pretty!
Even Gawain wanted to applaud Tsonga. This time the ball's hitting control was indeed very, very, very good, but Gawain was not ready to give up.
Regardless of whether he can catch up in the end, he should at least try to see. Gawain's fighting spirit is burning brightly, and every inch of his muscles is exploding.
However, it’s not enough, it’s still not enough——
Tsonga's ball has everything it needs to land, release force and spin, and push Gawain directly to the edge of the cliff.
then.
One kick.
A rush.
Sliding, he rushed out.
If it were on a hard court, then this ball would definitely be helpless. The only thing that can be done is to applaud Tsonga; but here is clay, and there is more knowledge, speed and spin in footwork on this ground. Differences can often become unknown variables in the game.
In fact, Gawain still needs to continue to learn his sliding steps.
Not to mention compared with top players such as Nadal and Thiem, there is still a gap compared with ordinary clay court players. After all, I am still a novice.
However, Gawain took Graf's advice to heart:
Sliding and spinning are essential weapons for adapting to the clay court game.
Some players, because of the one-point victory in front of them, often dare not try these unfamiliar technologies, and still choose the way they are most familiar with and comfortable to play, refusing to step out of their comfort zone; but this is wrong, and they need to take a long-term view, anyway. To learn something you need to adapt to, try it as soon as possible to shorten the trial and error time.
“Don’t be afraid to fail, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”
so--
Although he was not very skilled, and despite the huge pressure on and off the field when he came to Roland Garros this time, Gao Wen was still very resolute in his tactical execution.
Sliding, he jumped out without hesitation.
Before the steps reached the bottom line of the teeing area, the sliding step had already been pushed out. The clay court turned into a ski resort in a second, with billowing red waves flying.
There was a long trail behind him, and the hem of his clothes fluttering in the wind was so chic and light, like a sudden flash of light, flashing before his eyes.
rustle.
rustle.
But soon, Gawain realized: it was too early to start.
The difficulty of the "sliding step" technique lies in: first, balance, how to cleverly maintain the center of gravity of the body; second, control, combining multiple factors such as timing, strength and speed, when to start, how much acceleration to attach, when to brake, How to start again after braking.
For Gawain, the former is not difficult, and you can see the importance of basic footwork skills at this time; but the latter is a completely new subject.
The so-called unfamiliarity and unskilledness refer specifically to the second half.
Gawain's calculation of the distance and position of the sliding step is still not accurate enough, just like now——
Because I was worried that I would not be able to control the speed and hit the net, I started a little early. As a result, my power was exhausted, and then...
Can't catch up.
There is still a small half step left.
what to do?
However, they saw that Gawain's upper body was completely leaning forward, and the flexibility of his body had been pushed to the extreme. From the audience stands or the live broadcast screen, you can see that from the thigh to the torso to the racket, it extends into a straight line, and the breath extending behind him The waves and white lines perfectly display the grandeur of the vision.
Close.
Closer.
Seeing that the tennis ball has begun to fall for the second time, it seems that it can no longer withstand the pressure of rotation and gravity, and it falls vertically.
Then, the racket head appeared.
One rub, one pick.
A gentle flick of the wrist, like a slender hand lifting a veil, without detecting any force at all, it was just a push.
Snapped.
Gently, softly, softly, the tennis ball has flown back again.
High and floating.
It can be seen at a glance that Gawain is not pursuing the ultimate - of course, it may be that his body has reached the extreme and there is no way to continue to pursue detailed control; on the contrary, the entire return arc seems very ordinary and simple, just like this. The ground lifts up and comes back to the other side.
straight line.
Midfield.
However, this is enough.
Not far away, Tsonga had fallen to the ground, and the entire left field had been completely cleared. Although Tsonga stood up quickly, it was too late to start, especially when Gao Wen pushed a midfield ball, which was not deep, but It was enough, flying past Tsonga's position towards the backcourt.
As soon as he started, Tsonga realized that he couldn't catch up. He stopped helplessly and watched the tennis ball form two jumps.
From tense to relaxed to tense and finally back to relaxed again, a close-quarters battle with red bayonet, finally ended abruptly in such a way.
The entire audience was silent, silently watching the two players on the court——
Tsonga, covered in embarrassment, with wet sweat stuck to the red soil, looked like a superhero who had failed to transform.
Gawain, sitting on the ground eating dirt, panting like an ox, flushed in the face, didn't even have the energy to roar, just clenched his fists and looked bright.
It can be seen from the state of the two players that they have tried their best and unreservedly for this point.
boom!
In an instant, the whole place surged, and the passion and enthusiasm deep in their hearts could no longer be suppressed, and they exploded with force.
When the game reached the final set, when the game was almost three hours old, the two players still showed such a state and dedicated such a wonderful round.
At this moment, any audience watching the live broadcast of the game, without exception, all applauded.
Even the two players are no exception.
Amidst the roar that swept the entire field, Tsonga walked towards Gawain and asked with his eyes; Gawain raised his hand to indicate that he was fine, stood up with his racket supporting his body, and then walked towards the net and met Tsonga. He fist-bumped in celebration, and a smile crept up the corner of his mouth.
Ahhhh!
Ahhhh!
The applause and whistles climbed steadily, creating an incredible heat wave. Even the layers of dark clouds covering their heads were reduced to supporting roles. Even if the end of the world came, they were still partying and holding on tightly. Every minute and second of life, burn and bloom as much as you want.
Both Gawain and Tsonga performed well in the first three rounds, but their only regret was that their opponents lacked stamina.
Especially Gao Wen, against Tim and Parley, he was defeated in the last set of two consecutive games. It was one-sided and the strong confrontation could not last until the end.
However, today, the game has entered the final set, but the back-and-forth battle still maintains a strong sense of tension, and the suspense of victory or defeat is still unknown.
The spectators at the Stade Philippe-Chartier are in for a treat—
Originally, due to the potential threat of the weather, people should leave one after another. No one wants to be soaked in the rain, but that is not the case at the scene. The Philippe Chartier Stadium is slowly filling up little by little, and the attendance rate From 60% in the opening stage, it has gradually exceeded 80%.
Moreover, it continues to rise. For a fourth-round game, such a scene is really rare. It seems that the entire Roland Garros' attention is gathering towards the center court.
There is no doubt about Tsonga's appeal, but the wonderful performance he and Gao Wen jointly contributed is the key.
No one should miss this collision.
Wonderful, it continues.
(End of chapter)
