There is no doubt that this is the focus of the third round of the Paris Masters, and its attention is second only to the "Murray VS Dimitrov" duel in the first half.
Because these are the only two battles among the eight games in the top 16 that are between "direct competitors in the year-end finals".
Among them, the "Murray VS Dimitrov" duel is undoubtedly more topical.
No one will forget that this year at Wimbledon, Dimitrov defeated defending champion Murray in straight sets and reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
Just four months later, in Paris, the two players are about to face off again, not only to compete for a top eight position in the Paris Masters, but also to compete for a seat in the year-end finals, plus Wimbledon's "festival"
”, then this game will be even more interesting.
For Tobias, the third match day of the Paris Masters was an ordeal.
The two games between Dimitrov and Gao Wen were head-to-head duels with red bayonets, and the outcome was very simple:
If you lose, you will have to meet again in the year-end finals; only by winning can you continue your hope.
Relatively speaking, Murray and Berdych are more relaxed. They have basically guaranteed their seats in London. Winning is to further consolidate their advantages and block their competitors; but losing is not the end of the world.
, which allows them to travel lightly.
And, it's not just that.
In addition, Tobias also needs to pay attention to another game in the first half, "Kei Nishikori VS Fei Lopez":
If Kei Nishikori wins, it means that Kei Nishikori and Raonic will compete for the eighth position in the championship points - at most, plus Dimitrov, who "assumes he can beat Murray".
The scope of competition immediately narrowed, and Gao Wen was completely eliminated.
Even if Gao Wen wins the championship in Paris, the championship points are still not enough for him to enter the top eight, which also means that the door to the year-end finals is closed.
Crisis is everywhere.
This feeling is like walking on a tightrope at high altitude. The strong winds coming from all directions are constantly causing trouble. Even if you try your best, you cannot ensure a smooth passage.
It can truly be said that life hangs by a thread.
Tobias said that he was tired and didn't want to love anymore.
On the contrary, the person involved is more relaxed and does not feel any tension at all.
Originally, Gao Wen and Thiem practiced together in Paris, but after Thiem lost to Wawrinka in the second round, he immediately returned to Vienna to prepare to enlist in the army.
Therefore, Gao Wen and Dimitrov practiced together. It just so happened that Gao Wen and Murray played against each other in Valencia last week. He has a clear understanding of Murray's current situation, and his feedback information can help Dimitrov.
Better prepare for war.
Dimitrov was also a little nervous.
The reporters waiting at the entrance to the training ground are really annoying, and the tension of the impending war also has a more or less negative impact.
"...Winter is coming soon, but there are still so many mosquitoes. As expected, mosquitoes are the most annoying in winter, and they directly break the defense."
When Dimitrov came forward, he could see the faint smile on the corner of Gawain's mouth. After a moment's thought, he immediately understood who Gawain was talking about.
Isn't it? Those reporters are like mosquitoes, buzzing and pestering us.
"How do you deal with them? One or two of them wanted to put the microphone directly into their mouths. I even suspected that my teeth might be bleeding."
"They probably mistook the microphone for an ice cream cone. I thought the French didn't like cones."
"Haha, very vivid."
"Actually, they are not that difficult to deal with. I just told them to thank them for paying close attention. In this way, if I lose, I can confidently shirk responsibility because they interfered with my training and caused a poor state.
Well, that’s why we lost to Thomas.”
Dimitrov:…
Seeing Dimitrov's mouth wide open in astonishment, Gawain said seriously, "Be careful, mosquitoes may get in."
Dimitrov quickly shut his mouth, "Gawain, did you really say that to them?"
"Of course, as soon as I finished speaking, their faces looked like they had seen a ghost, and they were stunned. I came in very smoothly."
Dimitrov thought for a moment, then slowly gave a thumbs up to Gawain.
In fact, Gao Wen did complain about the reporter in this way, but that was not the whole story. He added politely later.
"I mean, I don't have time to focus on anything else right now. The only thing I can focus on and the only thing I need to focus on is the next game."
"Believe me, Thomas is a very, very good player and I don't think I have the energy to think about other things."
But the result was the same. The reporters were dumbfounded, with the shock and astonishment in their eyes not dissipating. Then they watched Gawain enter the training ground obediently, and no one harassed Gawain anymore.
Gawain didn't mean it as a polite compliment, he meant it.
When being interviewed by reporters, Berdych was full of praise for Gao Wen. He believed that Gao Wen completed an incredible game in Flushing. He did not think Gao Wen was a "dark horse" because of his performance in the game.
The maturity and wisdom he showed are truly worthy of the championship trophy.
"I need to give it my all."
Gawain knew that he had no secrets now.
Not only are players with relatively low world rankings launching strong challenges and impacts, eager to defeat him and prove themselves, after all, Gao Wen is not yet one of the Big Four, nor does Wawrinka have the strength accumulated from years of playing in the tour to compete with top players.
Among them, it looks more like a soft persimmon.
Moreover, the top 20 and top 10 players in the world have also begun to pay attention to him. From Nadal to Simon to Murray, including this time Berdych in Paris, these masters have already taken Gao Wen's existence seriously, which also means that
The possibility of "surprise victory" is decreasing, and it is slowly entering the stage of real strength showdown.
What does this mean?
After winning the Grand Slam, Gawain was gearing up to face a new challenge, but the challenge had just begun and the difficulty had already escalated.
This also made Gawain more and more eager to try.
To a certain extent, this is more attractive than the challenge of the year-end finals. After all, when going to London, I originally hoped to face more experts, but now I am about to face the year-end finals players in Paris, and the intensity of the confrontation may even be higher.
How can you not be excited if you want to go one step further?
A head-to-head decisive battle always makes people's blood boil.
nervous?
Why should you be nervous? Such an exciting and stimulating moment should be grasped and enjoyed. This is one of the essences of competitive sports.
Gawain patted Dimitrov on the shoulder and said with a smile.
"Next time you face reporters, you can give it a try. Trust me, these mosquitoes are annoying, but not that scary."
"Now, we'd better start practicing. I need to practice my forehand. How about it? Are you ready?"
Dimitrov was still a little nervous, but his mood became cheerful because of Gawain's enthusiasm. After taking a long breath, he jogged into the court. It was time to get into training.