Return to 2002: Freestyle Superstar

Chapter 217: Hard battle, tiebreaker reversal!

"Does this Chinese boy want to eat me with his aura?" Costa wiped the sweat from his forehead.

An indisputable fact is that today's Chen Ran remains undefeated against all Spanish players, whether on clay courts or hard courts!
Chen Ran's only loss on the tour was to Wawrinka, a rising star from Switzerland.

Even if Costa is the defending champion, there is no absolute certainty that he can beat Chen Ran.

"Cheer up, you are going to defend your title!" Costa patted his head.

In Chen Ran's second serve, Costa, who was filled with a sense of crisis and urgency, also launched wave after wave of attacks.

15: 0.

15: 15.

30: 15.

30: 30.

40: 30.

40: 40.

In this game, the score was tight.

Chen Ran often scores a point first, and Costa immediately chases one point.

The competition was so fierce that many spectators did not even dare to take a breath.

In the end, after two more draws, Chen Ran managed to keep serve successfully.

This game lasted nearly 20 minutes.

Although Chen Ran was temporarily leading 3-0, he did not dare to be careless at all.

From the "love game" of sweeping the opponent in the first game to the tight score in the third game, it was obvious that the defending French Open champion on the other side had begun to enter the state.

This is Costa's strong foundation on clay courts.

If data can be used for analysis, it seems that after all Spanish players step onto the clay court, various physical attributes will be improved, just like a BUFF has been applied to the game.

But what many other players get on clay courts is a DEBUFF.

However, Chen Ran is one of the few players who can overcome the impact of this DEBUFF.

6: 3!

The score seemed to be very different, but it was very difficult for Chen Ran to win the first set.

In men's tennis matches, a break of serve can often determine the outcome of a game.

In a total of nine games, Chen Ran served 5 times.

Except for the first service game, where he easily held serve, the scores in the next 4 service games all reached 40-40, forcing him to enter an extension game.

Fortunately, Chen Ran was able to successfully maintain his hair after going through very tough battles again and again.

The first set was very intense.

It is even said that victory or defeat is only a matter of millimeters. Chen Ran relied on being the first to enter the game and broke his opponent's first serve, which was a bit of luck.

Obviously, Chen Ran also knew that the opponent would make a crazy counterattack at the beginning of the second set.

Sure enough, when the second set came, Costa showed all his skills.

When he won his first serve, he immediately broke Chen Ran's first serve!

Is it familiar?

The script of the second set was the same as that of the first set, except that the protagonist was replaced by Costa.

Throughout the second set, confrontation and counterattack were always the main theme of the game.

Chen Ran and Costa have almost eliminated all distracting thoughts and fully entered the competition mode.

The competition was extremely fierce, with red-hot bayonet collisions occurring constantly.

Both sides were constantly switching between offense and defense, and the back-and-forth transfer of advantages and disadvantages was very exciting. Although there was no break in the whole game, the audience still couldn't stop watching.

3: 5!

In the 9th game, Costa led 40:15.

C5 host Zhan Jun kept sighing: "Chen Ran only made a very slight mistake, and Costa seized the opportunity to break serve. Now, it is extremely difficult for him to complete the breakback."

During the conversation, a 32-shot contest started between Chen Ran and Costa.

Both sides were running all over the court, from the baseline to the net, and then back and forth on both sides of the court.

The figures of the two men filled their respective halves.

In the end, Chen Ran hit the ball into the net, ending this extreme and lengthy see-saw.

1: 1!

Costa regained the set 6-3, and the two sides ended in a draw.

This is also the first set that Chen Ran has lost since participating in the French Open.

The host at the scene also sighed: "In this game, our defending champion faced the talented new star from China. He should be in the best form since the start of the game."

"He seems to have returned to the form he had when he won the French Open last year."

When Chen Ran walked off the court, he threw the racket on the ground with some annoyance.

When the racket head hit the ground and bounced back up, Chen Ran's body was already facing away from the jumping tennis racket.

He stretched out his right hand directly behind his back, as if there were eyes on the back of his head, and directly grasped the handle of the tennis racket with his palm.

The TV broadcast camera was pointed at Chen Ran and recorded this scene.

What a delicate touch!

Many in the audience let out a low cry.

Of course, some people will also complain that the score is evened by the opponent, but they still have the heart to do acrobatics and show off their skills.

Even the C5 host was amused by this scene and joked: "It seems that Chen Ran's mentality is still very relaxed!"

"Relax, because being nervous is useless!" Chen Ran warned himself while drinking water.

Where did you lose the second set?It’s just that the concentration is not enough!

He failed to maintain a high level of concentration throughout the set.

There is no room for sloppiness in a duel between top players.

Especially in your own serve game.

If it is the opponent's serve, you are allowed to be lax or careless occasionally, but you must keep your own serve.

How to play the third set?
Chen Ran knew that Costa's ability to interpret the game was also extraordinary, and he had all the factors needed for a top clay court player.

Likewise, what is the difference between Costa and Ferrero today and Nadal at his peak in the future?
If we analyze only from the perspective of strength, if these guys are at their peak and play against each other, Nadal may not be able to win for sure.

This is just like Murray or Wawrinka at their peak, who can also win the Grand Slam from the Big Three at their peak.

The Big Three are powerful not only because their peak period is high enough, but also because their peak period is long enough, spanning at least 15 years.

In this matchup, Costa has obviously shown his competitive form when he won the French Open last year.

Even if the future "King of Clay" Nadal comes, it cannot be said that he is guaranteed to win.

When the break ended, Chen Ran walked back into the court carrying his racket.Since Costa equalized the total score, the stadium has been extremely noisy.

For French audiences, the more brutal this game is, the better.

After the start of the third set, the duel between the two sides was still extremely fierce.

The two sides refused to give in to each other and staged a top-notch tennis feast for the audience.

After 10 and 6 minutes, the scores of both sides increased alternately and reached a 6-[-] tie.

This also meant that the third set entered a brutal tie-break stage.

On clay courts, the Spanish star has an excellent ability to interpret the game.

In the tie-break, when Chen Ran took the lead in serving, he actually completed the "misleading break" first.

0:1；0:3；2:3；2:5；4:5。

Costa relied on his tenacious fighting spirit and super strength to always have the advantage in the tiebreaker.

Chen Ran finally completed a "mini break" on the tenth ball of the tie-break and tied the score.

But Costa still held on to his second serve and once again led 6:5, reaching the set point at the end.

The game was so intense that the audience occasionally forgot to applaud.

Who knows that the third set will be crucial.

Da Da Da~
Chen Ran patted the tennis ball gently while adjusting his breathing.

At this moment, both sides have completely entered the game state, winning or losing is only a matter of millimeters, and sometimes it is even determined by a little bit of luck.

The whole place was silent, even the sound of breathing and heartbeat had disappeared in the huge stadium.

Kick off the ground, bend your knees, throw the ball, swing the racket!
Area [-], outer corner!

At the critical moment, Chen Ran chose the more classic outside corner serving tactic in the first zone.

He needs to hit the tennis ball to open up the angle. Even if the opponent can return the ball, it can only be some distance away from the sideline of the court.

The speed is 188 kilometers per hour.

Chen Ran reduced the ball speed and added a lot of external spin.

Costa was well prepared, stared with both feet, and barely hit the ball back in the far corner.

The tennis ball drew a rainbow-like arc and flew towards the opposite side of the court.

You can tell at a glance that he is trying to suppress the return ball as deep as possible and limit Chen Ran's transition into the palace. If he can press the ball above the baseline, it will be perfect.

However, due to Chen Ran's advantage on the serving end, the quality of Costa's return was slightly lacking.

Chen Ran reacted quickly, taking half a step back with his right leg to open up space. At the same time, his whole forehand was launched instantly, his arms stretched out like a roc spreading its wings, and he hit the ball hard.

The direction is still to the opposite area.

When Costa returned the ball, he wanted to run towards the center line immediately. However, Chen Ran's unexpected hit made him run a few steps, and then he slid to the ground with one knee.

The tennis ball flashed past not far from his heels.

Chen Ran's control over time differences is really exquisite.

If Costa is already ready at the center line, he will probably be able to save this, and if he starts a step later, he can also hit the ball back.

But by adjusting his steps, Chen Ran controlled the rhythm of his batting just right.

Just when Costa started to move in the other direction, Chen Ran hit the tennis ball over.

6: 6!

Save an inventory!
In the second ball, Chen Ran's serve caused the opponent to return the ball directly into the net.

7: 6!

Two points in a row.

In the blink of an eye, it changed from the opponent's inventory to one's own.

Costa once again got two chances to serve.

Although Chen Ran won the set point, he had to complete a "mini break" on the first ball to have a chance.

Of course he put the pressure on Costa.

boom!
The same outside corner of the first area, with strong external spin.

But the ball speed seems to have slowed down a bit.

Chen Ran knew that this was the reason for the decline in serving condition.

Costa, who is 1 meters tall, has never been a good serve.

Chen Ran immediately completed the push with a pulling movement of his arm and sent the ball to Costa's backhand position.

He himself also adjusted his steps to be ready to meet his opponent's backhand vigorously at any time.

Suddenly, Costa actually released a small ball.

This guy decided that Chen Ran would never expect that he would release the ball, and the opponent's attention was entirely on the baseline.

When Chen Ran saw this, he immediately started to move.

Kick, run, and sprint.

The quality of this small ball was okay, but Chen Ran was used to Alcaraz, the new king of Spain, who almost used small balls as a conventional weapon.

After all, Costa's level of shooting small balls is somewhat inferior to Alcaraz's.

Chen Ran's reaction speed was very fast. He started immediately and then accelerated immediately. Then he made a beautiful slide, leaving a white wave on the red soil.

The sliding on the clay court is already at home for Chen Ran.

Costa also rushed into the court, but did not dare to get too close to the net and kept a distance.

He was also worried that Chen Ran would lob the ball.

At this distance, Costa believes that he maintains the initiative.

But fighting in front of the net, in addition to technique, also specifically tests on-the-spot reaction.

Chen Ran has the most advanced net skills, which is a muscle reaction produced after tens of thousands of trainings.

In the nick of time!
He didn't care to observe Costa's position, but gently rubbed the ball, and the return ball was shallow and low.

It's a return shot with strong backspin.

Chen Ran also hit this ball in the 8/1 finals.Theoretically, as long as you complete the jump on the ground, it will bounce back quickly, forming an unsolvable dead ball.

But the experienced Costa already knew this. He immediately rushed over and completed the return before the tennis ball hit the ground.

Chen Ran was already prepared for this. His body moved sideways, but the racket moved forward lightly and nimbly.

The tennis ball passed directly over Costa's stance and landed in the space behind him.

8: 6!

Chen Ran won the tie-break of the third set!

……

(End of this chapter)