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

Chapter 332 Men's Doubles Showdown! Chen-Zhang Duo vs. Wang-Lin Duo!

July 22, 1 p.m.

At this time of day, the training hall would normally be filled with the sounds of balls being hit.

However, it was unusually quiet today.

The other training tables were moved to the side.

Only the central table tennis table remained, standing there all alone, surrounded by barriers.

The men's and women's teams stood on the sidelines, completely surrounding the table tennis table.

A men's doubles match is about to begin.

— Chen Jin/Zhang Jiahao VS Wang Chuqin/Lin Shidong.

In today's Chinese table tennis team, who doesn't know Chen Jin?

Although he joined the Chinese national table tennis team not long ago, he became famous at a young age, and his record is well-documented, making him the undisputed number one player in men's table tennis.

Surpassing Wang Chuqin is just around the corner.

Zhang Jiahao, who can partner with Chen Jin in doubles, is not well-known.

The most obvious thing I know about him is that he had a conflict with Liu Dingshuo and was sent back to the provincial team.

His individual abilities are not particularly outstanding.

To the other team members, he was clearly someone who was holding Chen Jin back.

In contrast, Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong...

One is ranked number one in the world, and the other is ranked number three in the world; both are top-tier players at the level of mainstays in men's table tennis.

No matter how skilled Chen Jin is, with a burden on his shoulders, he will likely be unable to carry the team alone in this internal doubles match.

"I heard that Coach Liu personally selected them for this match; whoever wins will qualify for the Singapore Grand Slam."

Someone with inside information whispered.

"Who will win? Is there even a question? It's definitely Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong."

The person next to him answered without hesitation, "Although Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong haven't paired up much before, Wang Chuqin has a wealth of doubles experience. He has won the World Table Tennis Championships doubles title and the Olympic mixed doubles title. Such a record is no joke."

"No matter how strong Chen Jin is, doubles matches are not as simple as one plus one equals two."

"Besides, in terms of individual strength, can this boy named Zhang Jiahao defeat Wang Chuqin or Lin Shidong?"

This statement is perfectly reasonable.

The people around him nodded in agreement.

Clearly, this is the consensus of most people.

Only a few people, such as Xie Mingyang and Ye Sijia, firmly believe in the pairing of Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

Because they had seen the two players' doubles partnership during the World Junior Championships, and witnessed their incredible teamwork.

Even Xie Mingyang had to admit that with Chen Jin by his side, Zhang Jiahao was like someone who had been enchanted and buffed, becoming incredibly brave and unlike himself.

Silently listening to the whispers around him, Xie Mingyang put his hands in his pockets, too lazy to pay attention, his eyes never leaving Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao were already on the field, warming up and discussing tactics.

"Wang Chuqin's first three strokes are very strong, and Lin Shidong's explosiveness is also quite good. Try not to go head-to-head with them."

Chen Jin flexed his wrists. "However, since it's their first time playing together, they probably won't attack rashly, especially in the first set."

"The first few balls will definitely be used to probe and try to outmaneuver us on the sidelines."

Zhang Jiahao grabbed a mineral water bottle, took a small sip, and said, "Control him."

"Correct."

Chen Jin nodded, "Lin Shidong's team is relatively weak, so we'll focus our attacks on that line."

"With my explosiveness and quality, I'm afraid I won't be able to kill them both with one shot."

Zhang Jiahao said in a low voice.

"It's ok."

Chen Jin smiled calmly, "Same as always, I'll finish the match."

"OK."

Zhang Jiahao made a hand gesture.

"In addition, Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong are both very good at keeping their serve on the halfway point, so we have to pay special attention when serving and receiving."

"Of course."

At this moment.

A sharp whistle rang out.

Wang Hao announced loudly, "Please invite both teams to enter the arena."

This match was of great importance, so the head coach of the men's table tennis team personally took the position of referee.

The four players, each carrying their own racket and towel, slowly walked onto the court.

Standing on either side of Wang Hao, the two shook hands amicably.

Wang Hao took out a coin and said, "Flower characters: Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao; National emblem: Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong."

Having said that, he tossed it lightly upwards.

Slap it.

Wang Hao clapped his hands together and caught the coin.

"national emblem."

Wang Hao turned to look at Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong, "Serve or choose sides?"

"Serve."

Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong exchanged a glance and spoke in unison.

Who serves?

Wang Hao asked again.

"I."

Wang Chuqin raised his hand.

"Chen Jin, Zhang Jiahao, which side do you choose?"

"This way."

Who will receive the serve?

"I."

Chen Jin raised his hand.

Next.

Warm-up with sparring.

A minute passed quickly, and Wang Hao announced, "The match begins."

"0-0, Wang Chuqin serves."

Both sides took up their positions.

Just as Chen Jin had predicted, the first game started with both sides probing each other, battling short balls and trying to control the game.

0: 1.

1: 1.

2:1.
2: 2.

……

Perhaps due to nervousness, his touch wasn't warmed up.

Whether it was Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, or Zhang Jiahao, they all made mistakes.

Either you drop the ball into the net, or you hit a short shot that goes high.

This led to the score fluctuating back and forth.

It wasn't until after the score was 3-3 that both teams finally found their rhythm.

Wang Chuqin serves, sideways.

Chen Jin is short.

Lin Shidong swings back.

Zhang Jiahao rubs long.

Wang Chuqin lunged forward with a backhand thrust.

Chen Jin pulls back to the center line.

Lin Shidong's forehand fast drive.

Zhang Jiahao applied the protective sticker.

Wang Chuqin fell to the ground and then sprinted forward.

"Snapped!"

Unsurprisingly, the ball went out of bounds.

Wang Chuqin performed a stylish spin on the ground, as if sweeping away a thousand troops, before standing up and glancing at the referee's table, where he saw Wang Hao flipping the score.

8:9?

Wang Chuqin frowned slightly. "They didn't make it?"

"You're lucky."

At this moment, Chen Jin retrieved the ball and threw it to Wang Chuqin.

Wang Chuqin caught the ball with one hand, touched the table, wiped his sweat, and then leaned close to Lin Shidong and whispered, "I'm going to use a hook shot later, a no-spin serve, and you get ready to take the next shot."

"clear."

Lin Shidong nodded.

Seeing Wang Chuqin's serve, Chen Jin raised an eyebrow: "After holding back for so long, are you finally going to unleash your ultimate move at this crucial point?"

Fortunately, the positioning for receiving serves in doubles is different from that in singles.

In singles, to take advantage of the forehand, the receiving position is usually on the left when receiving a serve.

However, doubles requires consideration of teammates' coverage, so the positioning is often slightly to the right of the center line.

Only then could we see it a little more clearly.

"Not going to repost?"

Although Wang Chuqin deliberately added many deceptive feints, Chen Jin simplified the process and saw through it at a glance.

We are not conservative in the present day.

Step forward and seize the landing point.

Insert your right leg under the table, and shift your body weight onto your left leg.

Lower your shoulders and raise your elbows.

Twist diagonally with your backhand.

The ping-pong ball flew at lightning speed toward Wang Chuqin.

"Fuck!"

With a mental shout, Lin Shidong took a cross step and lunged for a forehand. Unfortunately, he was half a step too slow.

He collided head-on with Wang Chuqin, who had no time to dodge.

Fortunately, Lin Shidong stopped the momentum in time; otherwise, he would have knocked Wang Chuqin over.

"nice shot!"

A cheer erupted from the sidelines.

10: 8.

"Holy crap, Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao actually took the first game point?"

"Chen Jin is still fierce. If it weren't for Chen Jin, Zhang Jiahao would have been beaten to a pulp by now, given his mistakes."

"Yeah, if we win this round, Zhang Jiahao will also win without lifting a finger. It's like I could do it too."

"The competition isn't over yet, and it's still uncertain who will win. What if Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong pull off a comeback?"

……

Amidst the discussion.

With Chen Jin's powerful underspin serve, Lin Shidong spun the ball and hit the net.

11: 9.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao won the first game.

"The first game was won entirely thanks to Chen Jin's individual skill, and Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong played too conservatively at the start."

Everyone present was a table tennis expert, so how could they not see the key to the victory or defeat? "Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong will definitely make adjustments in the second game."

“Once the two gain momentum, it will be difficult for Chen Jin to withstand it alone.”

"Zhang Jiahao will definitely become the breakthrough point."

The off-field analysis was very logical and insightful.

Wang Chuqin shared the same view.

Wiping away sweat and drinking water, Wang Chuqin took the initiative to shoulder the heavy responsibility of tactical deployment since there was no off-field guidance.

"We played too conservatively in the first game, almost entirely using short sets within the table, but we couldn't beat our opponent."

Wang Chuqin remained expressionless, his tone indifferent, yet there seemed to be a hint of reproach in his voice.

If Lin Shidong hadn't made several mistakes with his short shots and returned the ball high, giving his opponent an opportunity to attack, he wouldn't have lost the first game.

That was the truth, and Lin Shidong could not refute it, so he could only remain silent.

"In the second game, we'll change our strategy."

Wang Chuqin continued, "Few short fights, many long ones, and compete with them in the basics of stalemate."

"No matter how well they cooperate or how well they coordinate, the difference in individual strength is still there, and we will always have the advantage."

"After all, Chen Jin has a burden on him, so we'll use Zhang Jiahao as our breakthrough point..."

The tactical approach is sound.

Lin Shidong had no objection.

the other side.

Chen Jin was also whispering with Zhang Jiahao, discussing their next tactics and strategies.

"After the initial probing, they will definitely step up their game in the second round and try to outlast us in a prolonged rally."

Chen Jin glanced at Zhang Jiahao, "Moreover, they are very likely to use you as a breakthrough point and concentrate their firepower on you."

"Who's afraid of who!"

Zhang Jiahao raised his chin, his face showing no fear, but rather full of fighting spirit, "They want to bully me? I won't let them have their way."

"Very good, that's the kind of momentum we're looking for."

Chen Jin smiled and said, "Your position later will be a little further back, ready to counter-pull at any time."

"If there's no time to back off the stage, it's okay to take precautions. We don't care about quality, as long as the stage is stable."

"We're in the lead, there's no need to panic. What's wrong with letting them win a game?"

"The key is that you have to get the feel for the game in a rally."

No one knows Zhang Jiahao better than Chen Jin.

Chen Jin knew that as long as Zhang Jiahao got into his rhythm, he wouldn't be afraid to go toe-to-toe with Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong.

"Brother Jin, don't worry."

Zhang Jiahao rubbed his hands together and grinned, "With you by my side, I feel like my hands are already burning hot."

"That's good."

Chen Jin raised his palm. "In the second round, let's go head-to-head."

"Of course."

Zhang Jiahao's eyes were sharp as he gave Chen Jin a high five.

Both players returned to the arena.

Tensions were high between them.

The second round begins.

0: 0.

Chen Jinfa went to the ball.

A hook hand, as always.

Side down.

Wang Chuqin stepped forward and chopped a long ball near the center line.

"As expected, it's long and thin."

Zhang Jiahao had anticipated this, and he was halfway out of the room.

The rotation is strong, but the arc is slightly high.

Moreover, the landing point was also poor.

It was right on Lin Shidong's backhand side.

"Snapped!"

Lin Shidong showed no mercy and retaliated by tearing the cloth in a violent attack.

This shot was as powerful as thunder.

If it were a one-on-one match, Chen Jin might be able to defend back.

Unfortunately, this is a doubles match.

He made a run to cover for his opponent, but before he could even get his feet on the ground, the ball had already flown past Chen Jin.

0: 1.

"Choo-hoo!"

Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin simultaneously clenched their fists and roared, "Burning—"

The first goal of the game was a huge morale booster.

"mine."

Knowing that he hadn't played well, which gave Lin Shidong the opportunity to retaliate and tear the ball apart, Zhang Jiahao looked apologetic.

"it's okay no problem."

Chen Jin smiled calmly, "For balls like this, if you can go for it, go for it; if you can't, then play a thinner shot and control the arc and landing point."

"clear."

Second serve.

Still hooking the hand.

Short on the lower side.

This time, Wang Chuqin did not rashly extend the length, lest his opponent be prepared.

Instead, gently shorten it.

Zhang Jiahao quickly stepped forward and gently swung back.

Lin Shidong rubs the middle part long.

Chen Jin, with extremely fast footwork, seized the landing point and delivered a high loop shot.

The spin, arc, and landing point were in stark contrast to Zhang Jiahao's previous shot.

Wang Chuqin did not expect that Chen Jin's high lob shot would not only have a low and flat arc, but also a shallow landing point.

His hitting stance is slightly back, making it difficult for him to generate power.

Left with no other option, they had to apply protective measures.

Unfortunately, they ultimately underestimated the quality of Chen Jin's shot.

"laugh!"

The intense spin caused the rubber to slip.

Wang Chuqin had no leverage and his return shot went into the net.

1: 1.

"Improving."

Wang Chuqin frowned and looked down at the racket in his hand.

In the following goals, the battle became increasingly intense.

Multiple shots were exchanged, and incredible shots kept coming.

The onlookers were thrilled and excited.

"Holy crap, he can even pull that ball back? This Zhang Jiahao's got some skills."

"Chen Jin's backhand mid-court ability is simply not like that of a penhold player... The quality is too high, even Lin Shidong can't withstand it."

"Zhang Jiahao's ability to engage in mid-to-long-range dogfights suddenly reminded me of someone."

“Once the game gets close, as long as it goes past five shots, Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin are at a disadvantage... Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao are both too steady.”

"My god, this newcomer named Zhang Jiahao is actually this strong?"

"No wonder Coach Liu paired Zhang Jiahao with Chen Jin in doubles; they're definitely got something."

……

"Chen Jin's ability to maintain a stalemate and his performance in the first three rounds are much better than Wang Chuqin's."

Sun Yingsha stood on the sidelines in the crowd, watching in disbelief. "If I had a partner like Chen Jin, I wouldn't have had such a difficult time at the Paris Olympics."

"Although Chen Jin and I are both right-handed, we might give it a try."

That's what I thought to myself.

But then he immediately rejected that idea.

After all, her partnership with Wang Chuqin had already been sentenced.

More importantly, they became an inseparable traffic-generating partnership.

Even if she wanted to team up with Chen Jin, she might not be able to get approval from the coaching staff.

(End of this chapter)