Judging from the results, Gawain still advanced smoothly without any danger, but gradually, Gawain also felt the strong impact of the dual consumption of physical strength and energy.
Moreover, the NCAA is indeed a hidden dragon and a crouching tiger, especially those masters who have not shown their strength in team competitions finally shine in individual competitions.
As the singles match progresses, hidden masters gradually emerge, and subsequent matches should encounter more challenges and impacts.
No matter what, both Gowan and Geelong withstood the severe test. Together with Macdonald, who won easily with steady play, there were three Bruins players in the top 16.
Then, the third round of competition officially started.
Geelong got better and better, defeating Nathan Pasha of the University of Georgia; McDonald made a thrilling three-set comeback against the biggest dark horse in the singles competition, Nick Scholtz from the University of Mississippi, and took the lead in breaking into the quarterfinals.
The two teammates waited quietly for Gawain's final meeting.
At this time, Gawain is facing a dangerous opponent under the watchful eye of Thompson——
Roberto Hinds, who defeated Thompson in the first round.
Sid was able to defeat Thompson partly because of Thompson's physical exhaustion and fluctuating state, but more because of his outstanding performance.
Sid is a typical European clay court player. He is basically the same height and weight as Gawain. His overall body shape is also almost the same, and his muscles are very similar. Although his strength is not very good, he has strong running ability, wide coverage area, and top-notch defensive ability.
Moreover, unlike typical hard-court players such as Geelong and Salamento, Sid grew up on clay courts, which also means that he has a deeper reading and understanding of spin, and he does have some advantages when playing against powerful players.
Have your own way.
It is precisely because of this that after defeating Thompson, Sid defeated another strong opponent to advance to the third round.
Gawain also needs to be cautious when facing Sid -
Because of the spin aspect, Sid can serve as Gawain's teacher. If Gawain continues to compete against powerful players in the first two rounds, it is estimated that Sid will be upset all the way to the promotion.
Of course, similarly for Sid, Gawain has a different style from his opponents in the first two rounds, and he also needs to face Gawain's ever-changing tactical combinations.
In the eyes of many people, this should be a fierce showdown.
However, the actual situation is slightly different from imagination.
First of all, Athens is a hard court, and Sid's spin shot cannot have the greatest effect. It may have worked against Thompson, but it was not enough against Gao Wen.
Secondly, Gawain is not afraid to deal with the ever-changing rotations, and his strength and speed can also suppress Sid, and his wisdom in tactical arrangement and combination is even more outstanding.
Finally, and most importantly, Sid's defensive quality on hard courts is still inferior to that of Sacramento. Even if the national ranking can only be used as a reference, Sid's ranking is far lower than that of Salamento, which can still be reflected.
There is a difference.
The progress of the game was astonishing.
"6:0", "6:3".
Gawain swept Sid and advanced easily.
I originally thought that Sid could create some trouble for Gawain, but as a result, Gawain firmly controlled the overall situation and did not give Sid any chance in the whole game. On the contrary, this was the most relaxed and comfortable duel for Gawain since the start of the individual competition.
It was easier than the previous two rounds against powerful players.
When Gawain once again won the match point with a beautiful straight backhand, Thompson could be seen in the stadium stands raising his arms and shouting——
"That's my brother!"
Thompson kept beating his chest, and the Bruins player's jersey had revealed his identity, but he was still afraid that people wouldn't know, jumping and cheering ecstatically, trying to tell the audience that the handsome guy who had just won the victory
He is his good brother and good partner.
It was as if Thompson himself had just advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Gawain did not evade, but followed up by beating his chest and making a King Kong motion, echoing Thompson's, which aroused good-natured laughter on the scene.
After the game, Gao Wen was surrounded by reporters at the gate of the stadium.
"Among the top eight, the Bruins have already occupied three positions, nearly half of the seats. There is no doubt that you are the best team this season. So, are you confident that you can reach the semi-finals together?"
From the first question, you can see the reporter's attitude of not taking it too seriously. They simply ignored the other players in the quarterfinals and focused entirely on the Bruins.
But Gao Wen also knows that no matter what reporters say, they are the most eye-catching opponents of other players. However, there are still skills in answering questions.
"Are you sure you have asked our next round opponents for their opinions? I think they should have different ideas than you."
The joke immediately made the reporters laugh, and then Gawain continued.
"Of course, this is the goal we strive for. We still have to have dreams. What if it comes true?"
"But we now need to focus on our opponents in the next round. I believe that every player who enters the quarter-finals is eager for the championship, and the game needs to be played one game at a time."
The formal answers were full of youthful vigor because of Gawain's previous foreshadowing, making reporters willing to patiently listen to these official rhetoric before asking the next question.
"Gawain, what do you think of your next round opponent, Sarkisian? It is generally believed that you have not withstood a severe test so far, and Sarkisian's style of play is indeed difficult. In this regard, you
What do you think?"
Is this fanning the flames?
"I totally agree."
Gawain actually agreed like this? Wait, is this definitely the reaction that a passionate young man should have?
What about being impulsive and brainless? What about being tit-for-tat? What about talking nonsense?
Wait, the style of painting seems wrong.
"Sarkison is a very strong opponent, he has the ability to beat anyone, I need to go all out..."
Bah bah bah, the reporter didn't even need to listen to the end, the reporter already knew what Gawain was going to say next, so someone couldn't wait to interrupt him.
"But Sarkisian's national ranking is not high, and he comes from a mediocre Pepperdine University."
What the reporters wanted to hear was Gawain talking nonsense and belittling his opponent's attacks, and then they could make a fuss about it, but now the reporters had to change their strategy and remind Gawain "friendly".
Gawain shook his head repeatedly.
"No no no."
"When the game reaches the quarterfinals, we cannot ignore any opponent. No one can get here just by luck."
"The national rankings represent average performance over a season, and the quarterfinals represent his status during this week. Obviously, Sarkeeson is in good shape and I need to give my best; and I think his style of play is very difficult.
After I go back tonight, I need to think carefully about my response tactics, otherwise, losing is the only possibility."
this……
Gawain was obviously more rigorous and serious than the reporters. His serious attitude made the reporters collapse like a punctured balloon, plummeting thousands of miles: