Rafael Nadal, King of Clay, King of Roland Garros.
From the one-handed backhand shot of the high ball in the previous shot, to the long-distance slide and forehand whip to save the ball in this shot, Nadal fully demonstrated his talents and abilities.
Especially his keen touch on the defensive end.
If anyone is curious, why Nadal's performance in the first four games in Paris was still so strong even though he was in poor condition and fell to the lowest point in ten years, and why he was able to firmly suppress Gawain in the first two sets today, this is reason--
Never underestimate Nadal's fighting spirit, ever!
In this point, Nadal has been forced to the extreme. Gawain perfectly realized his advantage of serving. However, in the precarious predicament, Nadal once again showed his familiarity and familiarity with the clay court and Philippe Chatier. Understanding, he relied on sliding steps and forehand to successfully touch the high-pressure ball that Gao Wen was determined to win.
and!
Not only does he defend and save the ball, but Nadal also shows the ability to switch from defense to offense with one shot of the ball on the defensive end. With the flick of his wrist and the release of the strength of his upper body, the racket hits a shot like a whip. Diagonal line, full speed flight along the diagonal direction at a large angle.
Sharp, agile, light and fierce.
The long sword is unsheathed.
It can be seen from the hitting line that even in a desperate situation, Nadal's strong topspin still perfectly controls the line and angle of the parabola, finding a narrow line of sky near the net, trying to tear through Gawain's blockade , finally completed the breakthrough and entered the bounds.
The thrilling big slash made the whole audience hold their breath.
And opposite the stadium——
Gawain, on high alert, all tense.
Toe. Broken steps.
jump. Adjustment.
Gawain never let down his guard, because he knew Nadal's ability and even more so his fighting spirit. Even if he had the upper hand, as long as the ball was not over, everything was possible.
In 2022, in the French Open semi-finals, Nadal played against Zverev Jr., and the first set entered a tiebreaker. Zverev Jr. performed very well, winning four consecutive set points "6:2". Almost everyone thought this The victory in one set should belong to the German; and, in almost every point of the duel, Zverev had the absolute upper hand, pushing Nadal into the abyss step by step.
However, the final score was "10:8", and the Spaniard reversed and won the first set.
Everything is possible.
What's more, Gao Wen is the one behind now. He is facing a long and protracted tug-of-war in his own service game, and he has no right to take it lightly.
Gao Wen's steps have been adjusting. From the moment he hit the ground with high pressure, he has always been on tiptoes, with his center of gravity completely light and agile.
Step up and move sideways, your mind sinks, your eyes slightly condensed.
Then--
slash.
In the "Fena Show" at his peak, Nadal's forehand crossing under extreme passivity broke Federer's net blockade. It has always been one of the most classic scenes. As an audience, Gao Wen has witnessed this in front of the TV countless times. screen, and clenched his fists to cheer for Nadal.
Now, it's Gawain's turn to experience it for himself.
Tiptoe.
move.
leap.
Because standing in front of the net, the speed and rhythm are accelerated, everything becomes very fast when the fast forward button is pressed. Naturally, the reaction time is also severely compressed, and it is too late to move, so a leap must be made.
The body rises into the air.
High and high.
Gently.
Seeing that the tennis ball was about to form a breakthrough, Gao Wen stretched his body to the extreme, turned around with his back, and his two-handed backhand also evolved into a one-handed shot——
One stretch, one block.
Soar into the air.
extend.
The body breaks away from the shackles of gravity and stretches completely in mid-air. There is no skill or calculation. It just relies on instinct to respond, showing off the ability of one's physical fitness without reservation, and then praying silently deep in the heart, Concentration has reached its extreme.
The sound of wind, hunting, and even the sound of muscles bursting and blood boiling can be heard, and large swaths of flames are jumping up.
Then.
Stopped.
Bang - the impact of power and rotation can be deeply felt on the wrist, like a stormy sea, rushing towards my face in an instant, so that I have to hold my breath to barely stand firm, but the whole world still spins, and all the light turns into a ball Blurred halo.
However, Gawain held his breath, and in the flash of lightning, his wrist gently turned, and his soft hand wrapped around the tennis ball.
The next second, the fierce reaction force pushed the tennis ball back.
Time, stop.
On one side of the court, Gawain Dapeng spreads his wings, stretches his body, and is completely suspended in the air. Although his back is to the court, his head is still staring at the flying direction of the tennis ball and turning back.
On the other side of the court, Nadal lost control of his body and continued to rush forward. He staggered and waited for the inertia of his sliding sprint to weaken. He struggled to prepare for a second start. His eyes were fixed on the tennis ball and he struck again.
tread.
Tread.
Nadal started, and the Spanish bull once again showed his unparalleled foot control on clay. He started incredibly three times and charged forward with all his strength, but...
Too late.
Gao Wen's return ball passed over the net lightly, with almost no force or rotation. It fell vertically and landed close to the net. It was perfect.
Nadal can no longer catch up.
Although it was not Gawain's original intention, this conditioned shot still showed excellent touch and hit a perfect ball.
The whole audience stared with bated breath——
He watched helplessly as the tennis ball fell against the net, and then after one, two, and three jumps, there was no movement. A full beat later, Nadal's figure actually appeared in the service area and continued to advance, almost. Just a little bit, just a little bit closer, but still missed it.
This point belongs to Gawain.
boom!
The brain exploded directly and fell into a blank state. In the end, there was only a buzzing sound ringing in the ears.
Nadal has reached the extreme, showing all his eighteen martial arts, forcing him to perform at the highest level in his current state.
Gao Wen also performed to the extreme, not only exhausting all options but also adapting to circumstances. He was tight and focused throughout the whole process, showing his strength without reservation.
When we meet on a narrow road, the brave one wins.
But this time, the two brave men met, and with a little bit of luck, Gawain escaped from death. He went from advantage to disadvantage and finally ended the round, winning this point in the collision of powerful forces——
Wonderful!
Breathtaking!
On the other side, Gawain flipped over and almost fell to the ground, but he cleverly controlled his body and knelt down on one knee, as if the Terminator had arrived. At a glance, he saw the tennis ball jump twice to score. In an instant, his whole body was stunned. He clenched his hands into fists and stood up suddenly, upright and releasing all his emotions.
"Ahhh!"
"Ahhh!"
Roar, roar, release.
Gawain, without reservation—
There were four break points and a count, a whole ten-minute game, but he still held serve after all.
Escape from death.
The game is not over, this game is not over yet, the outcome is still a suspense, standing on the edge of the cliff, Gawain is still trying his best.
Small universe, burning.
In an instant, the whole place was boiling.
(End of chapter)
