Tennis: He's so obedient!

Chapter 214: Suggestion Completed, Reward Received, Headache for Nadal!
"Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic!" Zhan Jun exclaimed instantly.

"In the midst of a continuous back-and-forth battle on the defensive, Jiang Hong used a high-quality backhand slice with perfect placement, spin, and depth to neutralize Nadal's attack and turn the tide of the game!"

Zhang Sheng, standing to the side, nodded in agreement, saying, "It seems that Jiang Hong has made a lot of preparations for this match today. In less than two games, he has already shown many tactics that he hadn't displayed before!"

Jiang Hong clenched his fist tightly upon scoring.

"It seems this method is quite effective!"

Although Jiang Hong accepted the advice, he preferred to fail rather than lose the game.

If the advice is truly useless, then he will decisively change his tactics.

"He's growing too fast!" Nadal frowned.

Previously, when Robredo said that Jiang Hong had grown rapidly, he thought it meant that Jiang Hong had gone from being unknown to being ranked among the top players.

I didn't take it to heart at the time, even though Jiang Hong's ranking did rise very quickly.

However, many of the records set by previous tennis players are simply outrageous.

Some players have already won Grand Slam titles when they were only sixteen or seventeen years old.

If you think about it that way, it's normal for Jiang Hong to earn points so quickly.

However, he now understood that Robredo was not referring to the speed at which Jiang Hong's ranking was rising.

Rather, it's Jiang Hong's improved strength.

Jiang Hong's skill level was probably not as high as it is now when he played at the Madrid Masters.

If Nadal had previously thought that a new rival would emerge in the future of tennis.

Now he is certain that the other party will be a formidable opponent in the future.

Nadal adjusted himself and tugged at his pants.

She raised her head, pursed her lips, and her eyes regained their sharpness.

boom!
Another outside serve!
The ball was moving very fast, so Jiang Hong immediately increased his pace.

Nadal's serve was very fast, and Jiang Hong managed to land the ball just before it hit the ground.

The moment the tennis ball bounced, Jiang Hong only had time to twist his hips, and his right hand instantly switched from an Eastern grip to a semi-Western grip, quickly swinging forward.

The racket barely cuts into the lower side of the tennis ball, and the wrist rotates inward at the moment of contact.

The tennis ball grazed the net and landed in the middle.

The angle isn't tricky, but it's very deep.

Nadal's eyes lit up; Jiang Hong's shot this time wasn't very threatening.

Therefore, he immediately launched another forehand attack, targeting Jiang Hong's backhand.

However, Nadal hesitated a bit when hitting the ball. Jiang Hong's tactics were too varied, so he chose to be more cautious and did not swing the racket with full force as before.

The two sides are once again locked in a stalemate over the bottom line.

"We can't keep defending after this point!"

He knew Nadal would become more cautious, so he was going to attack!
When receiving a forehand return from Nadal that landed slightly shallow.

Jiang Hong immediately turned to the side, and his forehand was already drawn back, ready to hit the ball.

"Forehand cross-court shot?"

After making his judgment, Nadal immediately moved his body toward his backhand side, preparing to defend in advance.

However, this was just a feint by Jiang Hong.

"be cheated!"

Jiang Hong caught a glimpse of Nadal's movement out of the corner of his eye, and a smile appeared on his lips.

At the last moment of the shot, Jiang Hong made an extremely subtle relaxation and wrapping motion with his wrist, turning what was originally a powerful forehand swing into an extremely gentle slice drop shot!
With the racket face slightly open, gently slice the ball from the bottom, giving the tennis ball strong backspin and minimal forward momentum.

Nadal looked up at the sound of the shot and saw...

The tennis ball floated lightly over the net, then plummeted rapidly in the forecourt of the service court. After landing, it showed almost no tendency to bounce forward; instead, it gave the illusion of bouncing slightly backward!
"What?" Nadal's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Put the small ball down!" Zhang Sheng exclaimed in surprise!
Nadal had already shifted his weight to the right because he anticipated Jiang Hong's cross-court shot, and now he saw the short ball Jiang Hong released.

I couldn't help but curse under my breath.

However, now is not the time to vent; the most important thing is to make the save.

Nadal twisted his ankle, suddenly completing an extremely difficult emergency stop, and then sprinted in the opposite direction with all his might!

He displayed amazing explosiveness and flexibility, rushing towards the net like a bolt of lightning.

Bang!
The tennis ball landed.

The Nadal fans in the stands couldn't help but stand up and clench their fists.

finally.

Before the ball bounced for the second time, Nadal managed to lift it up with the tip of his racket.

However, completing the return shot doesn't mean everything is fine.

This lob was high and slow, and it was positioned right in front of the net.

“Just right!”

Jiang Hong had already moved to the net immediately after releasing the ball.

At this moment, he had completely occupied the highest point at the net, watching Nadal barely manage to save the high ball.

Without any hesitation, he leaped slightly and delivered a clean and powerful overhead smash with his forehand!

The tennis ball struck the open space on the court that Nadal couldn't reach, like a meteor.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~" At this moment, only the breathing of the two people could be heard in the stadium.

"15:30," the referee's voice rang out.

Nadal blinked, still somewhat incredulous.

"We've fallen behind?"

Jiang Hong hit a love game in his service game, and Jiang Hong also took the lead in his own service game.

Rafael Nadal is the one who is going to dethrone Federer and become the new king of tennis!
"Wow! Jiang Hong! Another change of rhythm! A forehand feint followed by a drop shot, then a powerful overhead smash at the net for a point!"

Zhan Junteng jumped up from the stool. "After the slice, he played drop shots. He completely controlled the rhythm of the game!"

"Nadal's powerful running ability seems to have caught him somewhat off guard in the face of Jiang Hong's extreme changes in rhythm!"

After all, no one could have predicted the game would unfold this way before the match even started.

Jiang Hong won two consecutive points with clever changes in rhythm, and Nadal's expression became extremely serious. He had to win back a point!
He stood behind the baseline and performed his ritualistic movements again, but each touch and pull seemed to carry even greater force, as if he was suppressing his inner desire for victory.

We urgently need to secure a point to stabilize the situation. If Jiang Hong continues down this path and his confidence swells, things will become much more difficult to resolve.

Bang!
One shot, inside the corner, full of power.

The ball was too fast. Although Jiang Hong successfully predicted the direction, his backhand return was too shallow.

Seeing an opportunity, Nadal strode forward and gave Jiang Hong no chance to change his rhythm. He unleashed a powerful forehand down the line, scoring a winning point! The ball pierced through Jiang Hong's defense and slammed hard onto the baseline.

"30-30!"

After winning the game, Nadal breathed a sigh of relief.

Although we are still behind in the score, at least we are not under as much pressure.

30-30, the crucial points.

Whoever scores a point will reach game point.

Therefore, we must be cautious.

Nadal served a high-quality second serve with strong topspin, landing on Jiang Hong's forehand side.

After running, Jiang Hong quickly positioned himself and returned the ball with a forehand. The ball landed squarely in the mid-court.

Nadal did not hesitate and continued to attack Jiang Hong's backhand with his forehand, trying to regain the advantage.

However, based on the previous few shots, Jiang Hong had already figured out his opponent.

After the two sides rallied for three more shots, Jiang Hong once again made a change!

While running, he unleashed another backhand slice! This time, the ball's trajectory was shorter, the landing point shallower, heading straight for the vicinity of the service line!
Nadal frowned upon seeing this, a hint of doubt rising in his mind.

"its not right!"

Logically speaking, Jiang Hong's cutting quality shouldn't be this low.

However, there's no time to think about that now.

The only option was to step forward again and lower the center of gravity to handle the low-profile cutting ball.

He tried his best to return the ball to Jiang Hong's baseline position.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hong was already waiting near the baseline.

He seized the opportunity when Nadal was in the mid-court area due to dealing with a slice shot, and without hesitation, he suddenly hit a soft drop shot with his forehand!
That's right, Jiang Hong's cut just now wasn't an attack.

It's more about creating space for this small ball.

They used the same trick again! But the timing and the degree of control were just right!

The ball once again glide smoothly over the net and plummeted downwards.

"It's a small ball again!"

Nadal was absolutely furious! He had just retreated from the net to the baseline, but now he had to turn back again and sprint forward with all his might!

He had reached his running speed limit, and the soles of his shoes made a screeching sound as they rubbed against the hard ground.

Just as the ball was about to hit the ground for the second time, he once again used an almost split-like motion to successfully save it.

But this return shot bounced high after clearing the net, landing right in front of the net.

Jiang Hong had already followed him to the net.

This time, he didn't even need to jump. He just stood there, gently blocked with his forehand, and pushed the ball into Nadal's backhand corner with a simple diagonal shot.

"30-40!"

Break point!
"Break point! Jiang Hong has a break point!" Zhan Jun's voice was hoarse with excitement. "It's another slice combined with a drop shot! He completely exploited Nadal's weakness of positioning deep and hating frequent forward and backward sprints, using continuous changes in rhythm to create an excellent break opportunity for himself!"

The entire Bessie Stadium erupted in cheers!

Chinese fans saw hope of breaking through the opponent's serve.

Nadal's fans were also a bit dumbfounded at this point.

what happened?
Weren't we here to see Nadal get his revenge?
"LaFerrari, LaFerrari!"

The originally faint sounds gradually converged, forming a huge wave of sound.

Nadal stood on the edge of the cliff. He vigorously wiped the sweat from his face with a towel, and the previous anxiety in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a gradual calm.

He knew the importance of this serve.

After completing the pre-competition ceremony, his movements returned to their previous stability and precision.

One shot!
"OUT!"

Once the ball goes out of bounds, you have to start preparing again.

Nadal's fans in the stands had already put their hands together and were praying for him.

Second shot.

There was silence.

Nadal took a deep breath, tossed the ball, and struck it!

A serve with strong sidespin and topspin, aimed directly at Jiang Hong's body. The ball speed wasn't the fastest, but the spin was intense.

Jiang Hong tried to attack with his forehand while turning to the side, but the ball's position made him uncomfortable, and his forehand return was of poor quality, landing in the mid-court.

Nadal saw an opportunity!

Without any hesitation, he strode forward and unleashed an unstoppable inside-in straight shot with his forehand!

The ball flew like a cannonball, heading straight for the sideline at Jiang Hong's forehand position!
This ball was incredibly tricky. Although Jiang Hong reacted quickly, forcing a save might not necessarily result in a score, and would instead consume a lot of his energy.

After some thought, Jiang Hong ultimately chose to watch the ball land and score.

"40-40!"

Nadal! Saves a break point!
After scoring, Nadal clenched his fist tightly.

That score just now put a lot of pressure on him.

After all, in matches between top players, a single game can determine the course of the entire game or even the entire match.

After the score was tied, Nadal's momentum clearly rebounded.

He hit the target again with his serve, and Jiang Hong's return was suppressed.

In the ensuing long rally, Nadal stopped his relentless attacks and patiently engaged with Jiang Hong. He eventually forced Jiang Hong to return the ball into the net with a wide-angle forehand shot while running.

"AD: 40!"

Indeed, Nadal ultimately secured the set point.

As a top player, Nadal did not waste his opportunities.

He served an outside serve that pulled Jiang Hong out of bounds, then attacked the opening where Jiang Hong was defending with his forehand, easily scoring a point.

"Game, Nadal, 1-1!"

The match was intense from the very beginning, and Nadal successfully held serve in the second game.

Both sides got into the game and showed their serving ability and baseline rallies.

Nadal became more cautious, making it much more difficult for Jiang Hong to pull off a surprise attack.

The score went back and forth.

从1-1再到2-2，以及第五局，40:30。

Jiang Hong took a deep breath and stared intently at Nadal across from him.

"What a pity! Jiang Hong still has one match point left. Let's see if he can seize this last opportunity!"

At the start of the fifth game, Jiang Hong fully demonstrated his serving skills, easily taking a 40-0 lead and holding three game points.

However, Nadal suddenly changed tactics, catching Jiang Hong off guard and scoring two points in a row.

Jiang Hong tossed the tennis ball high into the air.

"Snapped!"

"OUT!"

It went out of bounds.

"Jiang Hong is under too much pressure. Let's choose a safer serve for the second serve," Zhan Jun said with a clapping hand and a regretful expression.

Standing behind the baseline, tennis ball in hand, he took a deep breath. "I can't back down. If I play it safe, I'll just be giving Rafa an opening!"

A determined look flashed in Jiang Hong's eyes.

Without further hesitation, toss the ball, push off the ground, rotate the body, swing the racket, and hit the ball.

It involves very few rotations, is the simplest, and also has the highest error rate.
Bang!
"Flat serve!" Zhan Jun suddenly widened his eyes.

The tennis ball flew like a cannonball through the net, heading straight for the outer corner of Nadal's service court.

Just as the tennis ball left the racket, Jiang Hong suddenly moved.

Without the slightest hesitation, the muscles in his left leg tensed instantly, and the sole of his shoe made a screeching sound as it rubbed against the ground.

The moment he crossed the service line, Jiang Hong completed an almost invisible split-step.

Jiang Hong's ball speed was incredibly fast, reaching 212 kilometers per hour.

After running, I was unable to execute my signature topspin forehand.

Left with no other option, we had to use double reverse cutting.

As a top player, Nadal's double backhand slice was of very high quality.

It's low and flat!
At this moment, Jiang Hong had already charged to the net.

By sheer coincidence, the ball got closer and closer to Jiang Hong.

This is the "football" that all players hate, making Jiang Hong's net play somewhat awkward.

Everyone felt that Jiang Hong's serve-and-volley strategy was a mistake.

“Jiang Hong has become somewhat dependent on his path!” Zhang Sheng couldn’t help but sigh.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Jiang Hong advanced instead of retreating.

Take a big step forward with your right foot, and quickly lower your center of gravity.

The knees bend to an exaggerated degree, while the racket hand draws a short arc in front of the body.

Just as the tennis ball bounced up, before it reached ankle height, Jiang Hong steadily sliced ​​the ball forward with his racket, his wrist slightly protruding.

"Snapped!"

A soft sound.

The tennis ball drops rapidly as it flies over the net.

It landed directly in the corner of the service area.

Landing, rotating, landing again.

Nadal remained in his forward-leaning stance, watching the tennis ball hit the ground a second time.

Dead silence!
Immediately, the entire Bessie Stadium was set ablaze.

It was a short exchange, but the game between the two sides was incredibly exciting.

"Game, Jiang Hong, 3-2!"

Jiang Hong held serve and went to the break.

Nadal took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his face with a towel.

"Still a little short!"

Jiang Hong took out a sports drink from the insulated box and took a sip.

"system!"

He called out to himself.

Then, a panel that only he could see instantly appeared in front of him.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the serve-and-volley scoring suggestion. Reward: Net Play Skill +1, Retro Pioneer title]

Jiang Hong's eyes lit up instantly, "We've finally completed the mission!"

Do you know how I won those rounds?
I played a lot of serve-and-volley games.

Nadal was initially a little unaccustomed to it, but gradually got used to Jiang Hong's serve-and-volley style.

Relying on frequent serve-and-volley tactics is becoming increasingly difficult.

Do you know how I won these three games?
My skills are all thanks to my day and night training.

"System, give me some points!"

[Net Front: 83→84]

"Time!"

The referee's voice rang out, signaling the end of the break.

The two players returned to the court, and Nadal took a deep breath and began to serve.

After Jiang Hong improved his net play skills, he became even more adept at his game.

In the blink of an eye, the score reached 30-30.

Key points.

"What? Nadal missed his first serve!"

"It seems he's under a lot of pressure."

"Boom!"

Jiang Hong's eyes sharpened; he keenly sensed Nadal's slow second serve and his attempt to secure the landing point with strong topspin.

He took a small hop, moved ahead of time, turned his body to the side, and made a short and quick forehand backswing. During the rising phase of the ball's bounce, he suddenly launched a powerful attack!
Using the opponent's force against them, they instantly drew a straight line and smashed it directly into the corner of the baseline.

"Return ace! A direct point on the serve!" Zhan Jun almost jumped up from his seat. "Jiang Hong seized the fleeting opportunity of Nadal's second serve, delivering a clean and decisive forehand attack that went straight to the corner of the baseline!"

Break point!
The whole place was excited!

The Chinese fans immediately shouted loudly.

"Jiang Shen, you're awesome!"

"Break, break!"

"Go for it, Jiang Shen!"

"Let's do it!"

Wait, something seems to be mixed in there?

Jiang Hong shook his head, calming down again. He had a break point, but he hadn't actually broken serve.

The most important thing at this time is to stay calm; the more critical the period, the more important it is to remain calm.

Nadal's face instantly darkened. He pursed his lips tightly and, after walking to the baseline, began his familiar ritual once again—touching his body, fixing his hair, and pulling up his socks.

But this time, his movements seemed more forceful than before, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

One shot, out of bounds!

For his second serve, he added more topspin, aiming for a more stable approach.

The moment the ball struck, Jiang Hong pushed off the ground and charged forward.

That's right, he's going to launch a preemptive attack!
Just two steps into the baseline, Nadal's second serve landed very deep, bouncing off the ground and heading straight for the baseline.

"So deep!"

But the arrow was on the string and had to be fired.

Jiang Hong had no choice but to launch a forehand attack, but unfortunately the angle was slightly off, and the ball landed outside the court.

"OUT!"

"40-40!"

Nadal saved a break point!
Although they saved the break point, they still cannot let their guard down.

He only managed to tie the score with Jiang Hong by holding serve.

Nadal stood behind the baseline, his eyes blazing.

He pounded the tennis ball hard, completing that familiar ritual—touching his body, fixing his hair, and pulling at his socks.

He must hold this serve.

Jiang Hong bent slightly in the receiving area, poised to serve, his sharp eyes fixed on Nadal's toss of the ball.

Nadal tossed the ball, his body arching like a fully drawn bow—it was a flat serve to the inside corner, an attempt to suppress Jiang Hong's backhand with speed and power.

"coming!"

In an instant, Jiang Hong moved.

The moment Nadal tossed the ball, Jiang Hong's body had already made a very subtle pre-start in the inward direction!

That's right, it's gambling.

Based on Nadal's habits and the current situation.

Nadal needs a safe serve, and the inside corner is the most likely option.

And the final result did not disappoint Jiang Hong.
Correct!

The moment the ball left his racket, Jiang Hong had already turned aside to avoid it.

His backswing was short and swift, not a conventional block, but a direct forehand attack!

He stepped forward, and during the ball's upward bounce, using most of its speed, he tightened his wrist, precisely controlled the direction with the racket face, and slammed it in!
"boom!"

A fast and flat forehand straight shot flew out in an instant.

The tennis ball, like a green lightning bolt, flashed past Nadal, who hadn't even finished his serve and follow-through, almost parallel to the sideline, and slammed heavily into the corner of the baseline!
"Return ace!"

Quiet.

Deadly quiet.

The entire audience erupted in incredulous gasps!

That return of serve was absolutely perfect, and Nadal's serve was also of very high quality.

"AD:40".

The referee's voice rang out.

"Jiang Hong has taken the lead and secured the break point!"

"Just one more point and we can break serve!"

Nadal took a deep breath.

"Change is necessary."

Otherwise, it is very likely that Jiang Hong will break their serve.

He tossed the ball again, and this time, he served a powerful outside corner kick with strong spin.

He tried to pull Jiang Hong out of the game to create space for his next forehand attack.

Jiang Hong's start was still swift, and he took a big stride towards the outer field.

This serve was very tricky, so he couldn't attack directly like he did in the first point.

He stretched out his forehand and barely managed to reach the ball from behind his body.

Under normal circumstances, this should only be a transitional return.

But Jiang Hong never plays the normal game.

With his body almost out of balance and his hitting point extremely passive, he twisted his wrist at an exaggerated angle, making an incredible wrapping and slicing motion.

It wasn't a regular defensive return, but a high lob with strong sidespin, though the arc wasn't high. It was very fast and went straight for Nadal's backhand baseline!
This return shot was completely unexpected by Nadal!
He was prepared to hit a shallow ball and then finish the job with his forehand.

But Jiang Hong's deep, spinning, and precisely placed defensive shot forced him to retreat near the baseline.

Nadal's backhand high-position return looked very awkward, with low quality and a somewhat erratic trajectory, landing towards the mid-court.

"Chance!"

After making that passive return, Jiang Hong didn't pause at all.

With its powerful core strength, it instantly adjusted its center of gravity and, like a ghost, rushed into the baseline!

He saw the moment Nadal returned the ball and predicted its landing point.

He strode forward, and before the ball had even reached its highest point after bouncing, his forehand was already ready to strike.

Instead of smashing the ball with force, at the moment of impact, his wrist made an extremely subtle, outward-to-inward slicing motion!

"Shh!"

It wasn't a smash, but a fast and sharp drop shot with strong sidespin!

The ball flew extremely low over the net, almost grazing the net tape. After landing, due to the strong backspin and sidespin, it produced a strange, forward and sideways rapid bounce!
Nadal had just finished his backhand return and was still in the momentum of his forward motion.

Upon seeing the small ball, his pupils contracted sharply.

"It's a small ball again!"

I really need to practice my ball control skills!
Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "Charge!"

He once again demonstrated his superhuman running ability, sprinting forward with all his might!
His body was almost parallel to the ground, and his racket was stretched forward as far as he could...

The tip of the racket is just a hair's breadth away from the tennis ball!
The tennis ball bounced twice, just centimeters in front of his racket frame!
"It's broken! It's broken!" Zhan Jun's voice became somewhat incoherent.

"Jiang Hong finally broke serve! With the score tied, he relied on his strong mentality to withstand the pressure and break serve!" Zhang Sheng's voice was even a little hoarse from shouting.

They couldn't help but be excited; a successful break of serve basically meant that their probability of winning the set had increased to 75%.

The entire Bessie Stadium erupted in cheers!
The cheers from Chinese fans were like a tsunami!

These two serve returns were a powerful and precise anticipation attack in the first point and a magical combination of touch and tactics in the second, showcasing Jiang Hong's skill, wisdom and courage to the fullest!
"Jiang Shen, you're awesome!"

"Ginger! Ginger! Ginger!"

The cheers of the fans came from all directions.

Standing opposite him, Nadal was panting heavily, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"They've been broken again!"

Jiang Hong is such a troublesome guy.

"If it were on red soil..."

Nadal paused for a moment, surprised that he had such a thought.

His goals aren't just limited to clay courts; he also wants to compete on hard courts and grass courts!
"Game, Jiang Hong, 4-2!"

(End of this chapter)