very much about this game and the venue, that kind of desire and urgency.
But it turned into frustration because his performance was unsatisfactory.
The game has indeed entered the stage where the bayonet is seeing red.
And then--
"40:AD".
The break point came again, the second of the game.
Gao Wen grabbed Nadal's second serve and relied on his forehand attack to create a squeeze, and the artist boldly chose to go online to put pressure. It was a very sudden and crazy tactical choice, but he really suppressed Nadal.
Although Nadal tried to break the net, Gao Wen's forehand volley blocked the shot and beat him directly in front of the net, and then got another break point.
Game. Break the situation.
Gawain, who clenched his right fist and secretly cheered for himself, once again showed his demeanor as the God of War, showing his big heart at critical moments and completing the layout boldly and carefully.
The scene has lost its sanity. Not only inside the stadium, but also outside the stadium, the billowing heat wave is also continuously spreading its fangs and claws towards the stadium.
The air was boiling.
The key points, the key points again, come from the showdown between the champions.
The decisive battle at the top of the Forbidden City.
Second District.
One shot.
outer corner.
coming.
Nadal's most classic and best routine appeared again on the second break point of this game; but this time, the effect seemed to be almost the same.
First, Nadal's serving condition was not good. He had just been robbed of a second serve. He still hoped to use the outside corner to create a containment. In order to ensure the first serve, the ball speed did not fully increase and the angle was also lacking.
Not much, just a slight deviation, but this slight deviation between masters' duel may change the situation of the battle.
Secondly, Gao Wen's morale was high, his concentration was concentrated, his body remained mobile, and he was not surprised when he served from the outside corner. His conditioned reflex was very timely, and he rushed out immediately and prepared the shot in advance.
It's not fast, there is no prediction, that is, the reaction speed is a little faster, but the lightning is enough.
One kick.
One.
Gao Wen's two-handed backhand had already pushed back Nadal's serve.
but!
The most lethal part of Nadal's second area outside corner is not the serve itself. This serving routine can cause the opponent to make errors in receiving the serve, but more often it is the left hand, outside corner, spin that suppresses the opponent's backhand, thereby creating a barrier for Nadal.
Dahl connected with the attack in the second shot to create opportunities.
Under this serving routine, Nadal's follow-up attacks are very threatening. He often adjusts his steps and uses forehand attacks, slashes, straight lines, back slashes, almost hitting wherever he wants; moreover, he has both rotation and power.
The placement and line fly together, making it really difficult for the opponent to defend.
Therefore, after Gawain finished hitting the ball, he neither rejoiced nor relaxed, and his footsteps immediately started to move——
At his peak, Nadal had basically no solution if he used this set of tactics. Even if his opponent accurately predicted it, it would still be difficult to parry it. But now Nadal is not at his peak, and his condition is not good, which means that Gao Wen is still
Have the opportunity.
It can be seen from the suppression of the outer corner of the first serve that Nadal has some reservations, or in other words, has some control. In order to ensure the success rate, he slightly reduced his force and slowed down. Gawain's two-handed backhand shot still had some room, and he returned
The quality of the ball is better than expected, so how will Nadal's offense connect in the next shot?
——Backslash.
Gawain must make predictions and cannot hesitate. Even if it is a gamble, he must remain firm and go all out once he makes a choice.
Just after receiving the serve, Gao Wen kicked off his left leg, and his body was already sprinting towards the right. Because his steps were pulled beyond the singles line by Nadal's serve, the entire right side of the court had been completely cleared. Gao Wen's light and agile steps
He made a full horizontal sprint and passed the midfield in the blink of an eye.
Without pausing, continue to move sideways——
dusty.
The footsteps are moving; the eyes are focused on Nadal, tap, tap, tap!