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

Chapter 367 Asian Cup Draw

In February, Shenzhen was already enveloped in the mild, damp atmosphere of early spring.

Bao'an International Airport.

Beneath the enormous dome, the lights shone a pale white, casting long, drawn-out shadows of hurried figures.

Gate entrance.

The crowd surged out in waves, like a tide.

Chen Jin, dragging a dark blue suitcase, still stood out as a tall and capable figure among the slightly tired travelers.

I looked up and my gaze swept quickly across the crowd.

He soon discovered Xie Mingyang.

Xie Mingyang was like a reef, unmoved by the surging crowd around him.

He was leaning alone against a smooth steel pillar, wearing a baseball cap pulled low, almost covering half of his face.

The only striking feature was the white Bluetooth earphones plugged into his ears, which blocked out the surrounding noise.

Her chin drooped slightly, and her eyes were gently closed.

He exuded a chilling aura that warned strangers to stay away.

The hustle and bustle of people welcoming others at the airport, the embraces of reunions... all the excitement of the world seemed irrelevant to him.

If they hadn't communicated their attire and location beforehand, Chen Jin might not have been able to find him.

Chen Jin dragged his suitcase and walked over quickly.

The wheels made a rolling sound on the smooth base, finally alerting Xie Mingyang.

Xie Mingyang lazily lifted his eyelids slightly, revealing his eyes, which were as calm as a cold pool.

After confirming that the person in front of him was Chen Jin, he took off the earphones and put them back in the charging case.

"coming?"

Xie Mingyang stretched his muscles slightly.

"coming."

Chen Jin spoke, his voice slightly hoarse from just getting off the plane, "How long have you been waiting?"

"soon."

Xie Mingyang's lips barely moved, and his voice was flat as if he were stating a fact unrelated to himself, "It's only been a little over two hours."

He described the two-hour tedious wait as as lightly as two minutes.

"More than two hours?"

Chen Jin was taken aback, and gave a wry smile tinged with guilt, "Why didn't you find a place to sit down?"

"fine."

Xie Mingyang shrugged slightly, nonchalantly, "I've been sitting for too long since I came home this time. I'll stand up a bit more to recover."

Having finished speaking.

The two dragged their suitcases and walked side by side toward the exit of the hall.

"Have you made arrangements for that child you mentioned?"

Xie Mingyang suddenly asked.

"arranged."

Chen Jin nodded. "Coach Chen also thinks Xiao Jun has good talent and is worth cultivating, but he is not qualified to join the provincial team yet."

"So, I found him a club outside and had a professional coach teach him how to play."

"We'll see how things go once we've laid a solid foundation."

To embark on a professional career in table tennis, talent is certainly important, but personal effort is also crucial.

Yan Jun's talent is beyond doubt.

Whether someone is diligent or not still needs to be examined.

"You paid for it out of your own pocket?"

Xie Mingyang glanced at Chen Jin, "Do you need my help?"

"I originally intended to pay for it myself."

Chen Jin smiled and said, "But when I took Xiao Jun to the S Province team to find Coach Chen, Coach Chen told me that he had used the Super League prize money that I had given up to establish a children's table tennis foundation, which is perfect for us to use."

"Children's Table Tennis Foundation?"

Xie Mingyang raised an eyebrow. "Interesting... What's your name? I'll put in a bet."

"Uh……"

Chen Jin sighed, “We have this plan, but it hasn’t really started yet. We’ll talk about it once it’s in operation.”

"Row."

Xie Mingyang nodded and said, "I can't guarantee anything else, but as long as you ask, there's plenty of money."

While talking.

Come to the parking lot.

Immediately, someone came to greet them.

"Master."

A middle-aged man in a suit bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, extremely respectful.

They put their suitcases into the trunk.

Chen Jin was already used to this.

I got into the car with Xie Mingyang and sat in the back.

"correct."

Chen Jin suddenly remembered something, "I brought something for you."

"what?"

Xie Mingyang asked.

"My father-in-law made the braised pork himself."

Chen Jin smiled wryly, "I didn't want to bring it, but my father-in-law insisted that I bring it for you..."

Why don't you want to bring it?

Xie Mingyang questioned.

"what?"

Chen Jin was taken aback for a moment, "I thought you didn't like it..."

"Who said that?"

"Uh……"

Chen Jin reached out and scratched the tip of his nose. "I'm glad you like it. I specially vacuum-packed it, so it shouldn't be damaged."

"it is good."

Xie Mingyang nodded, "We'll eat tonight."

More than an hour later.

We finally arrived at the Yabang Langyue International Hotel.

In the hall, the familiar red figures of the Chinese national table tennis team could be seen everywhere.

The tour leader was at the front desk, busily distributing room keys.

"Chen Jin, Xie Mingyang, you two will share a room."

The tour leader handed over two room keys, saying, "1818, a good omen."

The room is a standard double room.

Two single beds, neatly arranged to the point of being somewhat rigid.

After putting down his luggage, Chen Jin walked to the bedside, drew back the curtains, and gazed at the night view.

As dusk approached, neon lights began to flicker.

"I'm hungry, let's go to the restaurant to eat."

Xie Mingyang packed his things a little. "Remember to bring the braised pork. I'll have the hotel staff heat it up."

"Aren't you afraid it might contain clenbuterol?"

Chen Jin smiled.

"If there really is ractopamine, would you bring it to me?"

Xie Mingyang hit the nail on the head.

……

The huge restaurant was bustling with noise.

The buffet table was filled with all kinds of delicious food.

Familiar teammates gathered in twos and threes, enjoying a hearty meal and chatting happily.

An enticing aroma and relaxed laughter filled the air.

Chen Jin and Xie Mingyang were carrying their trays.

I just sat down, and haven't even started eating yet.

"It's so fragrant!"

A figure approached with a grin and unceremoniously sat down in the empty seat next to him.

It turned out to be Lin Shidong.

"Braised pork?"

Lin Shidong took a deep drag, his face full of ecstasy. "This shouldn't be a hotel, right?"

"It's all mine."

With a slight frown, Xie Mingyang naturally moved his plate away a little.

Unexpectedly, Xie Mingyang was so possessive of his food that Lin Shidong had no choice but to awkwardly retract his outstretched chopsticks.

"After dinner, how about we go for a walk together?"

Lin Shidong tapped the edge of his plate with his chopsticks. "I heard the night view of Shenzhen Bay is quite nice. I might as well go and check it out."

"never mind."

Chen Jin shook his head, "I haven't touched the racket much these past few days since I got back, and I'm completely out of practice."

"I plan to go to the gym to warm up after dinner and get back into shape."

Xie Mingyang picked up a piece of braised pork, examined it briefly, and then put it in his mouth, chewing slowly and carefully.

Judging from his expression, it was as if he were savoring some delicious delicacy.

A smile of enjoyment appeared at the corner of his mouth.

It was obvious that he was very satisfied with the taste of the braised pork.

"Me too."

Xie Mingyang turned to Chen Jin and said, "This braised pork is delicious, I love it. Remember to bring a couple more portions next time."

"Row."

Chen Jin nodded.

"Hey Hey hey……"

Lin Shidong shrugged. "Seriously, two big shots?"

"The competition doesn't start until the 19th, there are still a few days left. You're already thinking about practicing as soon as you land?" He pointed to the dazzling night view outside the window. "Are you really willing to waste this beautiful night?"

Chen Jin just smiled, picked up the soup bowl, and took a small sip.

Xie Mingyang closed his eyes slightly and continued to enjoy the remaining braised pork.

It was as if Lin Shidong's accusations were nothing more than an insignificant background noise to the two of them.

Looking at Chen Jin and then at Xie Mingyang, Lin Shidong finally sighed helplessly.

"Fine, fine, I'm really impressed by you."

Lin Shidong shrugged and said, "I'll go to the stadium too, to help you two retrieve the balls."

"You can invite other people to go out and have fun."

Chen Jin suggested.

"never mind."

Lin Shidong said, "You're the world's number one and you're working so hard, how can I possibly have the mind to play?"

"Stop pretending."

Xie Mingyang said coldly, "We saw you hand over the equipment to the front desk when we were in the lobby just now."

Unexpectedly, Xie Mingyang ruthlessly exposed his thoughts, and Lin Shidong gave an awkward smile.

We finished eating at 7:30.

The three of them took a taxi and headed straight to the Universiade Center.

The stadium was empty.

The huge overhead lights were only turned on for the first few rows of pool tables in the training area.

The smooth, flat floor casts a bright yet cold halo of light, making the venue appear even more deep and dark.

Footsteps, the sound of hitting the ball, breathing... echoed clearly in the empty stadium, sounding both lonely and focused.

One person serves multiple balls, and two people practice together.

They take turns training with each other.

Chen Jin's footwork is swift and precise, and his forehand and backhand transitions are as smooth as flowing water.

Each shot carries a steady power and precise control of the landing point, as if the racket is measuring every inch of the table, searching for a seamless sense of control.

Xie Mingyang's training focuses on aggressive attacks with the first three shots.

After shortening the movement and then lengthening it, the whole person is like a spring full of power, suddenly launching.

Turn sideways, twist your waist, swing your arm... unleash a powerful forehand smash, accompanied by a whistling sound as it tears through the air, fiercely slamming into the backhand corner of the opposite table.

As for Lin Shidong, he focuses more on training forehand and backhand swing speed.

Time passes minute by minute.

After the multi-ball warm-up.

The three then took turns engaging in real combat drills.

Every ball, every rally, was played with utmost seriousness, as if it were a real match.

Sweat had already soaked through their backs.

But they showed no intention of leaving.

Even the glow from the stadium's overhead lights seemed to carry a hint of the chill of the late night.

The digital clock hanging on the wall silently ticked to "23:00".

The administrator came to urge them to turn off the lights.

The three then packed their things and left the venue.

Stepping out of the stadium.

The cold wind of the night swept over me.

It sent a shiver down one's spine.

The night sky was painted orange-red by the city lights.

Walking along the road, they were discussing their insights and tactics from the training session.

……

The next day.

Ten o'clock in the morning.

Universiade Center Gymnasium.

training hall.

All the participating members of the Chinese national table tennis team, as well as their coaches, have gathered here and are standing in formation.

The air was still, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Liu Guoliang stood at the front of the line, his gaze sharp as he slowly swept across the face of everyone present.

He was not tall.

However, the moment he stood there, an invisible pressure enveloped the entire venue.

"Singapore Grand Slam, thank you all for your hard work, so we've given you a few days off for the Lantern Festival."

Liu Guoliang's voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm and resonant, striking the walls as if echoing. "But now that you're back from vacation, it's time to get back to work."

"From the moment you step through this door, there can only be one thing in your minds, in your hearts, and in every drop of your sweat—the competition."

"This Asian Cup is a home game, and we cannot afford to lose!"

"When facing foreign players, regardless of their strength, we must be willing to fight tooth and nail!"

"Whether it's the men's team or the women's team, what I want to see is not only the process, but also the result!"

"Let the three national flags be raised simultaneously at the Universiade Center in Shenzhen!"

"Do you understand?"

The final sound was like thunder.

"understand!"

Everyone responded in unison.

The unified roar exploded in the training hall, making the air buzz.

"Are you confident?"

Liu Guoliang shouted sternly.

"Have!"

The roar became even more powerful.

"very good."

Liu Guoliang nodded in satisfaction, his facial features finally softening. "Let's begin training."

The next two days will be dedicated to acclimatization training.

Physical conditioning, multi-ball training, tactical drills, targeted simulated combat... the lights are on all day long.

"Placement! Make it even more difficult, aim for the middle!"

"Focus your efforts, and don't let the core focus scatter!"

"The transitions must be quick, and the continuity must be stable!"

……

The crisp sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock, the swishing of shoes, the coach's shouts, the players' panting... all sorts of sounds intertwined and echoed throughout the stadium.

February 18th arrived in the blink of an eye.

The lottery ceremony will take place at 2 PM.

This Asian Cup marks the first restart after being suspended for several years due to the pandemic.

To attract more fans, the competition format has been greatly adjusted compared to before.

Take men's singles as an example.

A total of 32 contestants participated.

They were divided into eight groups of four, with each group following the principle of avoiding contestants from the same association.

The group will play a single round-robin tournament, with each match being a best-of-five series.

The top two teams in each group advance to the round of 16 knockout stage.

As the number one seed, Chen Jin was naturally placed in the first group.

The pressure began from the moment the draw was held, putting pressure on everyone present.

Given Chen Jin's strength and record, whoever is assigned to the first group will only be able to compete for second place in the group.

In this way, the chances of a group appearing will be greatly reduced.

"I hope I'm not put in the first group!"

This thought appeared in the minds of almost all the contestants at the same time.

Ultimately, Chen Jin was grouped with three players: Hiroto Shinozuka of the Japanese team, Wong Chun Ting of the Hong Kong Island team, and Ali Al-Hadrawi of the Saudi Arabian team.

Witnessing this result, the other contestants all secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ya Zhudie——"

Upon seeing his name appear in the first group, Shinotsuka Hiroto almost broke down and couldn't help but let out a scream.

Sitting next to him, Tomokazu Harimoto and Teruaki Matsushima glanced at him with a hint of sympathy.

"Shinozuka-kun."

Matsushima Teruya reached out and patted Shinozuka Hiroto on the shoulder, almost unable to suppress a smile, "Please accept my condolences."

"It's okay to lose to Chen Jin, Shinozuka-kun."

Tomokazu Harimoto comforted him, saying, "As long as you can beat the other two and become the second-place team in the group, you can still advance."

"Right."

Shinozuka Hiroto finally regained some confidence.

After all, he was confident that he could defeat the other two in his group, Wong Chun Ting and Ali Al-Hadrawi, in terms of both ranking and strength.

Thinking about it this way, I immediately felt much more relaxed.

"Besides, what if I pull off an upset and defeat Chen Jin?"

Shinozuka Daito's heart pounded wildly.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look up in Chen Jin's direction.

Chen Jin looked at the LED screen, his brows furrowing slightly.

There was a pause.

Then he turned to Xie Mingyang and said, "Your opponent this time is a bit difficult to deal with."

"Ah."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

The names of the other three members of his fourth group have already been confirmed.

Tomokazu Harimoto.

Wu Juncheng.