Table tennis: Swinging the racket billions of times, achieving a grand slam

Chapter 279 The Giant's Layup is a Nightmare! The Defect in the Base Plate is Beginning to Emerge!
"You can choose between red or blue."

A blonde female referee, a coin between her fingers, smiled and looked at Chen Jin and Wang Chuqin standing on either side of her. "Red or blue?"

Wang Chuqin didn't speak, but slightly raised his hand, indicating that Chen Jin should choose first.

There's no need to be polite about it.

Without hesitation, Chen Jin blurted out, "red."

"OK."

With a flick of the referee's finger, the result of the coin toss and guessing game was quickly revealed.

Chen Jin has the right to serve.

Next came the pre-match warm-up practice.

Forehand topspin, backhand rally, sidespin topspin...

"what?"

Wang Chuqin quickly noticed something was off: "Chen Jin's backhand power doesn't seem as explosive and powerful as it was last time."

"Was he deliberately showing weakness, or was it because he changed his racket?"

"Maybe we can try it later."

He thought this to himself, but outwardly remained calm and composed, as if he knew nothing.

The sparring session is over.

The game is about to begin.

When Chen Jin bent down to serve, the stadium fell silent.

First game, 0:0.

Chen Jin held the ping-pong ball in his palm and tossed it gently upwards.

"laugh!"

Hook your hand.

Short on the lower side.

Slightly to the left of the center line.

Wang Chuqin pushed off with his feet, quickly started moving, took a step forward, and seized the landing point.

A backhand flick to attack the middle.

The memory of his last encounter with Wang Chuqin, in which he was swept aside, was still vivid in his mind. He watched that match carefully more than a dozen times.

Learn from the lessons and summarize the experiences.

This finally solidified his strategy for the match—actively engage the opponent and take decisive action.

Therefore, for the first ball of the game, Wang Chuqin did not test the waters and immediately started to twist the ball.

His reverse twist, with its power, speed, spin, and landing point, all demonstrated the strength of the world's number one player.

If it were any other player, facing such a fast-paced ball, even if they managed to return it, they wouldn't be able to guarantee the quality of the return.

Unfortunately, his opponent was Chen Jin.

Chen Jin seemed to have anticipated Wang Chuqin's topspin shot and quickly turned to the side to prepare his shot.

"Snapped!"

With a powerful forehand swing, the force penetrates the blade.

The ping-pong ball, carrying immense power and spin, hurtled towards Wang Chuqin's left-hand forehand corner with an extremely low arc, almost touching the net, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the void.

Chen Jin's powerful side-step shot combined power and speed, spin and placement.

"Fuck!"

Wang Chuqin took a cross step and lunged for a forehand.

However, it was ultimately too late.

Unlike the shakehand grip, the penhold grip's explosive attack naturally carries a slight side spin.

When the ball lands on the table, the trajectory will sharply curve to the side at the moment of takeoff, making it often unpredictable.

1: 0.

"It's only the first point of the first game, and the tension between the two players is already this high?"

Xu Xin, watching the match on the screen, was amazed by Chen Jin's explosive side-step, but then let out a wry smile.

"really."

Cheng Jingqi also said, "Both of them were decisive and full of killing intent; it was like a collision of planets."

Thinking about it carefully, it's quite normal.

Since the Paris Olympics, Wang Chuqin has suffered repeated defeats, yet he has persevered.

It is number one in the world, yet it faces considerable criticism.

For Wang Chuqin, this was a battle where victory was the only option.

As for Chen Jin...

Those who frequently watch his games know that his playing style has always been fierce.

"In the era of the 40+ ball, he can still execute the powerful sidespin smash of the penhold grip from the era of the small ball..."

Watching the live replay, Chen Jin's movements were clearly visible in slow motion. Xu Xin exclaimed in admiration, "That arc, that spin, that landing point... he's definitely channeling the genius of a master chef!"

While talking.

Chen Jin has already started serving the second ball.

Still hooking the hand.

Midline.

Short on the lower side.

The spin and landing point were almost exactly the same as the previous serve.

However, Wang Chuqin was clearly intimidated.

Instead of the previous twisting and pulling motion, the approach became slightly more conservative.

Step forward, cut with forearm, and quickly chop Chen Jin's backhand long ball.

This serve return was a long, fast, and powerful smash, successfully squeezing out Chen Jin's hitting space.

Fortunately, Chen Jin had a solid foundation in basic skills and a flexible wrist, allowing him to forcefully push the ball back.

The quality of the return shot was not ideal.

Especially the curve, which is slightly too high.

In a duel between masters, even the slightest difference can mean the difference between life and death.

"Chance!"

A chilling killing intent suddenly surged from his dark eyes.

Wang Chuqin showed no mercy, delivering a powerful spike.

"Snapped!"

The sound of the ping-pong ball hitting Chen's racket was like a thunderclap.

The racket slammed down with a furious thud, carrying a sharp, chilling sound and exuding a strong sense of killing intent, as it smashed fiercely towards Chen Jin's left side of the table.

This shot required absolutely no skill.

All they had were powerful enough to throw bricks.

Fortunately, Chen Jin had taken precautions.

With incredible speed, as if its feet didn't touch the ground, it leaped backward and retreated to the mid-to-far platform.

Chen Jin took small, quick steps, constantly adjusting his position.

Keep a close eye on the landing point and calculate the arc accurately.

Facing Wang Chuqin's smash, he flicked the ball upwards with a backhand.

"昘——"

The ping-pong ball flew into the air, reaching a height of two or three meters.

The ball fell in a parabolic arc and landed steadily on Wang Chuqin's forehand half of the table.

Wang Chuqin leaped up, channeled his strength into his left arm, and slammed it in...

"Ok?"

"Where's the ball?"

Wang Chuqin was suddenly dumbfounded.

A powerful smash, but the racket only hits air.

Using too much force and unable to stop, the arm that swung in mid-air almost dislocated.

Little did he know that Chen Jin's shot just now was not a simple high ball.

Instead, he lightly flicked his wrist, subtly adding a slight lateral rotation.

Wang Chuqin was focused on smashing the ball, and in order to seize the rising moment of the ball, his shot appeared slightly rushed, which he didn't notice at first.

Unexpectedly, with the help of the sidespin, the trajectory of the ping-pong ball after its jump changed to the side.

This prevented him from matching the point.

This led to the scene of "forcefully smashing the air" in the underworld.

"Wow—"

The audience couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Although Wang Chuqin remained expressionless, a hint of embarrassment flashed in his eyes.

To cover his tracks, he walked over and touched the pool table.

"Big Head's high shot was really..."

Xu Xin laughed and said, "It's a long story."

"It's a good thing you withdrew from the international competition, otherwise, after playing a match with you, Da Tou would probably have to run to the toilet and throw up."

Cheng Jingqi smiled.

As is well known, the area three meters away from the table is Xu Xin's blindfold playing zone.

Under Xu Xin's command, countless memorable scenes were created, and even Ma Long and Fan Zhendong suffered greatly from it back then.

"A hero doesn't dwell on past glories. It's the young people's world now, so we old folks should just go somewhere cool and stay put."

Xu Xin smiled and said, "It's 2-0 now. Chen Jin's start is as steady as ever."

"Change to a bigger hairball."

"Let's see if Da Zhi can break the deadlock... Everyone knows that Da Zhi's serve is a nightmare for even the most skilled players. He is in a class of his own among all the top players in the world of table tennis."

"Here it comes! Big Head didn't even use the hook shot?"

"Steal a long ball to the backhand side."

"Chen Jin has his eye on it; he's tearing the straight line back."

"A head-to-head tearing."

"Chen Jin changes direction." "Big Head lunges forehand, counter-attacks diagonally."

"Chen Jin sprints straight ahead... 0 to 3."

Xu Xin clapped, "That was a brilliant shot, especially Chen Jin's backhand change of direction."

"The movements are small and concealed, fast and tricky, and they can be executed at will, without any effort, just as easily as eating and drinking."

In a match, changing lanes during a stalemate is an extremely sophisticated tactic.

World-class players like Felix and Tomokazu Harimoto have reached the pinnacle of lane-changing techniques.

However, it can only be used as a trump card.

In contrast, Chen Jin effortlessly changed lanes, turning the opponent's ultimate skill into a basic attack.

"Big Head's forehand is also very good."

Cheng Jingqi had transformed into a master of balancing things, "He could even pull it back."

Although it was all for naught, Chen Jin still managed to completely control them.

0: 3.

The early deficit reminded Wang Chuqin of the Macau Championship.

At that time, Chen Jin also took the lead at the start.

If this continues, my mindset will inevitably be affected.

"no!"

"I need to think of a way."

Wang Chuqin pondered to himself.

"Da da da……"

Wang Chuqin picked up the ping-pong ball, bent down, and stuck his butt out.

Seeing this, Chen Jin's heart skipped a beat: "Is he going to use a hook serve?"

As expected, it was a hook shot.

Inside the arena, a fake throw, a head cover... a series of movements, as smooth as flowing water.

"Depend on!"

"Is it really just a matter of guessing when it comes to spinning?"

Chen Jin cursed inwardly.

In the past, he would have raised his hand to signal and report the opponent's service violation.

Before the competition, Wang Hao had approached him specifically to discuss this matter.

Although he was somewhat unwilling, he was now a nobody and his voice carried little weight, so sometimes he had no choice but to bow his head.

"Fine, I'll just guess randomly."

Based on the rule that "key points are all topspin," Chen Jin's mind raced. "This shouldn't be a key point, so it should be a backspin?"

My mind hasn't changed.

Chen Jin stepped forward and attempted to return the serve short, using a backspin-oriented technique.

however.

The moment he touched the ball, Chen Jin realized something was wrong: "It's not backspin, it's no spin!"

The results are self-evident.

The serve went high, and Wang Chuqin smashed it away.

3: 1.

at the same time.

A middle-aged female commentator from Migu Sports, seeing Wang Chuqin finally pull back a point, couldn't help but slap the table in admiration and shout, "Great shot!"

"See that? This is Wang Chuqin's rhythm in a match."

"Wang Chuqin should make good use of his serve advantage and compete with Chen Jin in the first three shots."

"Although Chen Jin's first three shots are also very strong, Wang Chuqin has the advantage in serving. He can play more aggressively and proactively in the first three shots."

"Next, Wang Chuqin needs to keep an eye on Chen Jin's serve and handle the return well..."

Chen Jinfa went to the ball.

While both techniques involve a hook shot, there is a fundamental difference between his and Wang Chuqin's.

Wang Chuqin, without blushing or skipping a beat, stepped forward and swung his short arm.

Chen Jin gently swung back.

After four or five rounds of play on the table, Wang Chuqin took advantage of the situation to smash a long ball to Chen Jin's backhand side.

Chen Jin twisted his waist and sprinted straight ahead with a backhand.

Unexpectedly, Wang Chuqin, with a do-or-die attitude, anticipated the route and turned sideways in advance.

"Snapped!"

Another thunderous, deafeningly powerful shot.

Wang Chuqin fell to the ground and then sprinted forward.

He shot out like a spiraling top.

With his right hand on the ground, he spun around gracefully and elegantly for most of the way, then stood up.

This action perfectly illustrates what it means for "a man to never look back at a man rushing forward".

He was confident that, apart from Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, few people in the world could stop his desperate, explosive charge.

His gaze shifted, and he glanced at the scoreboard.

"4:1."

The red light was exceptionally dazzling.

Wang Chuqin was stunned: "What do you mean? Didn't my explosive charge just now go on stage?"

"This...this is impossible!"

So I fell down and slammed onto the floor?
The floor is so hard, who the hell could possibly break through it?
Although Wang Chuqin found it hard to believe, it was the truth, and he couldn't possibly question the referee.

Looking at the fine bits of adhesive residue still clinging to his right fingernails, Wang Chuqin moved his wrist, bent over, and prepared to get his hair extensions.

The forehand is short.

Side down.

Wang Chuqin quickly stepped forward, slightly gathered his strength, and then twisted his arm in a straight line.

The quality of this twist far exceeded expectations.

The spin was so strong that Chen Jin dared not make a move easily and could only defend closely.

This gave Wang Chuqin the opportunity to take turns playing.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

Wang Chuqin's forehand attack was like a storm, suppressing Chen Jin's backhand.

Its power, speed, and rotation are all top-notch.

Because of the base plate, Chen Jin dared not exert force recklessly, lest he make a mistake.

The best solution is to place the shield close to the surface.

However, Wang Chuqin's attack quality became increasingly stronger, immediately putting Chen Jin in a passive position.

Standing close to the platform, it's difficult to reduce the force.

Left with no other choice, Chen Jin had to leave the stage.

However, simply defending is a slow death.

Chen Jin was well aware of this.

"We're too passive."

Seeing Chen Jin forced to step down, Xu Xin frowned. "If this continues, Da Tou will break through sooner or later."

"Having watched so many of Chen Jin's matches, this is the first time I've seen him only defend and not attack."

Cheng Jingqi shared the same concerns.

"Blame me, blame me."

Xu Xin stared intently at the screen, barely daring to breathe, "I hope Chen Jin can hold on."

at this time.

On the playing field.

As Chen Jin retreated further from the table, he realized that the weakness of his racket in terms of insufficient power was becoming increasingly apparent.

"If this continues, we will surely die."

Chen Jin took a deep breath. "No, we must fight back."

Watch for the right moment.

Chen Jin crouched down, met the incoming ball, and unleashed a powerful backhand flick.

"Snapped!"

The ping-pong ball flew straight out.

However, the arcing force failed halfway and crashed into the net.

2: 4.

"Choo-hoo!"

"Zhu--"

Having finally won a morale-boosting goal, Wang Chuqin clenched his fist and roared in triumph.

In the stands, the fans cheered even louder.

"Can't we even get past this?"

Chen Jin frowned, glanced down at the racket, and was clearly not satisfied.

If he had used the previous racket, he would have already smashed Wang Chuqin with that shot.

It has to be said that the backhand power of this racket and the arc of the topspin are truly indescribable.

Seeing Chen Jin frowning in dissatisfaction, Cheng Jingqi laughed and said, "You've done a reverse advertisement. Now the whole world knows that this blade's backhand is no good."

"This point is my fault, this point is my fault... If I hadn't failed to adjust the backhand of this blade properly, Chen Jin wouldn't have lost."

Xu Xin rubbed his forehead. "I, Xu Xin, swear before these lights that I will make a blade that will satisfy Chen Jin 100% in both forehand and backhand as soon as possible."

"We will never allow a similar situation to happen again on the field!"

(End of this chapter)