After the close-quarters match in the third set, the audience had high expectations for the fourth set.
On the one hand, they expect Djokovic to launch a desperate counterattack and drag the game into a deciding set. After all, the majority of fans hope that Djokovic can advance to the final.
On the other hand, they look forward to the two players once again providing a wonderful duel and continuing the high-level strong confrontation in the first and third sets, so that they will not live up to the quality of a Grand Slam semi-final.
But the fact is that even the top players are mortal. After the fierce competition in the third set, their physical strength and energy will inevitably reach a trough. This is in line with the laws of nature. Be it Djokovic or Gawain, they They are not perpetual motion machines, so they naturally cannot maintain high-intensity confrontation all the time.
The small difference is that Gawain has already passed his physical limit, but Djokovic has been holding on to that breath.
In fact, Djokovic's physical peak has already appeared. However, this top player has unparalleled acumen and delicacy in controlling the game. In the second half of the third set, he consciously focused on his serve. game, and consciously increased the return insurance factor in some rounds. They were all tactical arrangements, with the purpose of ensuring physical strength and ensuring victory in the third set.
From a tactical perspective, if everything goes well, Djokovic will be able to take a big lead of "2:1", and then relax a little in the first half of the fourth set and concentrate on recovering his strength:
It would be best if you can hold the serve, but it doesn't matter if you can't. As long as you don't fall too far behind, there will be no problem. After you have passed your physical limit, you can still catch up in the second half of the fourth set.
To take a step back, even if he loses the fourth set, he can still concentrate his attention and physical strength to conquer the decisive set——
When playing against other top players, Djokovic strategically allocated his energy more than once. Sometimes he was in better shape and sometimes his nerves were more relaxed.
This is definitely not a negative game, on the contrary, it is a strategic deployment to win the game, just like Tian Ji's horse racing.
Djokovic's overall layout intention can be seen from some shot selections in the second half of the third set.
However--
As Gao Wen came from behind to win the third set, forcing Djokovic to a desperate situation, the whole game suddenly became complicated.
At the beginning of the fourth set, Gao Wen was keenly aware that Djokovic was on the verge of reaching his limit, so he played more proactively and aggressively, trying to seize the opportunity to widen the score gap.
It can be seen from this move that although Gao Wen is young, it does not mean that Gao Wen lacks experience. His interpretation of the game and timing are very mature and sophisticated, which also makes Djokovic very uncomfortable——
These details are difficult to see from the game tape. Only after a real face-to-face match can you feel it personally.
However, Djokovic can be ranked among the top four. After all, he is more sophisticated. He caught Gawain's eagerness for success, adjusted his hitting method, and consciously slowed down the game when his physical strength was low. On the contrary, he forced Gawain made some unnecessary unforced errors, and the rhythm of the entire game also changed subtly.
In the fourth set, Djokovic took the lead in serving.
In the first game, Djokovic saved two break points and then held serve.
In the third game, Djokovic saved four break points and held serve again, the first two of which were consecutive break points.
Every time, Djokovic's game seems to be in danger, and it seems that it may collapse at any time in the storm, but on the edge of the cliff, Djokovic is always able to find a way to save the crisis. Then let the balance of play continue.
Although Djokovic did nothing in Gao Wen's serve, and his physical strength and energy did not allow him to launch an offensive in his opponent's serve; but very strangely and wonderfully, the two players started the fourth set. Maintaining balance, both sides are protecting each other's serve.
"2:2".
Sure enough, Djokovic is worthy of being Djokovic. Even if he faces an extreme test of physical strength, he can still maintain the balance of the game with just one breath.
After missing six break points in the two games, Gao Wen also realized that his eagerness was breaking the balance of the game——
In the final analysis, it is because I am deeply afraid of Djokovic's counterattack ability.
Gao Wen knew that Djokovic would not surrender easily, and he also knew that Djokovic had the ability to subvert the entire situation, so he hoped to seize the opportunity of Djokovic's extreme physical strength to establish an advantage for himself as much as possible , but this kind of mentality verifies the principle that haste makes waste.
call……
After taking deep breaths to calm down, Gao Wen regained his calmness and patience, and broke the deadlock in the fifth game of the fourth set. He grabbed the second break point and successfully broke serve first in the fourth set, taking the lead and winning the " 3:2" lead, the whole situation immediately changed.
The shackles of physical strength eventually became an important turning point; on the contrary, the previous experience of competing in the challenge for three consecutive weeks and reaching the top for three consecutive weeks became Gao Wen's most valuable experience.
In the fourth set, because Gao Wen was the one who served later, he was unable to widen the score gap, and Djokovic was still chasing after him.
"3:2".
"4:3".
"5:4".
Facing difficult situations continuously, Djokovic calmed down, no longer irritated or angry, and regained focus on the court. After surviving the extreme physical limit, the quality of the game slowly returned, twice in a row. He maintained his serve and never allowed Gao Wen to expand his advantage.
From the details, you can once again see Djokovic's control of the game, which penetrates into every aspect. Even if he falls behind, it can still make Gao Wen very uncomfortable.
Then, Gao Wen ushered in his own serve to win the game.
Revisiting Gao Wen's serve to win the game in the first set, we know that being pushed to the edge of the cliff can often stimulate Djokovic's potential energy, and the impact must be more fierce and intense; but Gao Wen is also a smart man, You gain wisdom after every experience, and performed very well in this round——
"pretty!"
"In this point, Djokovic played very proactively and completed the layout early. He used a straight forehand shot to mobilize Gao Wen, and immediately followed the ball to the net to create pressure, forcing Gao Wen to hit the high ball."
"However, Djokovic's high-pressure ball in front of the net was still too soft, and he failed to dunk it accurately. There was still something wrong with the hitting point. Instead, it gave Gawain a pumping shot. His two-handed backhand withstood the impact very solidly. Use your strength to complete the network-breaking crossing."
"40:15."
"Match point appears!"
"Who would have thought that the first person to get the match point in this semi-final would be Gawain?"
Gurgling.
Gurgling.
The entire Arthur Ashe Stadium was in an uproar, not cheering for Gawain, but cheering for Djokovic amid shouts of annoyance and depression, hoping that Djokovic would be able to break the boat. , Jedi counterattack, they are still eagerly looking forward to the five-set battle.
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