Prejudgment!
A very important part of tennis is anticipation. If you wait for your opponent to attack before you start, you will easily fall into passivity, slowing down every step.
In the final analysis, prediction is a kind of talent. In addition to intuition and perception, it also includes the ability to read the game, calculate probability, draw inferences from one example, etc.
Of course, everything happens in a flash, and the brain's rotation speed often cannot keep up with the changes in hitting the ball. The subconscious mind still plays an important role.
Because of this, the more times we play against each other and the deeper the familiarity, the higher the accuracy of predicting the hitting line.
One of the important reasons why the Big Four can always offer peak duels is:
They have met each other too many times, far more than other players, and even dominate the historical list. They are really too familiar with each other, their predictions are more accurate, and their routines are well understood. This leads to a more stalemate between offense and defense. On the one hand, it also forces players to break their own routines and seek different means and strategies to gain an advantage.
Look back to the present moment.
This was the first meeting between Gao Wen and Tsonga in their careers, and they were not familiar with each other; but as the game entered the fifth set, their respective styles and routines were fully demonstrated.
So, next it depends on the player’s personal abilities:
Read the game, analyze the game, predict the game.
The past four games are the best data. It depends on who can extract more nutrients from these data and turn them into weapons to break the game.
As it happens, this is Gawain's strength.
Judging from the forehand hitting, Tsonga has all-round abilities, such as diagonal and straight balls, high lift, etc., all of which are no problem. It is indeed his strongest weapon.
However, when Tsonga chooses to change the line, he often relies on his personal strength to push it, and does not rely on the increase in the speed of the racket head. This way of hitting the ball also causes the straight line of the forehand to lack some stability - because there is not enough friction. Naturally, the control is weaker.
Therefore, when Tsonga chooses a straight forehand, he will often reduce his strength slightly to increase control and avoid going out of bounds.
Of course, such detailed differences are not obvious in the game. Even if Tson adds and subtracts force, the deterrent power of the forehand straight line is still very strong.
The real impact is that when Tsonga is ready to attack with all his strength and use his strength to suppress or even win points, he often chooses a slash——
Because this route does not retain the option of a full-scale violent attack.
In contrast, straight-line forehand attacks are often paired with following the ball to the net, creating interference through pressure in front of the net and making up for the slight loss of power in straight-line shots.
The result from these experiences is that the key to prediction is to observe the placement of your return and Tsonga's footwork.
Then, Gawain immediately moved to attack:
Right, forehand.
really!
Tsonga chose the slash.
Even before Tsonga hit the ball, Gawain had already moved ahead and bought himself time——
The steps are in place smoothly.
Unfortunately, it was still a little rushed and crowded.
Tsonga's forehand attack relies on the instant burst of power and speed to create suppression. This is a physical advantage. Even if Gawain has moved ahead of time, he can still deeply feel the continuous impact of the tail force of the ball. The limited space left for him to hit is still a problem.
Gawain, think quickly——
I am now at a disadvantage in moving position, and if I choose to attack rashly, I will further lose my position, and I may be very passive when I return to defense later.
Moreover, Tsonga's position is still in the midfield, he can advance, attack, retreat or defend. His own breakthrough may not be able to break Tsonga's blockade.
This is the deciding set and he needs to play smarter and more efficiently.
In the blink of an eye, Gawain had already made a choice based on his deciding strategy——
cutting.
After predicting and moving his steps in advance, Gao Wen did not choose to hit the wall and fight back, but cut a forehand shot.
Rotation, straight line, softness overcoming hardness.
Gawain's entire batting seemed very light and soft. The slightly squeezed steps and swing movements were all relaxed due to the cutting action. He regained his center of gravity and completed the adjustment in just an instant. Then, wrap the tennis ball and cut out a backspin.
Light, agile and dancing.
Tsonga was a little surprised, but he still moved very promptly. He moved from the center of the court towards his left side, and he was already in place with two big strides.
Backspin!
Strong backspin!
Tsonga immediately realized Gawain's tactical intention——
If Tsonga is standing on the baseline at this time, then facing the chip, he can directly attack with all his strength, catch Gawain's weak shot and return the ball to further expand his advantage, and even form a winning point with one shot and kill it directly, because Cutting away is tantamount to giving up the initiative.
But at this time, Tsonga's footsteps are within the baseline, at the junction between the frontcourt and the backcourt. From a positive point of view, it is a position of "advance, attack, retreat and defense", and from a negative point of view, it is "neither up nor down." "Slightly embarrassing" position, it all depends on how the two players play and choose.
Gao Wen used strong underspin to slice a deep ball:
The landing point was basically parallel to Tsonga's position; at the same time, it still had a strong downspin and fell sharply over the net.
This also means that if Tsonga tries to hit the net, he will be stuck, and if he tries to retreat, it will be too late, leaving him in an embarrassing dilemma.
Tsonga's only option is to move laterally, but then he needs to face the problem of hitting the rebound ball at his feet, which is not easy to deal with.
In a passive situation, Gawain slowed down the pace with cutting, which put Tsonga in an awkward position.
However, Tsonga's mind was clear and he was not nervous or panicked at all.
A big step.
Two giant strides.
Tsonga, who is 188 centimeters but weighs 93 kilograms, is tall and bulky, and his movements are always a bit cumbersome. Footwork is obviously not his best skill.
Despite this, his long strides seemed powerful, and he had caught up to the position in a blink of an eye, but he had no intention of braking and continued to stride.
Three strides.
Looking at it, Tsonga was about to collide head-on with Gao Wen's return ball at the intersection, causing a tragic car accident.
But see you!
Tsonga jumped up and moved his bulky body out of the way. Then the racket appeared in front of his body and swung it forward. He didn't even wait for the tennis ball to hit the ground. He intercepted the tennis ball halfway before it continued to fall, and relied on With the strength of his wrist and forearm, he turned the ball in front of him and cut the tennis ball back.
It's a volley and it's a cutting.
At this time, Tsonga showed off his excellent physical talent. Even though he was bulky, he relied on the strength of his wrist to complete a very difficult cutting volley in the short time he was in the air.
Not only did it resolve Gawain’s cutting problem, but it also fully utilized the court again——
The tennis ball flew out in a full parabola, high and floating, super spinning, flying along a diagonal line, aiming at the blind corner of the baseline of Gawain's backhand position.
From Tsonga's left baseline to Gawain's left blind spot, this return shot can be called a great shift in the world, affecting the attention of the entire audience and fluttering together.
(End of chapter)
