Staring at Gawain, Djokovic seemed to have "met" Gawain for the first time until now, looking at the person in front of him with focused and serious eyes.
My mind is clear.
What he needs is not anger but calmness.
What he needs is to treat Gawain not with the eyes of the past but with the standards of a giant.
From Federer to Nadal and then to Murray, Djokovic has suffered losses, and there have been very, very painful losses. When he was young, he even complained that he and Federer and Nadal were in the same era; but later,
All of this turns into motivation for one's own improvement and progress.
He began to appreciate his opponent's strength because it made him even better.
This also became an opportunity for Djokovic to truly transform into a giant and grow into the best candidate in history, vividly interpreting the ultimate charm of competitive sports——
challenge the limit.
It is your own limit, the limit of your opponents, and at the same time the limit of a sport. Break through by standing on the shoulders of those who came before you step by step.
And now.
The player in front of me is only nineteen years old, but he has already reached such a level, just like Nadal who came out of nowhere back then. This also means:
Gawain is no longer a challenger or an attacker, but an equal player. Like them, he has entered the same level.
It's like upgrading from the First Division to the Super League.
This is a qualitative change.
At this moment, Djokovic realized that for this final, he needed to change not only his tactics, but also his attitude and position.
If he still has the attitude of Melbourne Park, or the attitude of Indian Wells and Miami, trying to get revenge, trying to teach Gawain a lesson, trying to prove himself, trying to wash away the shame, then there is no doubt that he will lose in today's final.
If you lose, you will lose miserably——
From Miami to New York, in just six months, Gao Wen experienced the clay and grass polishing. His real growth is not only his technical and tactical abilities, nor his understanding of tennis, but a transformation of his mentality.
The mentality of looking at tennis, looking at the game, looking at the Big Four, looking at my own position on the tour, etc. has changed, and truly grown into a king.
Not just a champion, but a king.
Djokovic is all too familiar with this. It was the same for himself in 2011 and Murray in 2012. They have all experienced this step.
Now in Gao Wen's eyes, Djokovic sees him in 2011.
A little strange, but mostly familiar.
What age, what ranking, what revenge, and what fighting record are all unimportant now. Djokovic's position and mentality in this court must change. This is a more important change than tactics.
A thought, a thought, a recognition, but it was an enlightenment that made me calm down and wake up instantly.
The point is, is it too late to change now?
Time is a bit tight.
At least, the first set may be difficult, after all, the time and space left are very limited.
——"6:3".
The first set, the end, the victory, finally belongs to Gawain.
"incredible."
"Before the official start of this game, I am afraid no one expected this scene, even the fans who believed that Gao Wen could win did not expect it."
"After falling behind 1:3 at the beginning, Gao Wen won five games in a row. He was not only strong, but also efficient. He came from behind to win the first set."
“Did Djokovic perform poorly?”
"No, that's not the case. To be precise, Djokovic also improved his condition and adjusted his tactics, but Gao Wen still showed a superior attitude."
"Patient and courageous, wise and sober, and most importantly, with excellent touch and perfect execution, Gao Wen played his best form since Melbourne Park. Even Djokovic, who has improved his form, still cannot keep up.
The rhythm, this is the most terrifying and amazing thing about the first set.”
"Actually, I already mentioned it when Gawain and Federer faced each other in the semifinals."
"Gawain, he is already a giant now."
"It's not just the performance on the field, but more importantly his playing temperament. When we discuss the giants, the results are just the result. Their strength, state, and aura are the reasons. Now Gao Wen already has such ability
, his game is really on another level.”
"Today, Gawain proves this again."
"So, the difficult question is raised, how should Djokovic respond?"
"One thing we need to pay attention to is that there is no doubt about Djokovic's ability, not only because he has entered the finals of all four Grand Slams this year, but also because in the past five years, he has been in the confrontation between Federer and Nadal.
Keep growing and succeeding in your own place.”
"Djokovic is not that easy to beat."
"It can be seen from the break between sets that Djokovic is very calm, very, very calm, even to a strange degree, but it also proves his concentration and belief. Obviously, Djokovic needs to realize that the tennis net
The opponent opposite us is no longer the one we are familiar with."
McEnroe, being sober as a human being, may not be right every time, but there is no doubt that he accurately captured the differences between this final and expectations.
If you think about it seriously, before the start of the US Open, the focus of people's discussion was whether, as a sophomore, Gao Wen could withstand the pressure and continue his excellent performance.
However, Gawain delivered a perfect answer amidst many difficulties and layers of pressure. He became more courageous as he fought, and even ushered in a new breakthrough in his state of mind.
Regardless of whether Gao Wen can defend the title, after McEnroe came, the fifth giant has appeared.
Having said that, precisely because of this, the value and significance of the game in front of them is even more different. They are indeed witnessing history——
For the second year in a row, witness it at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Just thinking about it makes me uncontrollably excited.
"In the second set, that was the focus, because that was Djokovic's response."
Facts also proved that McEnroe was right.
Perhaps, countless people hate McEnroe's big mouth and bad temper, but no one can deny his vision and intuition as a talented professional player.
Regarding Gawain and Djokovic, McEnroe did capture a subtle change, which became the biggest highlight of the game in front of him.
Although he was unable to stop Gawain at the end of the first set, after a short break, Djokovic's playing temperament quietly changed at the beginning of the second set.
——Subtle but real changes.
Whether it is fans or professionals, it may be psychological. When they watch the games between giants and the games between giants and other players, after all, there is something different, even if Wawrinka and Gauvin defeated the giants to win the Grand Slam championship.
The game still lacks a little spark.
An indescribable difference in aura.
Including the giant himself is no exception. His whole attitude, temperament, and state are somewhat different. This is especially obvious in the best-of-five-set match.
Now, the final in front of me has this feeling vaguely——
The atmosphere is different.
The Huashan sword debate, the peak showdown, although it is not "Djokovic VS Federer", the match in front of us is even more exciting.