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

Chapter 351: Match Against the Lebrunn Brothers! Advancing to the Men's Doubles Final!

2 month 7 day.

WTT Singapore Grand Slam, Day 9.

at noon.

Spotlights converged into a sea of ​​light, illuminating the pool table in the center of the arena.

Compared to singles, doubles matches generally don't receive much attention.

However, Chen Jin's current strength and achievements have already attracted the attention of many fans.

Furthermore, it was an external war.

There were quite a few fans cheering them on at the scene.

"Chen Jin, keep it up!"

"Go China!"

Although their popularity was far less than that of the Shatou group, it was still enough to get Zhang Jiahao excited.

Both teams' players have taken the stage.

In their respective off-field rest areas, they made final pre-match preparations with their coaches.

"The Lebrunn brothers are well-known; they are ranked number one in the world in men's doubles, and their strength should not be underestimated."

Although Wang Hao spoke quickly, his words were clear and orderly: "The older brother, Alex, is good at mid-to-long-range counter-attacks, and the younger brother, Felix, is good at close-range fast breaks."

"The two, one at a distance and the other close, complemented each other perfectly, and being brothers, their teamwork was seamless..."

Indeed, Alex and Felix are a rare pair of brothers in the world of table tennis.

The two players, one horizontal and one vertical, both held their rackets with their right hands.

Logically speaking, compared to a doubles pairing of one on the left and one on the right, their movement and positioning are not as smooth.

However, the brothers' tacit understanding, as if they shared a single brain, was enough to make up for their original disadvantages.

Moreover, Alex and Felix each have their own strengths and weaknesses in their playing styles.

Alex dominates the mid-to-long range, with his height and long reach, covering a large area. His powerful arc shot after retreating from the platform is a stable source of firepower.

Meanwhile, his younger brother Felix is ​​as agile as a fox and as swift as the wind. He occupies the area close to the table and, with the advantage of his penhold grip, controls the table with his quick backhand flicks. His movements are small, fast, and his landing points are tricky, often making him difficult to defend against.

The two brothers complemented each other's strengths and weaknesses; Felix used his speed to suppress the opponent at close range, while Alex used his powerful mid-to-long-range shots to penetrate the opponent's defense.

This system was brought to its fullest potential in the hands of the two players.

Over the past year, we have defeated many strong opponents.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to become the world's number one men's doubles pair.

Compared to the aging Falk and Karlsson men's doubles pair, the Lebrunn brothers are young, energetic, and pose a greater threat.

After listening to Wang Hao's words.

Although Zhang Jiahao didn't say anything, he was quite dismissive of it.

So what if they're brothers?
Jin and I are like father and son. We are like father and son fighting side by side. Our teamwork is just as good as, if not better than, that of the Lebrunn brothers!

"Of course, no matter how well the Lebrunn brothers cooperate, they are not an impenetrable fortress."

Wang Hao curled his lips into a smile, as if he had a plan in mind, "We can adopt a strategy of defeating them one by one."

“Alex’s backhand topspin and mid-to-long range counter-topspin are both very good, but his control at the table is much weaker than his brother Felix.”

"So, in the serving round, if Alex is receiving the serve, you can serve him a no-spin serve and then attack directly."

"As for Felix, he has good control at the table, so give him a long ball or add spin to force him back off the table and prevent him from utilizing his speed advantage near the table..."

In fact, as he has grown older, taller, and heavier, Felix has gradually lost the agility he once possessed in terms of speed.

It seems that, like Tomokazu Harimoto, he received a similar script.

However, we must not underestimate our opponent.

"In the first set, Chen Jin, you're still the main attacker, don't hold back."

"Zhang Jiahao, you need to reduce your own mistakes, not give your opponent any opportunities to make a move, and at the same time create opportunities for Chen Jin to make a move."

"Also, when you're hitting the opponent's ball, try to add as much spin as possible, but pay attention to varying the length of the landing point..."

Wang Hao hadn't finished speaking.

On the field, the referee's urging could already be heard: "Time!"

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, each holding a towel, walked side by side toward the arena.

"come on! Come on!"

Wang Hao watched the two figures disappear into the distance and clapped his hands vigorously.

He then sat down, crossed his arms, and looked serious with sharp eyes, exuding an air of authority without anger.

They stood on either side of the referee.

When shaking hands, Felix gave Chen Jin a friendly smile.

Both players use penhold grip and have faced each other several times, creating a sense of mutual respect.

Chen Jin nodded and smiled.

Toss a coin to guess who will go first.

Zhang Jiahao's performance was as stable as ever.

The practice session ended, and the match began.

The stadium fell silent instantly.

"Da da da……"

Zhang Jiahao served first.

After glancing down at Chen Jin's hand gesture, Zhang Jiahao served a short, no-spin ball to the side and immediately tossed it away.

Chen Jin predicted that in their first encounter, Alex, who was receiving the serve, would not dare to attack rashly and would definitely try to play a short serve and test the waters at the control panel.

As expected, Alex stepped forward and attempted to throw a short ball.

However, his control over the internal affairs of the organization was already somewhat lacking.

Shorten and rise.

Seeing this, Felix knew something was wrong and hurriedly retreated.

"Snapped!"

Chen Jin showed no mercy, launching a powerful forehand attack.

With such power and speed, Felix hadn't even gotten his footing when, looking up, the ball was already flying towards him like a cannonball.

Felix hurriedly swung his racket.

It was ultimately a bit too slow.

1: 0.

"Choo-hoo!"

Zhang Jiahao clenched his fist and roared, "Braise—"

He gave Chen Jin a high five.

The other side.

Alex glanced at his racket, a hint of frustration flashing in his eyes.

Just then, Felix stepped forward and extended his right fist.

The two brothers lightly bumped fists.

"Allez!"

Alex rallied, bent over, and prepared to receive the serve.

This time, his expression was even more focused.

Zhang Jiahao continues serving.

The right half of the platform is short and sideways.

Alex puts his weight on short pieces.

Chen Jin swings back.

Felix quickly filled in, in the console.

However, at the moment he made contact with the ball, his wrist flicked slightly.

Zhang Jiahao didn't notice and was trying to stretch it out.

Unexpectedly, Felix secretly added spin when returning the ball.

"laugh!"

Zhang Jiahao eats and then goes offline.

1: 1.

In the next few balls, both sides were testing each other, so neither side made an easy move.

It's all about internal power struggles.

In addition, the feel of the game hadn't warmed up yet.

Each side made repeated mistakes.

soon.

The score was now 3-3.

While wiping away sweat, Chen Jin whispered, "Alex's team isn't doing so well, but Felix is ​​the complete opposite."

"There's no need to get caught up in the internal issues with them. Playing too cautiously will only make us feel constrained."

"When Felix serves later, either we can directly flick the ball with our hands or we can hit him a long ball and try to rally with them."

Zhang Jiahao, who always followed Chen Jin's lead, immediately perked up and nodded, saying, "Understood!"

"I've wanted to fight them with bayonets for a long time."

The game continues.

Felix serves, Zhang Jiahao receives.

Strictly execute the planned tactics, judge the spin well, flick your wrist, and chop the opponent's backhand.

This shot was extremely fast and had a long trajectory, managing to hold off Alex.

As Alex stepped back from the table, he flicked the ball up with his backhand.

Although the rotation is strong, its power, speed, and arc are all less than ideal.

With such a good chance, how could Chen Jin possibly let it slip by?
"Snapped!"

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

Seeing that things were not going well, Felix retreated to the center of the platform at lightning speed to deflect the force.

Unexpectedly, he managed to save a goal.

Zhang Jiahao was about to send a message.

laugh!
The ball grazed the edge of the court.

"grass!"

Zhang Jiahao pointed helplessly at the pool table, indicating that he wanted to glide the edge.

Across from the pool table.

The Lebrunn brothers simultaneously raised their hands: "Sorry."

"fine."

Chen Jin patted Zhang Jiahao on the shoulder, "The serve reception tactic is correct."

"I'm just a little unconvinced."

Zhang Jiahao said resentfully, "I'm always the one who brushes past others, but today someone else brushed past me."

"No, we have to get our revenge today."

"I'm going to show these Frenchmen who the real king of skirting the rules is!"

Chen Jin's expression was serious as he solemnly reminded, "Don't play with the balloon."

"clear."

Zhang Jiahao immediately calmed down.

The two then carried out their tactics to the end.

With a few long balls, they widened the score to 6-3.

However, the Lebrunn brothers' adjustments were also swift.
Felix's close-to-the-table fast rips are like a barrage of needles, so fast that they leave opponents unable to keep up.

Meanwhile, Alex's powerful long-range shots repeatedly penetrated Zhang Jiahao's defenses, resulting in frequent successes.

There is no doubt that the opposing team has studied Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao's doubles matches.

Knowing that the weakness of this combination lay with Zhang Jiahao, their strategy for this match was to focus their attacks on him.

Zhang Jiahao's ability to counter-attack from mid-to-long range is actually quite strong.

However, compared to Alex, his strength is far inferior.

Ultimately, the Lebrun brothers, with their excellent teamwork and Alex's high-quality counter-attack, once again broke through Zhang Jiahao's defense.

11: 9.

They won the first game.

"Zhu--"

The Lebrunn brothers were overjoyed.

Clench your fist and roar, then clap your hands in celebration.

In contrast, Zhang Jiahao was dejected, his eyes filled with self-blame.

Covered in sweat, he returned to the sidelines.

"mine."

Zhang Jiahao lowered his head, "It's my fault for not being able to withstand their attack..."

"Do not."

Chen Jin said, "It was my mistake."

"I originally wanted you to compete with Alex in mid-to-long range shots to get a feel for the game, but I overlooked the fact that Alex's power is greater than yours."

Given Alex's mid-to-long-range power, if Chang Chia-hao wants to go head-to-head with him, he must retreat to a more distant position to deflect the force.

However, the further back the platform goes, the greater the force required for a counter-pull, so it's normal that Zhang Jiahao couldn't continue.

He wasn't a power-type athlete to begin with.

Especially with his backhand, he is no match for Alex in mid-to-long range.

"No, no, no, you played very well."

Wang Hao smiled and said, "They played much better than I expected."

"Just like Chen Jin said, you only made some strategic mistakes in the first game."

"Chen Jin, you should know that you need to make adjustments for the next game, right?"

As he spoke, Wang Hao looked at Chen Jin.

"Ah."

Chen Jin nodded. "Adjust the positions."

"Jiahao, stand closer to the platform and race against Felix."

"I'm in charge of the mid-to-long-range stations."

This statement came out.

This coincided with Wang Hao's idea.

With a smile on his face, Wang Hao turned to Zhang Jiahao and said, "The key question is, do you have the confidence to hold the line?"

"no problem."

Zhang Jiahao gritted his teeth and said, "If I can't hold out, I'll bring my head upon myself."

"it is good!"

Wang Hao said in a deep voice, "The serve should focus on whether it has spin or not, and the return of the serve should combine long and short serves, paying attention to the landing point and rhythm changes."

"The Lebrun brothers are both right-handed, and the middle lane is their Achilles' heel..."

"Zhang Jiahao, you're close to the table, don't just focus on speed, remember to add some spin."

"Chen Jin, you also need to keep an eye on the nearby platforms."

Once the tactics are set, it's all about execution.

As it turns out, Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao had no problems in this regard.

Zhang Jiahao tenaciously defended the table, competing with Felix in speed while using high lobs and spins to significantly reduce Felix's fast breaks.

Chen Jin's mid-to-long range game, whether forehand or backhand, is no weaker than Alex's in terms of power, speed, and spin.

With Zhang Jiahao's quick forehand drive to the corner, Felix couldn't reach the ball in time.

The score was final in the second game.

11: 6.

Finally, they won a point.

"Choo-hoo!"

"Zhu--"

Zhang Jiahao couldn't help but roar to the sky.

Its momentum suddenly surged.

He was a completely different person from the one who finished the first game.

Seeing this, Chen Jin smiled slightly.

He put down his racket, picked up the towels from both of them, and handed one to Zhang Jiahao.

"Played well."

Chen Jin smiled.

"It's all for my head."

Zhang Jiahao rested his chin on his right hand, "I've spent half my life wandering, possessing nothing but this head, which is my only companion..."

Where is your golden left hand?

"Left hand holds the racket, right hand shows off, clear division of labor, everyone does their job..."

While talking.

He walked up to Wang Hao.

"Played very well, quite good."

Wang Hao said, "If we fight like this, we're sure to win."

"The third game is crucial. Now that it's a tie, the Lebrunn brothers will definitely go all out."

"Let's not back down, let's fight however we need to."

"Just like the second game..."

Just as Wang Hao had predicted.

In the third game, the Lebrunn brothers intensified their fighting.

The two sides were locked in a protracted and arduous struggle.

The score went back and forth.

9: 9.

In a spectacular long rally, Felix unleashed a powerful backhand flick, tearing the ball across the crosscourt.

Zhang Jiahao lunged for a forehand, but the ball went out of bounds.

9: 10.

The Lebrunn brothers reached match point.

The pressure was immense, weighing heavily on Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

"Stay calm, don't panic."

Wang Hao stood up and shouted, "Serve well, keep an eye on him!"

In a best-of-five match, with the score tied at 1-1, whoever wins the third game first will have a greater advantage.

Both the situation and the mindset.

Therefore, the outcome of this game is of paramount importance.

Holding the right to serve, Zhang Jiahao was under immense pressure, sweat pouring down his face.

"Brother Jin."

Zhang Jiahao whispered, "How about I steal a long one?"

"No, stealing growth is too risky."

Chen Jin shook his head, "Serve more steadily, and attack more aggressively."

"So what kind of serve should I give?"

Zhang Jiahao asked.

"Backspin."

Chen Jin said, "The kind that spins out completely."

"it is good."

Zhang Jiahao agreed without the slightest doubt.

When it comes to crucial points, it's not just Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao who are under pressure.

The Lebrunn brothers were also under immense pressure.

Sweat streamed down his face, and Alex stared intently at his opponent with his mouth slightly open.

"Backspin."

Upon seeing Zhang Jiahao's serve, Alex instantly determined the spin.

He took a step forward, attempting a short swing.

However, he seemed eager to step back and create space for Felix to connect with the next shot.

When the ball is short, the touch is slightly rushed.

"laugh!"

Eat and then go online.

The key point is that they messed up.

Such a basic mistake almost caused Alex to lose control and yell in a fit of rage.

He put the racket in his mouth, wishing he could bite it to pieces.

10: 10.

The score is back to square one.

At this moment, one side has tied the score, while the other is leading but has been caught up, resulting in subtle differences in mentality.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao are clearly the stronger pair.

Then, with unstoppable momentum, they scored two more points.

12: 10.

The score is 2-1.

In the fourth game.

The Lebrunn brothers were fighting with their backs against the wall, hoping to reverse their declining fortunes through even fiercer fighting.

However, Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao executed their tactics more resolutely.

Their defense is impregnable, and their counterattacks are sharp and fierce.

Alex forced himself to exert force several times, resulting in more mistakes.

Under such pressure, Felix also made a mistake.

As Zhang Jiahao launched a powerful smash after falling to the ground, Alex countered with a strong counter-attack, and Chen Jin followed up with a powerful forehand smash, breaking through Felix's backhand.

The score was 11-3.

The score is 3-1.

The entire venue was in an uproar.

Cheers and applause surged toward Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao like a tidal wave.

The world's number one men's doubles pair, the Lebrun brothers, were stopped in the semifinals by two young players!
"Zhu--"

Zhang Jiahao waved his fists and roared angrily.

Then, he took a deep breath.

She held Chen Jin's hands tightly and embraced him gently.

The doubles finals ticket is already firmly in their grasp.

They are just a stone's throw away from winning the men's doubles title at this Grand Slam tournament.

(End of this chapter)