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

Chapter 340 Always Look Up to Your Opponent

Singapore Sports Centre.

training hall.

The sounds of the ball hitting the ground were like firecrackers, accompanied by the sharp screech of shoes rubbing against the ground and the philosophical shouts of players as they exerted force to hit the ball.

"Come again!"

Xie Mingyang held his racket, bent over, and stared at Chen Jin standing opposite him, his eyes revealing a sharp, defiant glint.

"It's still a straight line."

As Chen Jin spoke, he served a short backspin ball.

Stepping forward, lowering his center of gravity, Xie Mingyang's long chop is fluid and graceful, like flowing water.

The ping-pong ball flew precisely to Chen Jin's backhand baseline.

Immediately, Xie Mingyang's nerves were taut like a bowstring, ready to spring into action.

Chen Jin moved with the lightness of a swallow, and with a quick step, glided to the side.

He swung his racket with a forehand and unleashed a powerful shot.

"Snapped!"

Its sound was like thunder, shaking the entire world.

Its momentum was like Hou Yi shooting down nine suns.

With Chen Jin's explosive side-step, the small ping-pong ball suddenly transformed into a ferocious and savage dragon, hurtling towards Xie Mingyang's forehand with unparalleled power and speed.

Although Chen Jin had given prior notice, Xie Mingyang was already on guard and immediately lunged for the forehand the moment Chen Jin made his move.

However, they still couldn't stop the force of that ball.

The ball went out of bounds.

Xie Mingyang frowned slightly and looked down at the racket: "You couldn't even withstand that?"

"Body center of gravity".

Li Qian stood beside him with his arms crossed, reminding him, "Use your body weight to press down, not your hands."

"used."

Xie Mingyang wiped the rubber, "It still can't be held down."

"Their position is too far forward."

Zhang Jiahao sat on the ground with his legs apart, leaning back and supporting himself with his hands on the ground, and said leisurely, "Hey Xie, try standing back half a step."

"it is good."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

He took a training ball out of his pocket and gently tapped it against Chen Jin with his racket.

Chen Jin reached out and caught the ball, then served a short underspin ball using the same technique as before.

Xie Mingyang chopped the long ball to his backhand side.

"Snapped!"

Chen Jin sprinted sideways and charged straight ahead.

Following Zhang Jiahao's advice, Xie Mingyang lunged forward with his forehand while taking a half-step back.

However, the ball still went out of bounds.

"no way."

Zhang Jiahao shrugged slightly. "Brother Jin's side-stepping explosive power is something that few people can withstand, at least sixty years ago."

"Zhang Yuzhen's forehand attack from the side shouldn't be that strong, right?"

Li Qian pondered for a moment.

February 4th, the sixth day of the Singapore Grand Slam.

At 12:30 pm, Xie Mingyang will face off against Jang Woo-jin, the top male table tennis player from South Korea.

The two had faced off once before during the last BJ Grand Slam.

Although Xie Mingyang ultimately won, he never dared to underestimate his opponent.

After all, it had been half a year since their last encounter, and both sides had grown since then.

Xie Mingyang watched Zhang Yuzhen's matches at the Singapore Grand Slam and noticed that both her forehand power and footwork speed had improved significantly compared to the last time.

Moreover, after the previous defeat, Zhang Yuzhen will inevitably be more wary of Xie Mingyang.

Chang Yu-chen's most prominent playing style is her all-around forehand attack.

Even on the backhand side, they will turn and smash.

It's very similar to the traditional single-sided playing style of penhold grip.

Faced with such a formidable enemy, how could Xie Mingyang dare to be complacent?
Therefore, I arrived at the training hall very early in the morning.

Chen Jin imitated Zhang Yuzhen's playing style and practiced with Xie Mingyang.

"You can't have that kind of thinking."

Chen Jin bounced the ball, shook his head, and said, "Whether in training or in a match, you must always look up to your opponent."

"Moreover, Zhang Yuzhen lost to Lao Xie last time, so he will definitely want to get revenge this time, and he will fight even more fiercely."

"Chen Jin is right."

Xie Mingyang agreed.

He walked over, picked up the water bottle from the ground, and gulped down a few mouthfuls.

Instantly, he broke out in a cold sweat, which dripped down his chin and onto the floor.

Xie Mingyang picked up the towel again, folded it into a small square, and wiped his sweat.

"Come again!"

Stretching his muscles, Xie Mingyang seemed tireless, his whole body brimming with fighting spirit.

Following Chen Jin's repeated side-stepping and explosive straight-line attacks, Xie Mingyang finally figured out some tricks.

Occasionally, he can even deliver a fast forehand drive and accurately land on the table.

"nice shot!"

Chen Jin narrowed his eyes slightly and exclaimed in admiration, "Come again, but be careful."

After speaking, he continued to speak in short, downward spirals.

Xie Mingyang moved like a machine, chopping with a long backhand, his feet already gathering power, ready to pounce on the right side of the table at any moment.

Chen Jin took two steps in one, turning to his left to create space for his shot.

Pull your right arm back and lower your center of gravity.

As the ball begins its descent, make slight adjustments to the racket angle and swing with power.

"laugh!"

The white ping-pong ball traced a beautiful arc as it flew towards Xie Mingyang's forehand sideline.

Before the ball even hit the table, Xie Mingyang had already secured his position, intending to quickly drive a cross-court shot.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jin's shot was not a powerful drive, but rather a shot with added spin.

The arc is low and flat, with a very shallow landing point.

Xie Mingyang was positioned further back, clearly having changed his position.

When he realized what was happening, he reached out to grab it.

The moment the ball was touched, there was a sharp "whoosh" sound, and the ball had already flown far away.

"?"

Xie Mingyang looked at Chen Jin, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

But he soon understood Chen Jin's intention.

Due to ingrained thinking, I assumed Chen Jin was going to turn sideways and head towards my forehand sideline, so I forgot to keep my eyes on the ball.

When Chen Jin was pulling the ball, he made a slight change and Chen Jin didn't react in time.

In a game, this would be absolutely fatal.

"continue."

Xie Mingyang flicked his wrist, "Combining long and short attacks, aim for my entire team."

"It's unrealistic to expect to master everything in just two or three hours of training."

Chen Jin laughed and said, "Besides, Zhang Yuzhen doesn't only have the forehand smash technique."

"Right."

Xie Mingyang touched the pool table, wiping the sweat from his hands. "Chen Jin, if it were you facing Zhang Yuzhen, how would you play?"

"Control his position on the table and give him his forehand."

Chen Jin did not hesitate at all.

"Give him his forehand?"

Xie Mingyang frowned deeply. "Isn't this courting death?"

As is well known, Zhang Yuzhen's forehand is his trump card.

If we give him a free forehand, what's the difference between that and sending a lamb to the slaughter?

Not only Xie Mingyang, but also Li Qian and Zhang Jiahao looked at Chen Jin with puzzlement.

"You can't just listen to half of what you're told."

Chen Jin laughed and said, "I meant the forehand from inside the control table."

Upon hearing this, Xie Mingyang seemed to understand something: "You mean, control his backhand or the middle of the table, and then give him a long ball to his forehand?"

"Correct."

Chen Jin nodded and said, "If he counter-controls, then we can fight inside the table and strike his forehand."

"If he gets into a topspin position, then use close-to-the-table speed to suppress his backhand and prevent him from getting a chance to turn to the side."

Zhang Yuzhen's ability to dominate the forehand in Taiwan is partly due to his relatively weak backhand.

Therefore, suppressing their backhand with power or speed is a good tactical choice.

"A full-hand forehand requires a high level of footwork and stamina."

Chen Jin continued, "In the first game, control his position on the table and give him opportunities to make a good move, even if we lose, it doesn't matter."

"The key is to exhaust his stamina and disrupt the stability of his forehand."

"Once Zhang Yuzhen's forehand consistency declines, the rest of the matches will be much easier."

Xie Mingyang stood there, frowning, pondering this seemingly contradictory suggestion.

He had already carefully studied Zhang Yuzhen's match videos last night.

At that moment, some details suddenly flashed through my mind.

Whenever her opponents try to avoid Zhang Yuzhen's forehand, Zhang Yuzhen is able to launch higher-quality attacks by anticipating and adjusting her footwork.

Those players who dare to occasionally give Jang Woo-jin a forehand attack may lose points in the early stages, but they can often find opportunities to counterattack in the second half of the match.

"I see……"

Xie Mingyang suddenly realized.

The tactical strategy gradually became clear in my mind.

Followed by.

The two then engaged in another half hour of high-intensity sparring training.

Xie Mingyang attempted to execute Chen Jin's tactics, sometimes using short passes to control the game and limit his initiative, and sometimes launching surprise attacks with long forehand baseline shots. Chen Jin, in turn, constantly changed his rhythm, mimicking Zhang Yuzhen's powerful forehand attack style.

"Pay attention to where you land; make sure it hits the bottom line."

"Zhang Yuzhen's backhand is relatively weak compared to his forehand. We still need to pay attention to his topspin and counter-attack..."

After training.

Their T-shirts were completely soaked; they were practically dripping wet.
During the meal, Xie Mingyang and Chen Jin sat next to each other, using their spoons as rackets to demonstrate movements and discuss details.

Zhang Jiahao sat next to him, unable to get a word in edgewise, glancing sideways with a sour look in his eyes.

Sulking, he could only eat more rice to vent his displeasure.

……

Twelve thirty-five.

Xie Mingyang VS Zhang Yuzhen.

The match started on time.

first round.

According to Chen Jin's tactics, Xie Mingyang's serves are mainly short in the middle, supplemented by whether or not they have spin.

As expected, given Zhang Yuzhen's playing style, he dared not easily take the serve and could only choose to play a short serve.

Xie Mingyang remained calm and composed, maintaining control within the station.

After a few short rounds, it was Zhang Yuzhen who lost his composure and stepped forward to twist and pull.

However, Xie Mingyang quickly countered with a cross-court slash, securing a winning start.

"nice shot!"

Li Qian, sitting on the sidelines, clenched his fist and roared, cheering loudly for Xie Mingyang.

Six months later, when they faced off again, Zhang Yuzhen noticed from the very first ball that the boy's skills, both his table tennis technique and his backhand power, had improved significantly.

"You're strong, but I'm not weak either."

Clearly, Zhang Yuzhen came prepared this time.

The reason he lost last time was partly because he didn't understand Xie Mingyang's playing style.

But this time is different.

Immediately, the tactics and strategies were adjusted.

He launched a series of attacks using his forehand.

The score quickly reached 1-6.

Faced with such a large point difference, if it were any other young player, their mentality would have already wavered.

However, Xie Mingyang remained as calm as a still well, showing no sign of panic or tension.

Execute the tactics firmly and strike the long forehand baseline.

"You still dare to use your best hand against me?"

Zhang Yuzhen slightly stepped back with her right leg, shifted her body weight forward, and unleashed a powerful forehand smash down the line.

Snapped!
The ball flew like lightning, smashing towards Xie Mingyang's backhand side.

I thought it would be a one-shot deal.

Unexpectedly, Xie Mingyang seemed to have anticipated this, and started moving forward to defend, then flicked his wrist to tear a cross-court shot with the force of the movement.

"Ok?"

Zhang Yuzhen was greatly surprised.

Of course, a single goal was not enough to affect his mentality.

Next game.

Zhang Yuzhen's forehand attacks remain fierce.

The beating was so intense that Xie Mingyang was finding it difficult to defend himself.

4: 11.

Xie Mingyang suffered a crushing defeat.

After winning the first game, Zhang Yuzhen felt much more relaxed.

As I left, I glanced at Xie Mingyang.

Seeing the calm and composed expression on his face, he possessed a level of composure beyond his years.

There was not a trace of defeat in sight.

It seemed that everything was as expected.

This made Zhang Yuzhen frown inwardly: "Could it be that he practiced some kind of trump card with Chen Jin, and hasn't used it yet in the first round?"

This morning, at the training hall, he saw Chen Jin acting as Xie Mingyang's sparring partner from a distance, clearly targeting him.

"It's better to be careful."

Zhang Yuzhen pondered, "To avoid capsizing in a ditch."

One minute later, the second round began.

Xie Mingyang immediately went into fighting mode.

Positioning himself close to the table, he attacked and suppressed Zhang Yuzhen's backhand with the speed of a cheetah.

"Such a fast swing speed."

Zhang Yuzhen felt a chill run down his spine. "Their strength is not weak either."

His backhand was completely unable to keep up with Xie Mingyang's speed, and he gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

Fortunately, his forehand is powerful enough to compensate for his weakness in backhand, even if he forces himself to turn to the side.

In this round, the two engaged in a battle of wits and courage, making it difficult to determine a winner.

The score went back and forth.

The score was eventually tied at 9-9.

At the crucial moment, Zhang Yuzhen scored with two consecutive powerful forehand attacks.

11-9, another victory.

Trailing 0-2 in the match, Xie Mingyang walked to the sidelines, his eyes calm and still showing little emotion.

"Played well."

Li Qian handed over a water bottle, saying, "In this game, Zhang Yuzhen made significantly more mistakes with her forehand than in the first game."

"In the third game, don't be afraid. You can even try to go head-to-head with his forehand, but you must hold the mid-to-close range and increase your speed."

"Pay attention to the landing point and the connection."

"Although we are fighting with our backs against the wall, I believe you can come back from 0-2 down to win 3-2."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

Although he didn't speak, his gaze was firm.

The third round.

Xie Mingyang's attack, like a storm, became increasingly fierce.

He went toe-to-toe with Zhang Yuzhen and held his own.

In the first half, the score remained close.

Xie Mingyang was even trailing Zhang Yuzhen 4-6 at one point.

However, Zhang Yuzhen's footwork speed was noticeably less agile than in the first two games.

In the latter half of the game, he made a series of mistakes when attacking with his forehand.

"Zhang Yuzhen's physical strength has declined."

Xie Mingyang seized the opportunity and went all out.

By suppressing the backhand and maneuvering the ball's placement, they turned the score around in one fell swoop.

Although Zhang Yuzhen's arrows were still sharp, the score was tied at 10-10.

Unfortunately, in the next two balls, a forehand rally, he was unable to defeat Xie Mingyang.

12: 10.

Xie Mingyang won a point.

In the fourth game, Xie Mingyang increased the variation in his shot placement and backhand pressure, leaving Zhang Yuzhen constantly on the move.

11: 7.

The score is 2-2.

The match has entered the decisive game.

"In the final round, we can't afford to lose; we need to be even more decisive in our moves."

Li Qian's voice was a little hoarse, "When we were leading 2-0, we were caught up to 2-2. Zhang Yuzhen was under more psychological pressure than we were."

"As long as we build up our momentum, a comeback from 0-2 down to 3-2 is within our grasp."

"Pay attention to continuity and connection."

"come on!"

Game start.

Xie Mingyang was full of momentum.

Like a newly forged divine weapon, its sharpness is fully revealed, and it moves forward without hesitation.

They scored consecutive points at the start, creating a 6-1 run.

Seeing that Xie Mingyang was unstoppable, Zhang Yuzhen quickly called a pause for herself.

Unfortunately, it was all in vain.

It felt like the blood in his body was burning fiercely; Xie Mingyang had completely gone berserk.

With Xie Mingyang's powerful, straight-line smash after falling to the ground, he broke through Zhang Yuzhen's backhand.

The score was 11-6.

"Choo-hoo!"

"Zhu--"

Li Qian, standing on the sidelines, had already jumped up, clenched his fists, and roared to the sky.

Facing a formidable opponent like Zhang Yuzhen, Xie Mingyang displayed incredible composure, coming back from a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 and complete a stunning comeback.

How could Li Qian not be extremely excited: "My heart is pounding!"

In contrast, Xie Mingyang did not show much joy.

He let out a long breath and walked calmly toward Zhang Yuzhen.

"Congratulations."

Zhang Yuzhen looked at the young man in front of him and congratulated him in his somewhat broken Chinese.

"Thank you."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

After shaking hands, holding the racket and towel, as he turned around, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards the audience.

But in the back row of the somewhat empty audience seats, Chen Jinzheng stood up and applauded for him.

A smile finally appeared on Xie Mingyang's lips as he raised his right hand and clenched his fist tightly towards Chen Jin.

(End of this chapter)