Gao Wen's return serve, under extremely difficult circumstances, actually tore off the angle and landed on the sideline outside the small triangle in the service area. After landing, it completely escaped and rushed towards the doubles line in a light and playful way.
Accurate, clever, hiding the needle in the thicket, using defense instead of attack.
Sure enough, Gawain is Gawain.
However, Federer was not surprised because this was the second serve. Even if the quality of the second serve was excellent, he believed that Gao Wen would be able to find space to counterattack. He would stay focused and launch the attack immediately.
Step, step, step.
Federer's figure suddenly appeared on the backhand position, but he did not rush to counterattack with a backhand shot, because he knew his predicament:
If he chooses to use force to draw the ball, he will be pulled out by the centrifugal force, which also means that his entire forehand court is completely cleared. Once his backhand shot cannot form a winning point, there will be no next shot.
Therefore, Federer did not rush to counterattack, but defended one shot, even if it meant losing the opportunity to connect with the second shot after serving. Facing a player like Gao Wen, he could not be impatient.
cutting.
By the way, Gao Wen learned the technique from Federer with the chip that has repeatedly broken the rhythm and subverted the balance since the US Open. Now Federer also uses the backhand chip to counterattack.
Diagonal line, deep zone, underspin.
Federer's chipping is different from Nadal's. He often does not pull up the parabola. Whether it is topspin or backspin, the height of passing the net is limited. Relatively speaking, it is relatively close to the net, keeping the rhythm compact.
Using a cut shot, Federer adjusted his center of gravity in time and controlled the rhythm of the round. Then he returned his steps and immediately returned to the center of the court to prepare for the next shot. The situation of the serve-receive confrontation was reset to zero.
The return ball, with strong backspin, penetrated into the big triangle of the bottom line of Gao Wen's backhand position. It was deep and turned, forming an obvious squeeze and limiting Gao Wen's attack.
The tactical intention couldn't be more obvious.
But Gawain didn't buy it. He raised his backhand with both hands, and even grabbed it forward, using the attitude of hitting the rebound ball to completely pull up the parabola.
Gawain also has his own plan.
If you choose to hit the rebound ball, you must add topspin to avoid hitting the net. Ordinary topspin will become Federer's best opportunity to attack.
So Gawain simply took the initiative to pull the moon ball, completely pulling up the topspin, and controlled the tennis ball to penetrate into the deep area, using diagonal lines to fight diagonal lines.
ah!
And, exert force.
Gawain's two-handed backhand is completely like a golf swing. The movement is graceful and complete, from bottom to top, completely pulling up the parabola and pushing it into the deep zone.
Tennis ball, raised high.
Crossing the net, crossing the court, and falling into the baseline triangle like a shooting star.
Slash, backhand——
In this round, Gao Wen caught Federer's backhand and hammered it continuously.
Federer groaned.
snort.
He stopped and turned suddenly, and then came back again. Although his steps were calm and not awkward, the rhythm he adjusted through cutting did not disrupt Gawain, and then he returned to the hell of backhand confrontation.
This shot has strong topspin, deep bottom line, and tail power.
Federer's one-handed backhand is not easy to handle. It feels like being pushed against the stomach to complete the shot. The muscles on the entire left side of the body are completely stiff, and the result of forced exertion may not be as expected.
what to do?
Continue cutting?
Of course, Federer has this ability. Unless he is facing Nadal, Federer is not afraid of cutting against any other player. Even Nadal, he often dares to take risks when cutting.
However, Federer had different ideas.
According to normal thinking, Federer would indeed choose to continue chipping, but there is no retreat now, isn't there?
It is not Federer's character to remain conservative.
With a push of his feet and an emergency brake, Federer was already ready to cut, and he did make a cut, but he just slightly changed some details when he braked——
small ball.
Federer did not cut the long line, but used his strength to cut the short line.
Huh!
The whole audience was stunned.
My eyes followed the tennis ball upwards, watching the short and graceful parabola dancing like a butterfly, crossing the net lightly.
Then, fall.
The arc, rotation, and force relief are all perfect.
At this time, Federer showed off his unparalleled hitting touch. The lightning-fast hitting was so soft and delicate. Not only was the force unloading perfect, but the line and landing point were also perfect.
The tennis ball fell along a straight line, half a step away from the net. After landing, its power was limited and its rebound height was average. It could be called a standard small ball. It achieved its goal perfectly, forcing Gawain to complete the theoretical longest running distance on the tennis court.
Come to the rescue.
Everything is just right.
In the midst of shock and astonishment, a light blue figure rushed in like a midsummer storm, and it was Gawain.
Seeing that Gawain was about to reach his position, he slid forward and grabbed a shot. His body slid on the dark blue waves, and his forehand was fully extended. What he was grabbing was time——
Because the rebound height of the tennis ball after landing is limited, the longer it takes for the second fall, the less space Gao Wen has to choose to return the ball. What he grabs is this little time and this little space.
When the tennis ball falls across the horizontal line of the net, take the first shot.
With a flick of the wrist and a twist at the critical moment, he gently lifts the tennis ball and dunks it hard at the same time as in table tennis.
Snapped!
The sound of hitting the ball is crisp and firm.
The swaying and dancing tennis ball was flattened and smashed in an instant.
What you are grabbing is this little bit of opportunity.
Huh!
Before the second exclamation from the audience rang out, the mustard-yellow halo had already crossed the court and headed towards Federer's forehand baseline triangle.
slash.
Deep area.
Dead corner.
In that fleeting moment, Gawain still felt great and had excellent control.
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!
Gawain's reaction, handling and execution once again showed the style of a giant, not only suppressing Federer's counterattack, but also seizing the opportunity to reverse the situation.
Uh-huh.
Federer's groan caused shallow ripples, and then you could see Federer's figure crossing the court. His speed had increased to the extreme, but it was still lacking a little bit. He was about to drill the tennis ball into the ground——
A pounce.
It's not a sliding step or a split, but a leap forward with the upper body like a diving dive. The upper body and the arms are extended out. Without the center of gravity, it is extended to the extreme forehand, and it is cut and slashed.
ah.
Federer had reached his limit and completely threw his body away.
Bang.
Touch the ball, success.
But what about tennis?
Everyone, hold your breath.
In the blink of an eye and a half-beat later, his eyes caught the flight path of the tennis ball again, watching the afterimage running out along a straight line.
Crossed Federer's half, crossed the net, and fell into Gawain's half.
Time and space, frozen.
Gawain had just stood up, and before he had time to move, he already realized that he had no time to seal the net; Federer was unable to stand up, staggered and finally fell to the ground, but he stood up again immediately using his hands and feet, amidst the turbulent waves.