At the beginning of the second set, Gao Wen was a little unsure whether it was his own illusion. He always felt that Nadal's golf quality was improving, and as the game progressed, he became more and more skillful and continued to improve.
What I’m talking about here is not the intensity of the competition.
In fact, after the nail-biting battle in the first set, both Gauvin and Nadal's physical fitness declined to a certain extent, so that from the start of the second set, both players made slight adjustments to their tactical layout.
Naturally, fluctuations in the intensity of rounds are inevitable.
But in Gauvin's view, Nadal's hitting quality has improved significantly.
The switching adjustments and permutations of rotation, landing point, power, rhythm, etc. are getting better and better. I can always find the right way to complete the return at the right time. The impact and pressure brought by the quality of the shot are invisible.
Slowly accumulate.
It cannot be seen with the naked eye; but the pressure is extremely clear.
Gao Wen heard more than once before that Nadal is a player who is keen on training, even fanatical, so much so that after Moya took over Nadal's coaching job, he made a request to reduce training and forced Nadal to reduce training time.
.
One of the most famous and interesting things happened at the All England Club.
At Wimbledon in 2010, before the tournament kicked off, the Queen visited the All England Club and invited a group of top players to the central players for a small gathering, including Federer, Djokovic, Serena Williams, Sharapova
Wa and other players, naturally including Nadal.
But Nadal rejected the Queen's invitation because he had made an appointment for training and he believed that he needed to abide by the training schedule and go to the training ground.
Finally, that year, Nadal won his second Wimbledon Gold Cup.
This has always been the case with Nadal. He needs to train and compete. The more top players collide, the more motivated he is to fight. His good condition is often achieved game by game.
Gawain has heard a lot of rumors, but this is the first time he has experienced it face to face——
During the course of the game, the quality of Nadal's return improved significantly, and his confidence and state increased bit by bit. It was as if Nadal was the one with the system, and he had just completed the extra points and quickly improved himself.
However, the fact is happening. In the match between Gao Wen and Nadal, Nadal continued his overall recovery performance since the Asian season, continued to improve step by step, and showed top competitive status.
The most obvious and direct thing is that Nadal's forehand shot feels smoother, more confident and firmer, and he can choose some lines and landing points more freely, without hesitation, hesitation or worry.
Naturally, the entire connection becomes smooth.
Pressure, very direct.
"4:3".
The back-and-forth collision between powerful players was tangled all the way, and the deadlock was never broken. Although Nadal and Gauvin both got some opportunities in each other's service games, the wonderful performance at the critical moment still belongs to the serving side, so so far there is still no
People can complete the break.
In the eighth game, Gao Wen once again encountered some troubles in his serving game.
Originally, Gao Wen had already obtained the game point, and two in a row. However, due to his physical condition, he did not have enough squat movement for a forehand hit, and his center of gravity was not completely lowered. As a result, he finally returned the ball to the net and sent out a point, and the situation became unstable.
Something changed immediately, and then Nadal powerfully tied the score with a running forehand winner.
Then, the game became stalemate——
In addition to the previous two consecutive game points, Gao Wen missed another game point, but at the same time, Gao Wen also narrowly saved two break point crises. The two players returned to level points for the fourth time, and they were still inseparable.
And then……
As soon as the forehand repeated the "inside-out" line, the speed of Gao Wen's forehand swing increased by a whole level, and the speed of the racket head was completely increased, instantly hammering the tennis ball towards the repeated landing point behind Nadal.
Nadal's backhand encountered Gawain's continuous hammer blows, and there was no breathing room. He kept trying to get back to the defense, but was pulled back again and again, like quicksand, stumbling and being pulled back again.
His steps were staggering, and his center of gravity was completely unstable.
Nadal was in a deep squatting position, trying to hit the ball with a backhand with both hands on his knees. His body was completely piled up awkwardly to the right. There was not enough room to swing the racket, so he could only rely on the strength of his upper body to hit the ball.
Forearms, throw quickly, push hard, use force to hit, and explode in an instant.
In the narrow space, Nadal actually used Gawain's "inside-out" shot to create a wider angle. He found a shallow angle at the diagonal position, and the return ball fell into the service area and was thrown out.
collision!
Flat hit!
work hard!
Landed, rebounded, and rushed out of the doubles line.
Although Gawain immediately pulled out his steps, Nadal's diagonal return was too tricky, and he was still unable to keep up with his steps.
Winning point!
The iconic defensive counterattack, the iconic all-out effort, the iconic reversal, standing in a desperate situation to find a gap to create a miracle, running tirelessly, focusing with all your strength, and fighting to the death with unyielding determination.
Seize the game and push your opponents and yourself to the extreme.
This is Nadal.
"40:AD".
The third break point of the game.
"ah!"
Across the court, Nadal roared like a god of war, clenched his fists and raised his arms, shouting, instantly pushing the raging heat wave at the O2 Arena to a new peak.
In this game, Gawain performed well, and Nadal was not only able to keep up but also outperformed. It was indeed the long-awaited peak matchup in the death group, and Nadal unexpectedly showed the power of a giant.
Now, Nadal has pushed Gawain into another crisis, forcing Gawain to improve his condition again. How should this break point be handled?
Second District--
outer corner.
Generally speaking, when facing Nadal, the second zone often does not choose the outside corner, because the outside corner does not have an advantage against Nadal's forehand; but occasionally a sneak attack on the outside corner can achieve unexpected results.
For this serve, Gao Wen deliberately slowed down his speed and chose to control the landing point after careful consideration. The angle was immediately torn apart from the serve.
The tennis ball flew out after landing.
Although the speed is not fast, reaching a speed of 183 kilometers per hour, the strong side spin completely widens the angle, instantly mobilizing Nadal and pulling his steps towards the outside of the singles line. The awkward hitting point limits his swing space.
Then you can see Nadal taking a forehand shot.
Unlike Djokovic, Nadal's forehand dribble can draw different routes based on strong topspin, such as shallow area, deep area, midfield, etc., and the tactical combinations are rich and diverse.
This time, Nadal also noticed Gao Wen's tactical intention. He knew that Gao Wen was ready for the follow-up attack connection, so he pulled a super top spin in the deep area to form a squeeze and limit Gao Wen's attack.
The shooting space is limited, the shots are rushed, and the parabolic control is still not in place.
The tennis ball landed in the deep area, but did not completely touch the line.
Despite this, Nadal still improved the quality of his returns in the limited space, which was also the competitiveness he showed in the second set.
The tennis ball rushed towards Gawain's cheek with a strong spin.