Unexpected, but not surprising, after all, this is Wimbledon. Gawain escaped the first rain disturbance, but he did not escape the second.
After returning from an interruption due to rain, Murray immediately adjusted his tactics and status, launching an attack on Gao Wen with full firepower. The whole style of play was very aggressive, from rhythm to line to layout, every aspect could be felt.
The 2013 champion’s understanding of the characteristics of grass.
Of course, Gawain is not a good person either.
Responding to the situation and seizing the opportunity are also Gawain's strengths. Although he was not able to adapt to the venue immediately, Gawain still found a way.
In the first service game after the game restarted, Gao Wen withstood Murray's impact, saved a break point, and secured serve in a thrilling manner.
However!
Immediately, Murray showed his ability as a giant, continued to speed up, continued to exert pressure, firmly caught the short window when Gao Wen was not able to fully adapt to the environment and drastic changes in rhythm, and cleverly used the gap in game experience to break the confrontation between the two sides.
Balance and achieve results.
First he kept his own serve, and then forced a break point in Gao Wen's second service game. Although Gao Wen saved two of them with his wonderful performance, he was unable to save the third one. He used a forehand to lift the excess
The baseline ball went out of bounds and the serve was sent, falling behind.
——"6:4".
With this break advantage, Murray took the first set.
Typical grass game.
Everything happens too fast; moreover, the service advantage is amplified, and a break of serve often determines the outcome of a set, especially in top-level duels.
Objectively speaking, Gao Wen's performance in the first set was not bad. After many games, he gradually found the feel of playing on grass. The duel with Murray was even more back-and-forth. The two bottom lines
The master showed many wonderful turns in transitioning between offense and defense, and received waves of applause.
However, the shortcomings of experience still have to pay the price. Even if you are already a Grand Slam champion, you still need to start from scratch in grass-court events.
As the game progressed, both players entered the state, refusing to give in an inch, and the head-to-head confrontation with red bayonets erupted with strong sparks.
In the seventh game of the second set, Murray served.
Murray experienced fluctuations in physical strength and failed to score a single serve in a row. Gao Wen keenly seized the opportunity and caught Murray's second serve to launch an attack. The two sides launched a fierce fight.
This game was extremely close. Murray missed three game points but also saved three break points. Finally, on the fourth break point, Gao Wen used a backhand diagonal shot that shocked everyone and forced Murray to slip on his feet.
He failed to touch the ball and break serve, ending the eleven-minute game.
In the end, also relying on this break of serve, "6:4", Gao Wen won the second set and evened the score.
In the third set, in the third game, Gao Wen served.
In fact, both Gawain and Murray faced physical tests, and the batting quality of both players dropped significantly, but this game was more difficult for Gawain.
After all, as the serving side, the quality of serving has declined due to physical problems, which means that the receiving side can start fighting.
At this time, the difference in understanding of grassland characteristics is also reflected——
The skills and tactics are still the same as those in the arsenal, but choosing which weapon at the right time and which method to choose under the situation are the key.
In the head-to-head confrontation in a narrow road, Murray was slightly better. Although Gawain saved four break points, he still could not escape the fifth break point.
Murray showed flexible return handling in passive defense, constantly hiding traps, creating difficulties, firmly restricting Gao Wen's offense, and finding a gap. As soon as he hit the ball, he switched from defense to offense, relying on his positive attitude.
He scored the winning point in a straight line and finally cashed in on the break point again.
At this point, Gawain can really feel that his understanding of the grass is still not enough——
After entering the offensive mode, he fell into a blind spot whirlpool. The offensive techniques, lines, landing points, rhythm and tactical combinations failed to bring out the characteristics of grass. When his physical fitness declined and he was in crisis, he subconsciously returned to the offensive routine of hard courts.
, changes that lack details.
On the contrary, Murray's passive defense showed his deep understanding of this field and relied on excellent defensive quality to complete the restriction.
In this point, in this game, Murray really gave Gao Wen a good lesson on grass.
Gawain is not depressed, the game is not over yet, right?
However, Murray did not sell any flaws. After facing the extreme physical difficulties, it is unbelievable that Murray's control of the game has improved to a higher level.
The reason is very simple, it is still the understanding of grass.
In the predicament of extreme physical fitness, unable to rely purely on strength or speed to form a confrontation, Murray can find more effective ways to handle the ball; Gawain's handling lacks new ideas, and more often uses the hard court or the ball subconsciously.
The method of treating red soil is not correct.
Of course, Gawain's method can also work and the gap will not be widened, but Murray's method is more effective, so——
"6:4".
Murray, in the next set, exceeded the score again, leading "2:1".
In the first three sets, each set was decided with one break of serve. The back-and-forth battle between the two players was still very close and tense.
It was completely in line with expectations. It was indeed the matchup that people were most looking forward to and most optimistic about after the draw was released.
It is precisely because of this that after entering the fourth set, both players focused more on their own serving games to ensure that they did not lose; but at the same time, with the decline in physical fitness, mistakes inevitably increased.
The service game also faced more crises, making the situation even more anxious.
Murray, who took the lead in serving in the fourth set, made full use of the rules of the game to maintain the lead in the score and continued to put pressure on Gao Wen again and again; but both players gritted their teeth and saved multiple breaks.
The point was completed and the match was stalemate all the way.
In the first ten games, there was no break of serve; and Murray, who had always maintained the lead, did not see the match point for the time being, and the situation was closer than in the previous three games.
In the eleventh game, Murray saved a break point and then held serve, exceeding the score again, "6:5".
Next, Gao Wen must face the second service game that must be guaranteed. Once he encounters a break, it will be the end of the game. In the last crisis, Gao Wen performed very calmly and excellently, and did not face any break points -
—That is, match point, smooth service, and a tight grip on the game.
Judging from all signs, the fourth set is very likely to lead to a tiebreaker.
However.
Murray, speed up.
Sudden enough and unexpected enough.
From any point of view, Murray should speed up from the front. At "4:3" or "5:4", this is very suitable.
But Murray didn't, and his attention was always on his serve; now at "6:5", everyone thought that Murray would not launch an attack, but would keep his physical and energy in the tie-break, waiting for the tie-break.
When the game came to an end, Murray launched an attack without warning.
then--
"15:30".
In the service game where Gawain had no retreat, Murray took the lead.
