Match point

Chapter 886
really!

On the second serve, the close body presses the forehand.

Gao Wen's prediction was very accurate. Nadal's serve strategy was to curb Gao Wen's rushing attack, not only choosing close body, but also increasing strong topspin.

The bounce after landing is very high. With Gawain’s height of 193 cm, he also needs to hit the ball near his shoulders. This is rarely seen in Flushing, but you can clearly feel the release of the bounce in Melbourne Park ——

Don't forget, this is still a night game, and the bounce of tennis balls is much lower than during the day.

Naturally, Gao Wen didn't have room to attack, and his footsteps were squeezed a bit. He didn't use his forehand, and pushed back at a high point.

Immediately afterwards, Nadal used a forehand super topspin to pull the tennis ball up high and flew towards Gawain's left sideline.

The landing point is not tricky, the main thing is to control the line and the landing point, and use the strong topspin to suppress Gao Wen's backhand.

Gao Wen is very calm.

He swayed his footsteps and seemed to be moving to the right, but the center of gravity of the body remained active, and the change of direction was completed within a pause.

Small steps, small steps!
Quick adjustments on the move quickly found the exact hit point.

Prediction, hit again.

In the opening stage, one is the trial stage, and the other is the warm-up stage. With Nadal’s character, the frequency of using classic routines and daily habits is relatively high. As the game progresses, Nadal will slowly adjust his strategy.

After all, this is the second confrontation between Gawain and Nadal. The two sides are far from familiar. Unlike Federer or Djokovic, they may need to think about breaking the routine in the opening stage.

This is also the reason why Gao Wen's predictions are generally more accurate, and the pre-match homework has played a role.

"Backhand VS Forehand 1.0".

"Backhand VS Forehand 2.0".

Between back and forth, Gawain and Nadal did not change the line, and they hit the ball very solidly along the diagonal of the court.

Both players did not take the initiative to exert force, but mainly controlled the line and landing point, restrained the opponent through the layout of the return line, and the routine of slashing the ball also formed suppression between back and forth.

Both sides are planning and restraining, but neither of them has found an opportunity.

then!

very suddenly.

At this moment, Gao Wen took a step forward, followed by another step, and the light steps had already entered the bottom line in a blink of an eye.

opportunity!

Nadal's forehand, even when it is fully exerted, still has a strong top spin, which is also the iconic "Nadal Super Spin".

At the same time, when hitting a normal ball or a transition ball, the strong friction often produces a short, high and strong topspin ball.

This can be considered a chance ball.

If the player on the other side of the net was not Nadal but an ordinary player, the player might have entered the court directly to attack.

But if the opponent is Nadal, the situation is different.

The deterrence 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 field, it means entering the midfield, and then the players will face the best masters in the tour who are good at crossing——

Nadal's defensive counterattack ability and breakthrough ability have been unmatched for a long, long time, and Federer has suffered countless hardships.

On the whole, even if Nadal hits the forehand shallowly, such an offensive opportunity may not be an opportunity; most players will choose to stay on the bottom line and continue to deal with Nadal.

Including Djokovic and Murray are no exception.

But today, at least in the opening stage, Gao Wen was very active and active, and at the same time very bold, he was always observing and searching.

The moment the opportunity appeared, without any hesitation or pause, the footsteps had already cut into the bottom line, basically standing above the bottom line.

Backhand with both hands.

Heavy and heavy, he hit a slash line solidly, increasing his speed and strength, and tearing the angle, launching an impact towards Nadal's forehand.

Whoosh!
The tennis ball, like a heavy hammer, hit the past vigorously.

Nadal was in a bit of a panic, because Gawain's attack was very sudden, almost without warning. After returning the ball to tear the angle, he continued to pull his footsteps to the left edge. In order to ensure his defensive position, his footsteps must not lose their position. , so it is a little difficult to hit the forehand.

However, the forehand is indeed Nadal's strongest weapon. With a barely hook, the shot is completed, and with a roar, he hit the tennis back again.

Slash!

Nadal did not take the risk of trying a straight line, because Gawain's shot was very deep, leaving Nadal with limited space to change the line, which was too difficult.

However, choosing a slash does not mean that Nadal is passively defensive. This top superstar who started with defense has his own unique understanding at the defensive level.

The parabola was pulled up again.

Judging from the flight trajectory, it is unremarkable. It should be a shot that landed near the bottom line of the teeing area. Obviously, it was suppressed by Gao Wen's shot, and he failed to control the landing point to a deeper position.

But Nadal's return, never forget the spin, any shot must be viewed in conjunction with the spin.

The signature nano super topspin creates a dilemma:
If you hit a volley on the net, it is very difficult to control the unloading force, and you may fly the tennis ball if you are not careful; if you return to the bottom line to hit the ball, the strong jumping force will inevitably squeeze the swing action, making it difficult to complete an effective shot.

Passive defense with one shot, but able to buy time for Nadal to breathe, this is the demeanor of a top defensive master.

So, how does Gao Wen respond?

Step up.

The connection between small steps and small steps is very close and decisive. When Nadal is aware of his intention to hit the ball, the conditioned reflex has already stepped forward.

Coming from the bottom line to the midfield, not only did he not flinch, but he continued to exert pressure. Finally, he stepped up!
Bounce the ball!
It was precisely the last upward step, Gao Wen grabbed a rising point, and finished hitting the ball at the first moment after the tennis ball bounced off the ground.

There is no large-scale swing movement, only relying on the connection of the forearm and the rotation movement, the hitting has been completed, and a sweeping slash is launched to counterattack.

Strong topspin, before it can be fully released, it has been hit back. This shot choice has some Federer style, but the difference is that Gao Wen hit the ball with a solid backhand with both hands and aimed again. Nadal's forehand.

Front hard!

This is already the fourth consecutive shot that hit Nadal's forehand head-on. The tension of the strong collision made the entire Rod Laver Stadium hold its breath.

"what!"

Nadal let out a muffled snort. Because of Gao Wen's pressing step by step, the speed of the ball increased throughout the round. The slow hard court turned into a fast hard court, which shortened Nadal's reaction time and was always worried about his backhand gap. The footsteps are also a little embarrassing.

As a result, he was forced to slide hard.

With the creaking sound, Nadal fully stretched his body, and then intercepted a shot with his forehand on the rebounding line of the tennis ball.

One block, one hook.

Return the ball, and it's done——

straight line!

Wait, Nadal changed the line, it turned out to be a straight line!The long sword was unsheathed and pierced the sky!
(End of this chapter)