Gawain's prediction was very accurate. Nadal's serving strategy was to contain Gawain's attack. He not only chose to get closer, but also added strong topspin.
The bounce after landing is very high. With Gao Wen's height of 193 centimeters, he also needs to complete the ball near his shoulders. This rarely occurs in Flushing venues, but you can clearly feel the release of the bounce in Melbourne Park.
——
Don't forget, this is still a night court, and the bounce of the tennis ball is already much lower than during the day.
Naturally, Gao Wen had no room to attack, and his steps were squeezed a bit. He didn't use his forehand and pushed back from a high point.
Immediately afterwards, Nadal used a forehand super topspin to pull the tennis ball up high and fly towards Gowan's left sideline.
The landing point is not tricky, the main thing is to control the line and landing point, and use strong top spin to suppress Gawain's backhand.
Gawain is very calm.
The steps feinted, seemingly moving to the right, but the body's center of gravity remained active, and the change of direction was completed in the blink of an eye.
Small steps, small steps!
Quick adjustments while moving quickly found the exact hitting point.
Prejudgment, hit again.
The opening stage is firstly a trial stage and secondly a warm-up stage. Due to Nadal's character, the frequency of use of classic routines and daily habits is relatively high. As the game progresses, Nadal will slowly adjust his strategy.
After all, this is only the second confrontation between Gauvin and Nadal. The two sides are far from familiar with each other. Unlike Federer or Djokovic, they may need to think about breaking the routine in the opening stage.
This is also the reason why Gawain's predictions are generally accurate, and the homework before the game plays a role.
"Backhand VS Forehand 1.0".
"Backhand VS Forehand 2.0".
Go back and forth, neither Gao Wen nor Nadal changed their lines. They hit the ball very solidly along the diagonal line of the court.
Neither player took the initiative to exert force, but focused on controlling the route and landing point. They used the layout of the return route to contain the opponent, and the diagonal hitting routine also created suppression back and forth.
Both sides are making arrangements and trying to contain it, but no one has found an opportunity.
Then!
Very suddenly.
At this moment, Gawain took a step forward, followed by another step, and his light steps entered the bottom line in the blink of an eye.
Chance!
Nadal's forehand shot, even when it is fully exerted, still has strong topspin. This is also the iconic "Nadal super spin".
At the same time, when hitting the ball normally or transitioning the ball, strong friction often creates short, high and strong topspin.
This can be regarded as a chance ball.
If the person opposite the net was not Nadal, but an ordinary player, the player might have directly entered the court to launch an attack.
But if the opponent is Nadal, the situation is different.
The intimidating power from the forehand and the uncontrollable super spin are on the one hand, and the surprise from Nadal's combination of long and short offensive lines is another.
The most important thing is that once entering the court, it means entering the midfield, and then the players will face the master who is best at crossing in the tour——
Nadal's ability to defend, counterattack, and break through has been unparalleled in the world for a long, long time. Federer has suffered countless hardships.
Taken together, even if Nadal hits a shallow forehand, such an offensive opportunity may not be an opportunity; most players will choose to stay on the baseline and continue to deal with Nadal.
Including Djokovic and Murray are no exception.
But today, at least in the opening stage, Gawain was very active and proactive, and at the same time very bold. He was always observing and searching.
The moment the opportunity arises, without any hesitation or pause, the steps have already reached the bottom line and are basically standing on the bottom line.
Two-handed backhand.
Heavy and heavy, he hit a diagonal shot solidly, increasing his speed and power, tearing the angle, and launching an impact towards Nadal's forehand.
Whoosh!
The tennis ball, like a heavy hammer, hit it vigorously.
Nadal was a little embarrassed, because Gawain's attack was very sudden, without any warning. After returning the ball to open the angle, he continued to pull his footsteps to the left edge. In order to ensure his defensive position, his footsteps could not lose their position.
, so it’s a little difficult to hit the forehand.
However, the forehand is indeed Nadal's strongest weapon. With just one hook, the ball was completed, and with a roar, the tennis ball was knocked back.
slash!
Nadal did not take the risk to try a straight line, because Gawain's shot was very deep, leaving Nadal with limited space to change the line, and it was too difficult.
However, choosing a diagonal line does not mean that Nadal passively defends in a disciplined manner. This top superstar who started his career as a defensive player has his own unique understanding of defense.
The parabola is pulled up again.
Judging from the flight trajectory, it was unremarkable. It should have been a shot that landed near the bottom line of the service area. It was obviously still suppressed by Gao Wen's shot and was unable to control the landing point to a deeper position.
But when it comes to Nadal's returns, you should never forget about spin. Any shot must be viewed in conjunction with spin.
The iconic Na-style super topspin creates a dilemma:
If you go to the net to volley, it is very difficult to control the unloading force, and the tennis ball may fly away if you are not careful; if you return to the baseline to hit the ball, the strong rising force will inevitably squeeze the swing, making it difficult to complete an effective shot.
One shot of passive defense can buy Nadal breathing time. This is the style of a top defensive master.
So, how does Gawain respond?
Step up.
The connection between the small step and the small step is very close and very decisive. When Nadal is aware of Nadal's intention to hit the ball, the conditioned reflex has already taken the step.
From the bottom line to the midfield, not only did he not retreat, but he continued to apply pressure, and finally, he stepped up!
Bounce the ball!
It was precisely on this last step that Gao Wen grabbed an ascending point and finished the shot as soon as the tennis ball rebounded from the ground.
There is no large-scale swing movement, just relying on the connection of the forearm and turning movements, the ball is completed, and a sweeping slash is launched to counterattack.
The strong topspin was knocked back before it could be fully released. This shot choice has some of Federer's style, but the difference is that Gawain used a solid backhand with both hands to hit the ball and aimed again.
Nadal's forehand attack.
Frontal and tough!
This was the fourth consecutive shot that hit Nadal's forehand head-on. The tension of the strong collision made the entire Rod Laver Arena hold their breath.
"ah!"
Nadal let out a groan. Because Gawain pressed forward step by step, the speed of the ball increased throughout the round. The slow hard court actually turned into a fast hard court, which shortened Nadal's reaction time and kept worrying about his backhand gap.
His steps were a little awkward.
As a result, I was forced to slide hard.
With the squeaking sound, Nadal's body also fully stretched, and then his forehand intercepted a shot on the path of the tennis ball's rebound.
One block, one hook.
Just return the ball and it’s done——
straight line!
Wait, Nadal changed his line and turned it into a straight line! The long sword was unsheathed and cut through the sky!