At an unexpected moment, Gawain broke the balance without warning, and it was obvious that Istomin was killed by surprise.
Every cell in Istomin's body sounded the alarm. He looked across the court in shock and surprise, glaring at Gawain fiercely. He was unable to recover, and for a moment he couldn't tell exactly who he was.
His emotions were just shock and numbness, and his chest was heaving violently.
In the end, Istomin finally withdrew his sight and regained his sense, because he knew that the situation at this time was more dangerous than the beginning of the fourth set.
Next time, he needs to think carefully——
a district.
Before serving, Istomin glanced at Gaowen warily to judge Gaowen's position, fearing that Gaowen would replicate the serve-receiving strategy again.
However, everything was calm.
Istomin paused and adjusted, and when he served, he could clearly feel that the speed of the racket head was picking up!
One shot, inner corner.
Speed, 190 kilometers per hour.
Fully speeding up, fully alert, and aware of the urgency of the crisis, Istomin also increased his attention, and the threat of the first shot also increased.
And, entered the zone.
However, on the other side of the court, Gao Wen's reaction speed was very quick and timely, and he accurately predicted Istomin's service route selection and got it right in one step.
Inside corner, backhand——
The entire tactical intention is very clear. The first reaction in a crisis situation is to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. This is everyone's instinct. Especially during the game, the brain cannot calm down and look at the overall situation. Istomin will inevitably fall into a routine.
The tactical layout is very clear.
First, in order to prevent Gao Wen from entering the baseline again to receive the serve, he needs to open up the angle and increase his speed. This is the most intuitive way.
Secondly, in order to improve his first-serve scoring rate, he also increases the threat of his serve.
Therefore, there is no suspense in choosing to suppress Gao Wen's backhand, which performed relatively poorly in this game. It can be said that this is an instinct. Even top players find it difficult to stay calm every time, and occasionally fall into a rut.
You will also be bound by yourself, no one is an exception.
This is precisely the tactical intention of Gawain's sudden attack in this game. He needs to disrupt Istomin's rules and balance, and then seize the upper hand.
--coming!
Kick off the ground, activate, and strike backhand.
But I have to admit that despite Gawain's pre-judgment and preparation, Istomin's serve quality still brought good impact and squeezed Gawain's swing.
Facing the first serve, and it was still on the grass, there was not enough room to swing the backhand. In the end, Gao Wen had no way to exert force, so he could only use his strength to hit the shot. Following the movement direction of his body, the racket moved forward.
With a push and a rub, the tennis ball was quickly rubbed back by relying solely on the wrapping of the wrist.
This is an obvious side spin——
The tennis ball was not heavy, but it was fast and light enough. It crossed the net and flew in a backward direction towards Istomin's forehand gap.
Istomin was highly focused and immediately returned to his position after serving. He also anticipated Gao Wen's return route——
Because this is the strategy of serving, limiting Gao Wen's swing space and not giving Gao Wen a chance to hit the diagonal, so he can wait in the forehand position.
Stride, leap...in place!
From serving to attacking, Istomin also showed his concentration. Don’t forget, he is the one leading the score in this game——
Kick on the ground, swing the racket... and shoot.
Istomin's forehand attack was very resolute, his racket head speed was completely increased, he hammered in a straight line, and aimed at Gao Wen's backhand bottom line triangle to hit accurately.
The connection is fast, the rhythm is fast, and the landing point is accurate. The only regret is the lack of strength, but it does not seem to be that important on the grass field.
Once you step on it, support it with your right leg.
With one push, the calf exerts force.
In the blink of an eye, Istomin had controlled his body, stopped and turned suddenly, started a second time, and quickly returned to defend his backhand position after completing his forehand attack.
Not only because the entire left court has been cleared, but also because Gawain's backhand was not in good condition today, and several straight backhand attempts were unsuccessful. At this time, Istomin hammered Gawain's backhand again, so there was no need to worry about Gawain's backhand.
Just return the ball in a straight line and directly defend the diagonal gap.
Tread, tap, tap!
Istomin's footsteps were very determined and he was back in position in a flash.
Then, Istomin could see that Gawain's steps were already in place. His light and nimble steps showed no signs of fatigue at all, and he was in place immediately.
However, Gao Wen did not slow down and brake, but continued to rush forward in a cross step, setting up his backhand with both hands early, as if he was carrying a rocket launcher.
etc!
Istomin had an unknown premonition, but before he had time to make a detailed judgment and analysis, he saw Gawain's two-handed backhand shot neatly——
Swing, swing, close.
"ah!"
With the release of the roar, power and sweat bloomed in the sun, the racket quickly closed and then continued to recover diagonally above the right shoulder.
Damn it!
Istomin only had this idea in his mind, but it was already too late. After an emergency brake, his footsteps were locked in place, and he watched helplessly as the tennis ball entered the straight gap behind him.
The straight backhand was Gawain's trump card. Although he performed poorly throughout the game, he still showed the courage of a Grand Slam champion at the critical moment and struck hard.
In fact, the angle and depth are not pursued to the extreme. There is still some space before the bottom line triangle. More is the pursuit of lines. At this time, we can see the brilliance of Gao Wen. Even in poor condition, he still uses line combination to open up the situation.
The tennis ball, like a shooting star, dragged its long tail and fell to the ground——
Score.
"ah!"
Roar, release!
Istomin looked over following the voice, and then he saw those eyes, which were deep and bright, flashing with a dangerous bloodthirsty aura that locked onto his every move. The overwhelming momentum was so overwhelming that he almost couldn't breathe.
.
Bold, decisive, resolute, sober.
In the past two minutes of the game, Gao Wen truly showed the style of a top player. He seized an opportunity that was not an opportunity and opened up a possibility that could completely reverse the situation of the entire game. The enthusiasm that radiated from the inside out.
His championship temperament easily ignited the entire stadium.
"0:40".
Court No. 2 is boiling.
Just when everyone was on the verge of falling asleep again, Gawain broke the deadlock with a series of heavy punches, and then the entire audience went crazy.
Huchi, wheeze...
Istomin's chest rose and fell rapidly, a little annoyed and a little angry. At this point, it was obvious that he was the one who planned the plan, but in the end he was completely at a disadvantage.
Grass!
After all, Istomin couldn't hold back. The caddy had already thrown the tennis ball to him, but he was not prepared to choose it at all. After catching the tennis ball, he threw it back without even looking at it, and threw the tennis balls in the hands of the ball boys on both sides of the court.
All the tennis balls were "boycotted" before the turbulent emotions calmed down a little.
Crisis, severe crisis.
Next, Istomin had to face three consecutive break points, and the outcome of the fourth set was in danger.