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

Chapter 381 I will bring back every single championship!
High up in the stands.

The VIP area was specially marked out and separated from the fans present.

Liu Guoliang sat upright in the center, arms crossed, looking at the field with a serious expression, seemingly lost in thought.

Qin Zhijian, sitting next to him, was talking quietly with Li Xun.

The two men frowned slightly, clearly tense about the upcoming match.

"Togami Hayabusa is a tough nut to crack. I wonder if Xie Mingyang can handle him?"

A hint of worry appeared in Qin Zhijian's eyes.

Xie Mingyang VS Togami Hayabusa.

This match is more than just an international contest.

More importantly, it relates to Macau's qualification spots for the World Cup Singles.

If Xie Mingyang defeats Togami Hayabusa and advances to the semi-finals, he will automatically qualify for the World Cup.

If you lose...

Given Xie Mingyang's current strength and experience in major competitions, forcing him to participate in the World Cup would be difficult to convince the public and would inevitably arouse external doubts.

Of course, the final decision rests with Liu Guoliang.

At this moment.

Two figures appeared in the stands and walked towards the VIP area.

It was Chen Jin and Wang Hao.

Chen Jin had already changed into a black T-shirt and was wearing the national team's uniform jacket.

"coming?"

Liu Guoliang looked up, a smile appearing on his lips, and patted the empty seat next to him. "Sit here."

Wang Hao was about to plop down.

To his surprise, Liu Guoliang glared at him fiercely and said, "Get out of the way. I didn't tell you to sit here."

"what?"

Wang Hao walked away dejectedly.

He sat down with Qin Zhijian and Li Xun.

"Coach Liu."

Chen Jin didn't stand on ceremony, greeted them, and then sat down gracefully.

"Played well."

Liu Guoliang patted Chen Jin on the shoulder, a signature smile on his face, "Keep working hard and strive to win the Asian Cup."

"Yes."

Chen Jin hesitated for a moment, "Coach Liu, you wouldn't say the same thing to other people, would you?"

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Liu Guoliang laughed loudly.

Then, he turned his head away, his laughter subsided, and his gaze fell heavily on the arena below.

"The World Cup and World Table Tennis Championships are coming soon, and you have a good chance of becoming the new champion."

Liu Guoliang said slowly, "Don't let things fall apart then."

This statement came out.

The air around them instantly became even heavier.

The hushed conversation between Qin Zhijian, Li Xun, and Wang Hao came to an abrupt end.

All eyes were on Chen Jin.

Chen Jin sensed a deeper meaning in Liu Guoliang's words and his heart stirred slightly.

"clear."

Chen Jin nodded.

Although his voice wasn't loud, it carried a composure and confidence beyond his years.

"Whether it's the World Cup, the World Championships, or the Olympics... as long as I participate in a competition, I will definitely bring back every single championship!"

Chen Jin's words were as firm as iron.

This wasn't the boastful talk of a reckless youth; it was more like a goal already etched into his very bones, now simply stated calmly.

As the world's number one, he is well aware of the significance of the World Cup and what he carries on his shoulders.

—The glory of the Chinese national table tennis team, and the revival of the former glory of the penhold grip!

It's worth noting that the last penhold grip player to win a major tournament was more than a decade ago.

"it is good."

Liu Guoliang nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the ground, but his tone suddenly shifted, "Before the World Cup, besides the Asian Cup, there are two other tournaments: the Chongqing Championship and the Incheon Championship."

"In order to better prepare for the World Cup, the coaching staff plans to have all five key players, including you, withdraw from the Incheon Championship so that Xie Mingyang and Zhang Jiahao can get some experience. What do you think?"

Hear the words.

Chen Jin paused for a moment, then said, "Of course."

"Ah."

Liu Guoliang smiled, then whispered in a voice that Chen Jin could only hear, "I've placed all my hopes on you young people."

Before Chen Jin could react...

Sudden.

The lights flashed and the music blared.

With the host's introduction, Xie Mingyang and Togami Hayabusa entered the venue one after the other.

Cheers filled the entire stadium.

Table 1.

The atmosphere was as tense and deadly as a battlefield.

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

Xie Mingyang took a deep breath, his eyes instantly becoming sharp as knives.

Holding the white ball, toss it high into the air.

The racket made a whistling sound as it rubbed hard against the lower middle part of the ball.

A powerful backspin arc, like a viper's tongue, hurtled straight at Togami Hayabusa's forehand.

Hu Shangjunfu took a short step.

Xie Mingyang quickly chopped down the middle lane.

Togami Hayabusa reacted extremely quickly, sliding to the side and launching a forehand attack.

The ball was incredibly fast, whistling sharply as it hurtled towards Xie Mingyang's forehand corner.

Xie Mingyang seemed to have springs in his feet, and with an extreme, wide-ranging cross step, he pounced to the forehand position like a shadow.

The power of the waist and abdomen explodes instantly.

His arm swung out in a powerful arc.

"Snapped!"

The ball flew like a cannonball, hurtling towards Togami Hayabusa's left side of the table.

Togami Hayasuke hurriedly reached out to block.

A barely passable return.

However, the quality is not high.

"Snapped!"

Another powerful shot rang out.

Xie Mingyang unleashed a powerful forehand attack, breaking through the defense in one shot.

1: 0.

The very first ball was a fierce attack, instantly igniting the beast lurking within Xie Mingyang.

Then, without any probing, they went straight into battle.

Every shot carries the resolute force of a shot that seems to pierce through the table.

Serve and attack, receive serve and flick, backhand quick straight smash in a rally... fierce and decisive.

He doesn't seem like a shakehand grip player at all.

Instead, it inherited the essence of the first three shots in the penhold style, maximizing speed and power.

Facing Togami Hayabusa's equally fierce backhand topspin and quick transitions, Xie Mingyang showed no mercy.

They exchanged fire at each other near the platform, sparks flying everywhere.

"withstand!"

"Watch out for his backhand straight shot!"

Seiya Kishikawa stood outside the arena, shouting loudly in Japanese.

Togami Hayasuke clenched his teeth, veins throbbing on his forehead.

He responded to Xie Mingyang with equally aggressive attacks, frequently using backhand flicks and forehand smashes in an attempt to break through Xie Mingyang's defense.

However, Xie Mingyang's condition was like a lit fuse, burning brighter and brighter.

Swift in pace and accurate in prediction.

They always arrive half a step ahead, returning the fierce return shot to Togami with a more tricky angle and greater force.

When the game is going on, he dares to turn to the side and use his forehand to cover the entire table.

That explosive drive is incredibly powerful; once you get the hang of it, it's practically a guarantee of scoring.

"Wow—"

A burst of gasps and cheers erupted from the audience.

However, even more attention and noise surged towards station number 2, which was not far away.

There, it was an all-Chinese table tennis battle.

Wang Chuqin vs. Lin Shidong.

The huge venue was already dominated by an almost one-sided wave of enthusiasm.

"Wang Chuqin!"

"come on--"

……

"come on!"

"Wang Chuqin—"

……

"Big Head, charge!"

"Wang Chuqin will win!"

The deafening cheers, perfectly synchronized, sounded like the beating of war drums, shouting again and again.

Huge banners and flashing signs converged into a sea of ​​red, with only one focal point—Wang Chuqin.

Lin Shidong, who was standing opposite him, seemed to have been forgotten in a corner at this moment, and was even pushed into the position of "external aid" player by the fervent cheers.

Whenever Lin Shidong hit a good shot, there were only sporadic applause from the crowd, which was quickly drowned out by the cheers for Wang Chuqin.

Wang Hao looked in the direction of station number 2, his brows furrowed and his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He understands the fans' enthusiasm and is well aware of Wang Chuqin's popularity and strength.

But watching Lin Shidong silently wipe his sweat and focus on receiving serves amidst cheers that barely reached his ears, and after each brilliant return he would only slightly purse his lips with an even more determined look in his eyes, Wang Hao still felt a strong sense of reluctance.

The cruelty of competitive sports sometimes lies not only in the opponents, but also in this invisible pressure.

Lin Shidong has truly become a lone "away team" fighting on.

Wang Hao was powerless to do anything about it.

I had no choice but to turn my attention back to table tennis ball number 1.

Xie Mingyang's fighting tactics were remarkably effective.

Despite his tenacious resistance, Togami Hayabusa struggled against Xie Mingyang's relentless attacks, especially his unpredictable forehand smashes.

Xie Mingyang's serves are varied and his attacks are coordinated, resulting in numerous successful points.

During the stalemate, they dared to change direction and exert force, and they controlled their mistakes very well.

The score was final in the second game.

11: 7.

As the ball landed, Xie Mingyang clenched his fist and roared, his momentum unstoppable.

Leading 2-0.

The rest area on the sidelines.

A relieved smile appeared on Liu Zhiqiang's face.

Compared to his "rebellious son" Liang Jingkun, Xie Mingyang's playing style is more aggressive, full of the passion and drive unique to young people.

"Played well."

Liu Zhiqiang handed over the water bottle, "However, Togami Hayabusa is no pushover, we can't be too careless."

"Being down 0-2 and forced into a desperate situation will only ignite his ferocity."

"In the next game, Togami Hayabusa will definitely intensify his aggressive play..."

Unsurprisingly.

In the third game, right from the start, Togami Hayato's eyes completely changed, showing a frantic, desperate struggle.

He completely abandoned the steady transition and control, putting all his effort into every shot, as if burning his life force while swinging the racket.

A long serve, a risky move to win.

When receiving serves, he either flicks or lifts the ball, no longer engaging Xie Mingyang in close combat at the table.

During a stalemate, the entire island is mobilized, and there is no cooldown if it's flashing.

His close-to-the-table attacks are fierce and fast, his backhand smashes are explosive, and he fights from the side... His fighting style is ruthless, almost self-destructive.

Although the error rate soared, the success rate of the fights was surprisingly high.

Every ball, every point, was played with explosive intensity.

"Choo-hoo!"

"Zhu--"

Hayato Togami's roar echoed throughout the entire arena.

That scene was more exciting than Bobo.

For a moment, Xie Mingyang was caught off guard by his explosive, desperate fighting style, and his rhythm was disrupted.

Fortunately, Xie Mingyang made timely adjustments, using control within the table and changes in landing points to limit Togami Hayato.

This was the only way to stabilize the situation.

The score was close and climbed steadily.

9: 10.

Xie Mingyang serves.

An extremely fast long forehand shot.

But he was being watched by Togami Hayabusa.

He took a cross step and leaped out.

With his body almost out of balance, he unleashed a powerful forehand smash down the line with extremely high quality.

歘——

The ping-pong ball flew out of bounds, grazing the sideline.

Xie Mingyang tried to save the ball.

However, the racket barely made contact with the ball, but there was no way to turn the tide.

11: 9.

"Zhu--"

Togami Hayasuke let out a wild roar and pounded his chest.

(End of this chapter)