You'll get used to it after meeting giants many times. They just have this ability. The more critical the moment, the more pressure they can feel.
Moreover, Gawain has no secrets now. Every routine and move has been studied over and over again, making calculations and games more difficult.
These are all objective situations that Gao Wen needs to be mentally prepared for.
It is true that the game has become more difficult, and the level of all games and confrontations has increased; but at the same time, this also means that the challenges are more interesting, and he is growing and improving like them.
In the end, it still depends on the on-the-spot performance. The victory or defeat is often hidden in those details.
Everything is just a moment.
In just a short moment, Gawain had already made a judgment and choice. He was originally prepared to take the risk and grab the shot, but now he was not in a hurry, but changed the way he held the shot——
cutting.
While adjusting, he lowered his center of gravity, which gave Gao Wen time to adjust. Then he cut the low point of the backhand with both hands, and cut a backslash towards the deep baseline of Federer's forehand half, with backspin corresponding to backspin.
change.
Strong rotation.
Gao Wen still took a risk on this shot. He cleverly used the short time gap left by Federer's deceleration to adjust his posture and center of gravity, and then completed a fast and sharp cut, free falling towards the bottom line.
Area falls.
This is a one-beat cutting with an offensive nature.
Moreover, the lines are also controlled.
Gao Wen did not completely open up the angle and enter Federer's forehand half, but he was basically still in the middle area and did not open up the situation.
The most important thing is to squeeze Federer with the landing point, not allowing Federer to fully stretch when running and using his strength to hit hard and fast returns, but to use the landing point to pin Federer's forehand and form a restriction.
Gao Wen knew that such a shot was not that difficult for Federer. Federer would definitely be able to return the ball, but he needed to contain Federer's attack.
Back and forth.
There is a needle hidden in the cotton.
Don't give in an inch.
This also proves once again that tennis is not only about speed and power, but also about line and placement, spin and timing, and much, much more.
As soon as Federer finished hitting the ball, the tennis ball had already jumped towards his position, like an osprey diving into the water. He couldn't feel the momentum at all, but it had already rushed to his eyes in a blink of an eye.
Don't blink, because if you blink, you might miss it.
Somewhat unexpected, but not completely unexpected——
One step.
Federer's footwork adjustment, like Nadal's, is known as textbook level. With one subconscious step, he has found the right position and then struck with his forehand.
In such a position, there is no way to sweep the ball flat, because the tennis ball is pressed on the baseline. After the rebound, Federer has no steps to retreat, forcing him to complete the ball at the knee position. Naturally, the parabola cannot be straight.
Reel tape.
Swipe.
Federer curled the tennis ball with his forehand, and pulled out a diagonal shot, aiming at Gawain's forehand to hit the ball in the shallow area on the sideline, completely tearing the angle.
Because the center of gravity of the ball was too low, and Federer did not want to create strong topspin, after releasing the ball, he jumped high to drive the swing, and in a hurry, he still completed the ball gracefully and calmly.
In the blink of an eye, Federer had already found a countermeasure. Not only that, he also completed his efforts and continued his smooth attack.
Once again, Federer pushed Gawain into the trap of passive defense.
Whoosh, whoosh.
The tennis ball, high-speed flight, line, landing point, spin, etc. were all excellent. It landed on the right side of the court near the service area. After landing, it jumped directly towards the doubles line.
Tread. Tread.
Gao Wen's pace was running wildly. After a sudden stop and turn, he pulled back from the backhand position to the forehand position. After leaving the singles line, he did not slow down and continued to run wildly. He rushed out of the doubles line and threw his body directly.
At this time, there is no distraction and full concentration.
With just a quick glance from the corner of his eye, he observed Federer still standing in the midfield, keeping his center of gravity between the offensive and defensive states. He remained focused, unmoved, and already took the shot with his forehand.
Sprint, run-up, inertia.
Moreover, the body is pulled out along the centrifugal force, all the speed and strength are condensed together, and it is thrown out instantly.
Not only strong, but also powerful——
If you observe carefully, you can notice that Gawain is lowering his center of gravity while sprinting forward. At the same time, his upper body continues to extend outwards, and he even takes half a beat before he steps, almost parallel to the ground, and then takes action immediately.
Swing the racket quickly and compactly, grabbing the rising point after the tennis ball hits the ground and rebounding. There is obviously a forward push action on the forehand to increase the speed of the racket head. Even in a completely passive situation, you still choose to grab the point to attack.
Passivity is indeed passive, but opportunities for defensive counterattack are often hidden in passive dilemmas. Before falling further into a more passive situation, you must seize the opportunity and reverse the situation.
Forehand, you must be tough.
Is it... a straight line?
Although Gawain is famous for his two-handed backhand straight line, his forehand attack power is absolutely no less powerful. It can be seen from his movement to release. This immediately set off an alarm in Federer's mind.
After a pause, Federer's center of gravity was about to move toward the backhand position——
etc!
Without pausing or hesitating, Gawain had already grabbed the forehand shot, and with one sweep and pull, inertia, speed, and power all condensed together and turned into a force that hit the tennis ball hard.
boom!
There was a crisp sound.
Clean, crisp and tough.
and!
The swing movement is even more like this. After hitting the ball, it does not stop. It continues to push along with the turning movement, completing a complete arc in one go, like a full-moon scimitar, sheathed from the armpit of the left hand.
Strength throughout.
slash.
Flat hit.
penetrate.
Not a straight line, but a diagonal line.
The tennis ball is like a shock wave, sweeping across the entire court; moreover, the speed and power completely subvert the previous rhythm, from the stalemate channel of cutting and topspin to the forehand attack with a speed of 157 kilometers per hour, just like midsummer.
Like a heavy rain, it poured down instantly.
There was only a trace of light and shadow left in the air.
Fast. Tough. Violent.
Then, the tennis ball landed on Federer's right sideline. He pressed the line accurately. The tennis ball collided with the ground and made a crisp sound. It was gone in the blink of an eye.
In an instant, this round ended with an absolutely strong attitude.
suddenly!
Stopped abruptly!
Everything happened too fast. Before I even had time to close my eyes in the blink of an eye, the round was over and I cut off my breath.
The whole place was completely silent.
It's not because it's not exciting, in fact, it's quite the opposite, because it's too exciting.
No one expected that Gawain would suddenly attack at this time, and no one expected that Gawain would forcefully end the round in an instant. Likewise, no one expected that Gawain's clean forehand attack would easily overturn the balance.
Shock, impact.
The aftermath curled up.
Then, one or two opened their mouths like nestlings waiting for food, and stood there dumbfounded, with a roaring sound above their ears.