Zhang Guan came to the midfield, waved the racket, and hit a small angle slash.
Facing such a small-angle diagonal ball, Federer had no choice but to rush forward and barely catch the ball.
"Midfield intercept, will you pick up in front of the net?" Federer turned back and looked around to find out that Zhang Guan had run to the net.
"Sure enough, he was at the net after the midfield interception!" Federer sighed, he stopped and did not try to continue to catch the ball, because Federer knew Zhang Guan's next move, he could not run a neutral position.
Sure enough, Zhang Guan hit the ball diagonally behind Federer, and the tennis ball accurately fell into the circle. Zhang Guan won the ball and also won the second game.
Federer lost another game, but he had a weird feeling in his heart.
Most of the volleys in tennis are in front of the net, but the volleys in front of the net is a very important part of the technique before the net, but not all the balls are suitable for the volley in front of the net, so there is a midfield interception of this technique.
However, there has to be a certain distance between the midfield and the net, and the angle of the return ball is more biased towards the bottom line, so the midfield interception lethality is far less than that of the net interception, and it is almost impossible to kill in one hit. So the former champion Sampras invented a routine, which is to follow the ball to the net after a midfield interception, which is also a strain in the game.
After the midfield interception, playing with the ball on the net requires very high technical requirements. Since the retirement of the former king Sampras, there are fewer and fewer players using the pre-net play, and the more skilled players can't use this trick. And among active players, only one person can use this trick fascinatingly, that is Federer.
Although Federer likes to catch the ball on the bottom line, as an offensive-based and comprehensive player, Federer's offensive means of course also includes the net after the midfield interception, and Federer's use of this technique is not weaker than Sampras in the game, too many opponents have been defeated by Federer with this move.
Today, Zhang Guan used Federer's face to play with the ball after the midfield interception. This is like a martial arts master defeated with his best skill. Of course, Federer will have a strange feeling in his heart.
"What's the matter, isn't this my way of playing! Zhang Guan is using my routine." Federer frowned a little uncomfortably, and then he looked at the score. In the first set, he was already 0- 2 behind.
"I can't lose anymore, you have to keep your point in the next game."
...
In ESPN's studio, Sampras stared at Zhang Guan on the screen.
"After the midfield interception, he followed the ball to the net, and Zhang Guan used my style of play! Zhang Guan chose the timing very well. He didn't use the technique in a way that would have insulted me!" Sampras signed silently.
In sports, even the same technique will have different representatives in different eras, such as the fadeaway jumper in basketball. In the 1990s, people would think of Jordan when he mentioned a fadeaway jumper. If a player completes a beautiful back-up jumper, it will be called a "Jordan-like face-away jumper"; in the 21st century, people think that the fade-away jumper is Kobe, if the athlete completes a fade-away jumper, they will be regarded as "Kobe Bryant's fade-away."
The same is true in tennis. A midfielder intercepts the ball and then surfs the net. If it is placed in the 1990s, it belongs to Sampras's style of play, but in the first decade of the 21st century, it becomes Federer's style of play, including the two users of Sampras and Federer, Zhang Guan also thinks that this style of play is his own.
At this time, the voice of ESPN's commentator sounded, "The second game of the two sides has ended. Zhang Guan temporarily leads Federer by 2-0. I think this result is not expected by many people. Mr. Sampras, can you comment on the two games just now?"
"Okay." Sampras recovered, and then said, "From the beginning, Federer is a little slow, so there are some mistakes; Zhang Guan took a few important opportunities. This is also the key to his ability to lead. But after all, the game has just begun, and I think the next two athletes will bring us a very intense game."
"A fierce game? Do you mean Federer will be in a bitter fight?" The commentator's tone was somewhat questionable.
"I know that before the game, many people are not optimistic about Zhang Guan. The reason why everyone is not optimistic about Zhang Guan is not that Zhang Guan's strength is weak, but because Federer's strength is too strong. But I think that Zhang Guan and Federer's strength gap is not as great as everyone thinks, and the two are probably at the same level." Sampras said.
"Oh, Mr. Sampras has a unique insight." The narrator smiled, and then said, "But Federer's recent state is very good! This year's Australian Open, he advanced from the first round to the final, there is no throwing a set game away, every game was 3-0."
"Zhang Guan also didn't lose a set, every game won 3-0." Sampras then added, "And Zhang Guan's opponents are not weak, Gonzalez, Davydenko, Haas, Nalbandian, and Grosjean, Zhang Guan defeated a total of five seed players, and finally reached the finals. His promotion seems to be more difficult than Federer's."
The narrator nodded, "You are right, judging from the results of the two sides in the finals, it is indeed half a catty! The third game of the two sides is about to start, let us turn the screen back to the game!"
...
In the arena, Federer started his second serve.
"Ahhh!" Federer raised his hand to serve an ACE ball, grabbing the head first.
In the next serve, Federer did not directly score through the service, but through the service to get the advantage on the field, then forehand to create pressure, and won the next point.
The score came to 30-0, Federer's start was very smooth, but the next point, Federer made a mistake, the second serve was blocked by Zhang Guan. After a few shots, Federer tried to attack Zhang Guan's backhand, but the direction was not well controlled and went out of bounds, Zhang Guan pulled back a point.
"Was Federer attacking my backhand just now?" Zhang Guan felt that Federer had found the state of the game and he would soon use one of his best tactics.
He saw Federer serve for the fourth time. This time, Federer directly served towards Zhang Guan's backhand position.
Zhang Guan also had to fight back with his backhand, and this was what Federer had already expected, he began to use his forehand to force Zhang Guan's backhand.
"Sure enough, Federer's most commonly used tactics!" Zhang Guan was somewhat helpless. Although his backhand level is good, it is worse than Federer's forehand.
Federer continuously pressed Zhang Guan's backhand, Zhang Guan slowly fell into a disadvantage.
Suddenly, Federer moved his forehand, the ball's landing point was almost along the sideline, Zhang Guan wanted to chase it, but it was too late!
"40-15!" At the same time the referee announced, the audience also gave Federer warm applause.
"I guessed right, Federer started to use this set of play. Pressing the backhand and mobilizing the forehand, this trick can undoubtedly exert the most power in Federer's hands, as long as Federer does not make mistakes, I am afraid it will be hard to break this trick!"
Zhang Guan took a deep breath, he knew that Federer had found the feel, that the peak Federer without flaws finally appeared after two games!