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

Chapter 316 Fan Zhendong's Match Point Overconfidence!

"11:5."

"First game, Chen Jinsheng."

The referee just finished speaking.

In the rest area on the sidelines of the Shanghai team, Zhang Jiahao jumped up excitedly.

Before he could even utter a "Cuo Le,"

Several sharp gazes shot towards him from his left and right sides.

Like a blade, it almost cleaved him in two.

Who the hell are you on?!
Zhang Jiahao was so engrossed in the game that he momentarily forgot that he and Chen Jin were now rivals, belonging to different teams.

Suddenly realizing something was wrong, he quickly stopped himself from looking up. His facial muscles almost cramped up, and he shook his head and sighed, "Alas, what a pity, Brother Dong almost won."

Xu Xin turned his head and glanced at him: "Open your dog eyes and take a good look. You call this a close call?"

However, it must be said that Chen Jin was able to win this game for two reasons.

Chen Jin's personal strength is beyond doubt.

Mentally, he sees himself as a challenger, aiming to challenge Fan Zhendong.

His decisiveness and ruthlessness in striking the ball were like a Tang sword being drawn, each swing accompanied by a chilling, deadly sound.

Fan Zhendong has lacked systematic training recently, his form is slow to start, and he makes frequent unforced errors.

"However, Little Fatty will definitely make some adjustments in the second game."

Xu Xin thought to himself, "This will put a lot more pressure on Chen Jin."

During the Paris Olympics, when Wang Chuqin lost in the round of 32 and was down 0-2 in the quarterfinals, Fan Zhendong, under unimaginable pressure, reversed the game and defeated Zhang Ben, earning him the title of "the strongest heart in history".

Although the Chinese Table Tennis Super League is far from the Olympics, given Fan Zhendong's personality, he would never be passive about it.

Moreover, in the last two points of the first game, Fan Zhendong was already actively changing his tactics, trying to break the deadlock.

It's clear that Fan Zhendong has a strong desire to win this match.

It's definitely not the kind of "if you lose, you lose" mentality.

In his first encounter with Chen Jin, Fan Zhendong's playing style in the first game was mostly probing.

Once you get used to it, you'll start to get serious from the second game onwards.

Chen Jin, who had clashed with Fan Zhendong, was naturally even more aware of this.

Therefore, Chen Jin did not become complacent after winning the first game.

Back on the sidelines.

Chen Longcan reminded Chen Jin: "Although Fan Zhendong is not in good form, we cannot be careless and must be wary of his aggressive shots."

"Like the last two balls in the first game."

Fan Zhendong's backhand topspin followed by a forehand smash, though countered by Chen Jin and resulting in a loss of match point, reveals that he is constantly adjusting his competitive state.

That's not a fight.

Chen Jin tightened the bottle cap and shook his head slightly. "The ball that Fan Zhendong plays, if it were in someone else's hands, it would indeed be a fierce battle, but for Fan Zhendong, it's just his flat attack."

"Have you figured out the tactics for the second game?"

Chen Longcan looked at Chen Jin and asked in a low voice.

"I've thought about it a long time ago."

A sharp glint flashed in Chen Jin's eyes. "A clash of titans."

The second round begins.

Fan Zhendong indeed changed his strategy for receiving serves.

Instead of being cautious and hesitant, they actively took action.

He even served a long serve, forcing Chen Jin into a direct topspin rally.

Even if mistakes are made, we will not hesitate to move forward.

soon.

The score had already widened to 4-10.

Chen Jin once again took the lead and reached game point in the second game.

"This game should be in the bag."

Zhang Jiahao looked relaxed.

Based on his understanding of Chen Jin, as long as Chen Jin is in the lead, no one can reverse the game.

Just as Zhang Jiahao was thinking this...

Chen Jinfa went to the ball.

I hooked a short-armed one.

Do not forward.

Fan Zhendong remained expressionless, took a step forward, and twisted a diagonal line with his backhand.

"Shh!"

The white ball shot out like a bolt of lightning.

Chen Jin had anticipated this and returned to defense in advance, reaching out to protect his right side of the table.

"Snapped!"

Use the opponent's force against them, and drive quickly in a straight line.

This shot was short and fast, making it difficult for ordinary players to react.

However, the opponent standing opposite Chen Jin was no ordinary player.

It's Fan Zhendong, the Super Grand Slam winner, known as the "Violent Panda"!
But as soon as Fan Zhendong finished his backhand twist, he quickly retreated back to the center line.

He took small, quick steps, his thigh muscles taut, ready to explode at any moment.

Just as Chen Jin was about to make a quick straight shot...

A flash of inspiration led to the prediction of the landing point.

Fan Zhendong stepped out with his left leg, and with a backhand flick, it was like a long sword being drawn from its sheath, pointing straight at the center of the sky.

A signature, beautifully executed backhand tug-of-war!

The ball, like a cannonball, hurtled towards the far corner of Chen Jin's left side of the table.

Chen Jin hadn't expected Fan Zhendong's shot to be so fast.

Given his current position, it was too late for him to make a save or counter-attack.

In a moment of quick thinking, he switched hands with his left hand at lightning speed, gripped the racket horizontally, and attempted to save the ball.

But it was still half an inch too short.

"Choo-hoo!"

Fan Zhendong couldn't help but clench his fist and roar.

Morale soared instantly.

5: 10.

Facing the unstoppable momentum of Fan Zhendong, Chen Jin, who held seven match points, remained completely calm.

He calmly reached out and touched the table tennis table, wiping the sweat from his hands.

Continue serving, still a hook shot.

The forehand is short.

Side down.

Fan Zhendong gently lifted his hand and, following the rotation, formed a small forehand triangle.

The second jump was off the track, but the arc was slightly off.

In a duel between masters, even the slightest mistake can be fatal.

"Chance!"

With a sudden surge of killing intent in his eyes, Chen Jin pushed off with his feet, stepped forward, and swung his right hand to charge diagonally.

It is powerful and fast.

Even Fan Zhendong was caught off guard.

However, relying on the muscle memory developed through years of training and competition, Fan Zhendong subconsciously swung his racket and, surprisingly, used the momentum to quickly bring the ball back.

"Well done!"

Chen Jin slid to the side and unleashed a powerful forehand smash.

Fan Zhendong crouched down and swung his racket in a counter-attack.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

The two players ran around the entire table, exchanging forehand smashes.

The deafening sounds of the ball hitting the shuttlecock, like thunder, echoed throughout the stadium.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit..."

Seeing Chen Jin and Fan Zhendong engaging in a high-quality forehand rally from mid-to-long range, displaying great power and evenly matched strength, it was difficult to determine who was superior.

The audience gasped in astonishment.

Sudden.

Fan Zhendong leaped forward, his body meeting Chen Jin's powerful forehand smash and arc, and unleashed a furious counter-attack.

"Snapped!"

The sound of the sound breaking through the barrier tore through the air.

This ball was not only extremely powerful, but also extremely fast.

The curve after landing on the platform also becomes much lower and flatter.

Unexpectedly, in such a fierce contest, Fan Zhendong did not retreat from the table to reduce his strength, but instead went forward to hit the ball.

Break through force with speed.

Chen Jin was clearly caught off guard.

10: 6.

Fan Zhendong successfully pulled one back.

"Choo-hoo!"

With a roar, Fan Zhendong's touch and form are visibly recovering rapidly.

"Both of them have very strong forehands."

Lin Yunru said in a low voice.

His tone revealed a hint of envy.

Nowadays, most table tennis players use a backhand system, and he himself is no exception.

However, to reach the top, a good backhand alone is far from enough. The backhand determines the lower limit, while the forehand determines a player's upper limit.

"Fan Zhendong seems to be getting better and better with each game."

Chen Longcan frowned. "He actually managed to come back from two match points in a row."

He had a vague worry that if Fan Zhendong were to turn the tide in this match, it would undoubtedly be an unimaginable blow to Chen Jin's mentality.

"Should we call a timeout for Chen Jin?"

Chen Longcan hesitated, "Forget it, we still have five match points. Let's see how Chen Jin handles it."

At this moment.

Fan Zhendong has served.

Reverse rotation.

The forehand is short.

Chen Jin quickly smashes a long ball down the baseline with his backhand.

Fanzhen starts from Banqianchong in the east.

Chen Jin countered by tearing through the middle lane.

Fan Zhendong turned and pulled back.

Chen Jin's cross-court shot hit the net and went out of bounds.

"You made a mistake?"

Chen Jinqing frowned slightly, looked down at the racket in his hand, and wiped it a few times.

blah blah blah!

A drop of sweat slid down his forehead and fell to the ground in front of him.

From a 4-10 lead, Fan Zhendong rallied to close the gap to 7-10.

This situation was unprecedented for Chen Jin in previous matches.

"Could this be the legendary match point overconfidence acting up?"

Chen Jin looked up at Fan Zhendong.

Of course, he knew that the so-called "match point advantage" was actually Fan Zhendong's own strong ability and excellent mental fortitude.

"It can't be delayed any longer."

Chen Jin's gaze darkened slightly. "We must find a way to end this game as soon as possible."

Against a world-class player like Fan Zhendong, who relies on sheer power, any tactic is just empty talk.

Only by confronting the opponent head-on can we defeat them.

After all, Fan Zhendong had already experienced the trials of the Two Kings and One Horse and the Three Musketeers along his journey.

He was already familiar with various tactics and dealt with them with ease.

Chen Jin was determined to fight violence with violence.

However, in the next shot, Fan Zhendong's effortless backhand down the line gave him the upper hand.

10: 8.

Seeing that Chen Jin had not been able to win the match, Zhang Jiahao couldn't help but get a little nervous: "My god, Jin-ge has failed to win several match points in a row."

"In my memory, this kind of situation rarely happens to Brother Jin."

"Is Dong Ge's match point overconfidence acting up again?"

In Fan Zhendong's previous matches, his opponents often had match point but were unable to finish the game.

In fact, they were ultimately defeated by Fan Zhendong.

Is this scene going to repeat itself on Chen Jin?

Xie Mingyang frowned as well: "Why hasn't Chen Jin called a timeout yet?"

Even a blind man could see that Fan Zhendong was in excellent form and riding high on his momentum.

The best approach is to pause, disrupt the opponent's rhythm, and at the same time adjust your own state.

But, strangely enough.

Despite being continuously outscored by Fan Zhendong, Chen Jin remained unmoved and did not call a timeout.

The serve has returned to Chen Jin.

Chen Jin held the ping-pong ball, blew on it, and turned to look at Fan Zhendong across from him.

Seeing that he was ready to receive the serve, she stretched out her left arm and bent down.

Hold the white ball in your palm and gently toss it upwards.

This time, Chen Jin finally changed his serve.

Switch to forehand.

Middle lane, side down.

Fan Zhendong dared not make a move rashly, so he stepped forward and gently swung his short weapon.

however.

The moment the ball is touched.

He immediately sensed that Chen Jin's forehand serve had even stronger spin than he had imagined.

As if drawn by a mysterious force, the ping-pong ball sank sharply.

"laugh!"

It rolls sideways along the net.

Finally, he fell headfirst.

It miraculously landed on Chen Jin's half of the platform.

Wipe the net clean!
Even if Chen Jin's second start was faster, he couldn't save the ball.

10: 9.

Faced with Fan Zhendong's continuous scoring and saving several match points, Chen Jin felt an invisible yet powerful pressure for the first time.

Originally, he wanted to go all out and win the game.

However, this lucky shot that grazed the net caused a slight fluctuation in his mentality.

Without further hesitation, Chen Jin put down his racket and called a timeout.

"Whoo~"

Picking up a towel, Chen Jin wiped the sweat from his brow, let out a long breath, and walked to the sidelines.

Chen Longcan had already stood up, handed the water bottle to Chen Jin, and smiled slightly, saying, "A bit of pressure, aren't you?"

"Fortunately."

Chen Jin took a sip of water. "I've already prepared for the worst, even considering losing the game. Why would I be afraid of being caught up?"

"Besides, I'm currently in the lead and have a service advantage."

"The initiative is still in my hands."

If it weren't for that lucky shot that slightly disrupted the rhythm of the game, he wouldn't have even considered pausing the game.

"That's the best way to think about it."

Chen Longcan lowered his voice, "Although Wang Chuqin is currently ranked number one in the world, in my opinion, the real world number one is still Fan Zhendong."

"You defeated Wang Chuqin twice in previous matches, but if you don't defeat Fan Zhendong, even if you top the world rankings in the future, you will still be criticized."

With Chen Jin's current points, he is only one step away from being ranked number one in the world.

If he continues to maintain his current competitive form, winning the WTT Singapore Grand Slam next year might allow him to surpass Wang Chuqin and become the world number one.

However, before that, if he hadn't defeated Fan Zhendong, even if he had reached the top, he would have been an undeserving king, an uncrowned king.

"clear."

Chen Jin nodded.

"I'm sure you know very well that the only way to defeat Fan Zhendong is to confront him head-on; there's no shortcut."

Chen Longcan continued, "Winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics has taken Fan Zhendong to a new level, both in terms of ability and mentality."

"His withdrawal from the competition over the past few months has actually not had a significant impact on him."

"So even when you reach match point, you only have one tactic."

“Fight violence with violence!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Jin did not speak, but a sharp glint flashed deep in his eyes.

At this moment.

The referee's voice rang out: "Time's up."

Both players returned to the field.

Chen Jin and Fan Zhendong happened to pass each other and glanced at each other.

Instantly.

Fire splattered.

"Da da da, da da da..."

Chen Jin stood on the left side of the ping-pong table, remaining silent for a moment.

immediately.

Take a deep breath.

Bend down and serve with your forehand.

The center line is slightly to the right.

Side down.

Fan Zhendong stepped forward and gently swung his short arm.

Look up.

But Chen Jin had already stepped forward and seized the landing point of the ball.

Lower your shoulders and raise your elbows.

Tuck your wrists inward and gather power in your waist and abdomen.

Just as the ball was descending and making contact with it.

"Break!"

It was twisted out with a backhand snap.

Fan Zhendong even heard the sound of something passing through the board, and his chest tightened.

Knowing the violence of Chen Jin's twist, even Fan Zhendong dared not be careless in the slightest.

Focus on the arc and predict the landing point.

He then tried to defend by using his backhand.

but,
The moment the ping-pong ball landed on the table, it suddenly veered sharply to his right.

Draw a C-shaped arc.

Overlord twist!
(End of this chapter)