The big devil in table tennis

Chapter 1335 The game begins

As soon as the final whistle of the first game sounded, Lin Hui took a deep breath.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. The back of his white sportswear was already covered with a dark sweat stain.

The referee was checking the score at the scoring table, and the noise from the audience surged and receded like a tide.

Lin Hui's fingertips unconsciously stroked the rubber surface of the table tennis racket. The familiar grainy feeling made him feel a little more at ease.

The score of the previous game was still displayed on the scoreboard. The opposing player was currently standing at the other end of the table, bending over to tie his shoelaces. His black sportswear made his movements look particularly neat.

"In the second game, Lin Hui serves."

The referee's voice made the entire venue suddenly quiet.

Lin Hui tapped the ping-pong ball lightly on the table three times, and the yellow-white ball left tiny afterimages under the spotlight.

When he raised his eyes, he saw that his opponent was already in position to receive the ball, with his knees slightly bent and his body leaning forward. The concentration in his eyes was like two dancing flames, and there was no sign of the gloom of the defeat he had just experienced.

Lin Hui suddenly remembered what the coach said yesterday: "There is no mercy in the big game, every ball is a new war."

The moment he threw the ping-pong ball, he heard his heartbeat incredibly loud, but the hand holding the racket was as steady as a rock.

The yellow ball drew a perfect parabola in the air, and the sound of the wind caused by its rotation was like a faint sigh.

The ball bounced lightly on the table. Lin Hui caught it with his racket and took a deep breath.

The hustle and bustle in the stadium seemed to be blocked out by an invisible barrier, and the only thing left in his world was the blue table and his opponent.

Lin Hui threw the ball high up. His body was like a fully drawn bow. When the ball reached the highest point, his wrist suddenly cut down, and the racket brushed the bottom of the ping-pong ball at a strange angle.

The ball crossed the net with a strong reverse spin, and after lightly touching the opponent's table, it turned sharply to the left.

"A great start!" the commentator's voice echoed in the stadium, "Lin Hui's signature reverse spin serve, which won him three points in the last game."

The opponent's eyes flashed, and he quickly turned sideways, and used his racket to cut at an unconventional angle, and managed to return this tricky serve.

The ball drew a strange arc and went straight to Lin Hui's backhand corner.

Lin Hui was well prepared. After a cross step, his body was almost parallel to the ground, and he made a backhand shot at the moment the ball was about to hit the ground.

The ping-pong ball passed through the net like a bullet, hit the opponent's table heavily and flew out.

The audience burst into thunderous applause, and Chinese fans waved the national flag and cheered one after another.

Lin Hui clenched his fist and roared softly, but immediately calmed down, bent down and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He glanced at the other side, and the opponent picked up the ball expressionlessly, but the fighting spirit in his eyes was even stronger.

"Don't be careless," Lin Hui warned himself in his heart. This guy was testing his serve.

But Lin Hui was well prepared. After a cross step, his body was almost parallel to the ground, and he made a backhand shot at the moment the ball was about to hit the ground.

The ping-pong ball flew through the net like a bullet and hit the opponent's table heavily.

The opposing player stands in front of the table, the ball gently spinning in his palm.

He suddenly changed his serving posture, and a seemingly ordinary forehand serve actually carried an extremely hidden side spin.

The ball fell rapidly after passing the net. Lin Hui misjudged the ball and returned it too high.

"Bang!" The opposing player made a forehand attack, and the ping-pong ball hit the table on Lin Hui's side like a cannonball, leaving a white mark.

Lin Hui pursed his lips. This change in serve was beyond his expectations.

The opponent player obviously adjusted his strategy and was no longer as conservative as in the first game.

Instead, it was a forehand burst, and the ping-pong ball hit the table on Lin Hui's side like a cannonball, leaving a white mark.

"1:0!"

Lin Hui pursed his lips. This change in serve was beyond his expectations.

The opponent player obviously adjusted his strategy and was no longer as conservative as in the first game.

In the next few rounds, the atmosphere in the venue became increasingly tense, and every score was accompanied by deafening cheers or sighs.

"Lin Hui needs to break this balance," the commentator analyzed. "The opponent's ability to hold on is extremely strong. If we get into his rhythm, the situation will become difficult."

Lin Hui stood in front of the table. He habitually touched the edge of the table and glanced at the player on the opposite side.

The opposing player bent his knees slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and stared at the ball in his hands.

Lin Hui suddenly changed his preparation before serving. He originally wanted to serve a counter-spin ball, but he changed it to a forehand short ball.

The ping-pong ball floated over the net and barely moved forward after bouncing off the opponent's table.

The opponent obviously didn't expect this change, and hurriedly stepped forward to hit the ball, causing it to fly high.
"Chance ball!" Lin Hui shouted in his heart, and with a sideways forehand rush, the ping-pong ball hit the opponent's table like lightning and flew out.

“2:0! Lin Hui is leading!”

In the Chinese team's coaching booth, the coach nodded secretly.

This tactical change was one of their trump cards prepared before the game. After the opponent got used to Lin Hui's counter-spin serve, they suddenly switched to forehand short balls to disrupt the opponent's rhythm.

The opposing player frowned, walked to the sidelines and wiped his sweat with a towel.

He looked up at the score board, then glanced at Lin Hui, a hint of vigilance in his eyes.

This Chinese player not only has skills, but also tactical acumen.

As the game continued, Lin Hui's serve changes made it difficult for the opponent to adapt for a while. The quality of several returns was not high, and Lin Hui seized the opportunity to attack and score.

However, the opponent is a top player in the world after all.

In the seventh serving round, he adjusted his state, served two consecutive high-quality serves and attacked strongly on the third board, and began to chase Lin Hui.

"Timeout!" Coach Wu decisively called a technical timeout.

Lin Hui walked to the sidelines, guzzling a sports drink. Sweat had soaked through his red team uniform and dripped down his chin.

"Serving with a change is good, but don't just use it once," Coach Wu whispered. "He'll definitely be on guard against your forehand short ball next. If you insert a counterspin at this time, the effect will be better."

Lin Hui nodded and wiped his sweaty palms. He looked across and saw a heated discussion with the Korean coach, with constant gestures.

One minute later, the game continued.

Lin Hui followed the coach's instructions and changed his serving method again.

This time he pretended to serve a forehand short ball, but changed it to a counter-spin the moment it touched the ball.

The opponent's player was tricked into moving his center of gravity forward, and after barely returning the ball, Lin Hui immediately scored with a backhand quick shot.

3:0
The opponent's face became serious. He walked to the sidelines and suddenly signaled to the referee to request a timeout.

The game entered a white-hot stage and both sides were making final tactical adjustments.

Lin Hui knew that every point that followed would determine the direction of the game and might even affect the outcome of the entire semi-final.

After the timeout, when the opponent player walked back to the table, his eyes had changed.

If he was a calm observer before, now he is like a cheetah locking onto its prey.

He tapped the racket gently, and the rubber made a dull sound when it collided with his palm.

Lin Hui licked his dry lips and bounced the ball twice on the table. He could feel that every point from now on would be a fierce battle.

The referee signaled to continue the game and Lin Hui took a deep breath.

Following the coach's instructions, he chose a short forehand ball this time. The ping-pong ball flew over the net lightly and barely moved forward after bouncing off the opponent's table.

"Same trick?" The opponent's mouth curled up slightly, and he took a lightning step forward, lightly rubbing the racket at an extremely tilted angle.

The ping-pong ball bounced back with a strange spin and hit the net!

Lin Hui was caught off guard and barely managed to block the ball with his racket, which flew high into the air.

"boom!"

The opposing player made a textbook forehand attack, and the ping-pong ball hit the corner of Lin Hui's table like a cannonball, bouncing towards the audience seats with white powder.

"3:1" The referee's voice was almost drowned out by the sudden cheers of the opposing players.

When Lin Hui bent down to pick up the ball, he felt his calf muscles begin to tremble slightly.

He calmly adjusted his breathing, telling himself it was just the adrenaline.

But deep down, he knew that the other player had found a way to break his serve variations.

The serving right is exchanged, and the opposing player stands in front of the table and throws the ball high up.

At the moment the ball fell, his wrist suddenly accelerated and the racket cut through the ball at an extremely hidden angle.

The ping-pong ball flew towards Lin Hui's backhand with a strong side spin.

Lin Hui determined that it was a side topspin, and decisively chose to hit it with a backhand quick shot, and the ball went straight into the opponent's forehand corner like a sharp arrow.

But the opponent seemed to have anticipated this. After a cross step, he stretched his body completely and hit a super loop ball with his forehand.

The ping-pong ball crossed the net in an exaggerated arc and rushed forward violently on the table.

Lin Hui barely managed to block the ball back, but saw Jin Minjun already waiting in front of the net and made a clean smash!

"3:2"

The coach of the Chinese team frowned on the sidelines. For these two balls, the opponent completely predicted the return route of Lin Hui. This was definitely not a coincidence.

The game entered a white-hot stage. Lin Hui insisted on implementing the "short and short combined with counterspin" serving strategy, while Jin Minjun responded with a more varied receiving style.

As the scores rose alternately, the air in the stadium seemed to freeze, and every spectator held their breath, afraid of missing any details.

"It's time to win," the commentator's voice trembled with excitement. "This is the first game in which a two-point win is required after a tie. Whoever wins this game will have a significant impact on the entire game."

It was Lin Hui's turn to serve. He wiped his sweaty palms and rubbed the ball on his trouser legs.

This time, he chose an extremely risky strategy, hitting a long forehand ball straight to the opponent's baseline.

The opponent player obviously didn't expect this change, and while retreating hastily, his backhand hit the ball out of bounds!
The cheers of the Chinese fans almost blew the roof off. Lin Hui clenched his fist and yelled, but immediately restrained his emotions.

The game wasn't over yet, and he knew too well the opponent's ability to counterattack.

The opponent's serve. He calmly observed Lin Hui's position and suddenly served a rare backhand long ball.

The ping-pong ball went straight to Lin Hui's forehand corner like a bullet.

Lin Hui made an extreme save and returned a half-high ball of poor quality.

The opponent player did not hesitate and hit the ball with a forehand. The ball hit the table and flew directly to Lin Hui's face. Lin Hui subconsciously turned his head and the ball flew past his ear.

The other player's shouts continued. The other player walked back to the serving position expressionlessly, but a gleam of light flashed in his eyes.

The following was a textbook-level offensive and defensive battle. Lin Hui used tenacious defense to resolve the opponent's three consecutive attacks; the opponent responded with an incredible backhand "banana ball", tying the score to 3:3
"Oh my god! What a match!" The commentator couldn't control his voice. "Both players played at the world's top level!"

Lin Hui felt like his lungs were on fire, and every breath he took was burning. He looked across and saw that the other player's uniform was also soaked with sweat, but the fighting spirit in his eyes had not diminished at all.

Lin Hui served. He decided to take a gamble and served an extremely risky short backspin ball, which almost fell vertically after passing the net.

The opponent made an accurate judgment and flicked the ball, sending it flying in a high arc. Lin Hui seized the opportunity and smashed it with a powerful forehand.

"Snapped!"

The ping-pong ball hit the table and flew out like a meteor.

4:3 Lin Hui got the game point again!
This time, Lin Hui did not celebrate. He bent over, with his hands on his knees, and sweat dripped onto the blue table, forming dark dots.

He knew that he had to win the game in one go, otherwise his physical fitness might become his fatal weakness.

The opponent served. He took a deep breath, suddenly changed the rhythm of serving, and quickly served a fast ball just after the referee signaled. The ping-pong ball went straight to the middle of Lin Hui's court.

Lin Hui barely blocked it with his backhand, but Jin Minjun immediately turned sideways and hit a super loop with his forehand. The ping-pong ball crossed the net with an exaggerated arc and rushed forward on the table.

Lin Hui had predicted this route, and took a half step back in advance, and hit a forehand counter-attack! The two rotations collided in the air, and the ping-pong ball drew a strange "S"-shaped trajectory, brushing the net and landing on the opponent's table.

The opponent's player was unable to save the ball in time and his racket didn't even touch the ball.

“5:3! Lin Hui wins!”

The stadium erupted in deafening cheers. Chinese fans waved their national flags, and some even shed tears of excitement. Lin Hui raised his arms high, looked up to the sky and roared, releasing the pressure in his heart.

But he quickly calmed down and high-fived his coach as he walked to the sidelines. A 5:3 lead does not mean victory, especially when facing an opponent like the other player.

The opponent's counterattack will be even more fierce.

The other player walked back to the coaching booth silently, took the towel and wiped his face. His expression remained calm, but his hand holding the towel was shaking slightly.

The opponent's coach was saying something quickly in his ear, and the opponent nodded from time to time, his eyes gradually refocusing.

"The game is far from over," the commentator analyzed. "The opponent reversed the situation in last year's Singapore race after falling behind 0-2. Lin Hui must stay focused and not let down his guard at all."

The referee signaled to start. Lin Hui took a deep breath and walked towards the table. He could feel that the real test had just begun.

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