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

Chapter 414 Elimination Round of 16!

Although the competition is not over yet, the qualification situation in Group 3 is already clear.

Tomokazu Harimoto returned to the table, but he had no heart for the game and casually served a backhand half-out.

"Snapped!"

Xie Mingyang's backhand drive to the diagonal line.

Zhang Benzhihe merely extended his hand symbolically, without even moving his feet.

He let the last ball slip through his fingers.

11: 6.

The score is 2-2.

According to the tournament rules, Tomokazu Harimoto advanced to the round of 16 of the World Cup without any major incidents.

Xie Mingyang, unfortunately, was eliminated.

"Well played."

Zhang Benzhihe walked to the net, reached out his hand, and looked at Xie Mingyang with a hint of respect in his eyes.

This was his third encounter with Xie Mingyang.

He lost to his opponent twice before, but this time, the score was tied.

I was able to advance entirely thanks to the competition format.

"Congratulations."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

His expression was calm, neither rainy nor sunny.

Back to the rest area on the sidelines.

Wang Hao had already stood up and gave Xie Mingyang a high five.

"Played well."

Wang Hao's voice carried a hint of comfort: "Zhang Ben participated in the World Cup at the age of sixteen. He has more experience in major competitions than you. It is commendable that you were able to play like him."

"The reason we failed to advance is due to the competition format."

The four-game system has too low a margin for error and too much uncertainty.

More importantly, this uncertainty is not necessarily entirely in the hands of the players themselves.

If it had been a best-of-five or best-of-seven game, given Xie Mingyang's form and strength in the final first game, he might not have lost to Zhang Benzhihe.

As an off-field coach, Wang Hao mentioned the competition format simply to comfort Xie Mingyang.

Unexpectedly, Xie Mingyang shook his head: "No, it's not a problem with the competition format."

"The competition format is the same for every player; it's just that I handled some of the balls too roughly."

There was not a trace of defeat or frustration on Xie Mingyang's face.

Calm and composed, as still as an ancient well.

For Xie Mingyang, this battle was a comprehensive test of his skills, mentality, experience, and adaptability.

As it turns out, there is room for improvement in all of these areas.

Looking at Xie Mingyang's young but resolute face, there was no frustration or defeat on it, but rather a fighting spirit that had been tempered by failure.

Wang Hao was stunned.

Immediately, his brows relaxed.

He reached out and patted Xie Mingyang on the shoulder: "Okay, okay."

His voice carried genuine praise and appreciation.

"Given time, you'll definitely be able to support our men's table tennis team alongside Chen Jin!"

……

competition is over.

The popularity of several related terms, such as #Xie Mingyang VS Zhang Benzhihe# and #Table Tennis World Cup Format#, skyrocketed.

The trending topics section is buzzing with discussion.

"What's going on? Wasn't the score supposed to be 2-2, and even the tiebreaker score the same? Why is Xiao Rizi advancing while Xie Mingyang is eliminated? Is there some kind of conspiracy?"

"Because according to the group stage format, if the total score and the tiebreaker are the same, then the head-to-head record and the tiebreaker will be the deciding factor. Although Xie Mingyang and Zhang Benzhihe both won their other opponents 4-0, Zhang Benzhihe has the advantage in the tiebreaker."

"Holy crap, what kind of rubbish competition format is this! I feel so sorry for my little Mingyang."

"It's quite impressive that Xie Mingyang was able to draw with Tomokazu Harimoto in his first World Cup."

"As an outsider, I have high hopes for Xie Mingyang."

"Xie Mingyang earned his World Cup spot through his own hard work. Whatever the result, he hasn't let anyone down. Some people should just shut up."

……

The comments on the forum were mostly positive.

However, there are always dissenting voices.

"Zhang Ben's nemesis? Is that all? His fans were hyping him up like crazy, and he became the first male table tennis player to be eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup? Doesn't he feel ashamed?"

"The men's table tennis team is facing a talent gap right now. The veterans have retired, the middle generation can't fill the gap, and the young players... Haha, do they really think they can turn the tide with just Chen Jin? Look at Xie Mingyang, he's been exposed for what he really is, hasn't he?"

"Perhaps Chen Taisun will also be eliminated in the group stage... Hahaha, if that's the case, the future twin stars will both be eliminated in the World Cup group stage, that would be too ridiculous."

"Among active male table tennis players, the one who has played against Zhang Ben the most times and has the highest winning percentage is our Da Tou (Zhang Ben's nickname). Da Tou is the real nemesis of Zhang Ben. Some people, please stop trying to cause trouble, thank you!"

"This World Cup champion will definitely be Coach Chu Qin!"

"Lift the trophy, Wang Chuqin! Your first World Cup men's singles title!"

……

Compared to the hustle and bustle of the competition venue, the online buzz is intense.

The athletes' tunnel was quiet and long.

Xie Mingyang, carrying a backpack, walked alone to the mixed sampling area.

Long guns and short cannons, waiting for a long time.

"You drew with Tomokazu Harimoto but were eliminated. Do you think there's something wrong with the competition format?"

"will not."

"What would you like to say about this World Cup journey?"

"No."

The interview ended abruptly.

Xie Mingyang arrived at the lounge.

Pushing open the door, I saw two familiar figures.

Without a doubt, it was Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

Chen Jin stood with his hands in his pockets, his posture upright like a pine tree, his face expressionless.

Zhang Jiahao, standing to the side, seemed somewhat uneasy. He shuffled his toes along the ground and, seeing Xie Mingyang approach, instinctively took a small step forward, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Xie Mingyang stopped two meters away from the two of them.

There was silence for a moment.

The only sound in the entire lounge was the low hum of the air conditioner.

Chen Jin's gaze shifted, calmly landing on Xie Mingyang's face, and he broke the silence: "You still need to improve your handling of long serves."

There was no foreshadowing, and no twist.

It was like a sharp sword, piercing straight to the vitals.

Zhang Jiahao suddenly looked at Chen Jin, his eyes filled with shock and astonishment: "Hey, Brother Jin, how could you say that?"

"That guy surnamed Xie just lost a game and is mentally devastated. Instead of comforting him, you're picking on him. Who can stand that?!"

Think about this.

He was about to laugh it off and change the subject.

However, when he looked at Xie Mingyang, he saw that Xie Mingyang's reaction was completely different from what he had imagined.

Instead of feeling frustrated or collapsing, a near-urgent impulse arose within me.

Before Chen Jin could finish speaking, Xie Mingyang immediately chimed in, "That's right!"

"Another factor is mindset. If you want to win too much, you'll become too cautious."

Chen Jin said the same thing. Clearly, Xie Mingyang himself is aware of this problem.

"In addition, when rallies with your backhand, your initiative to change direction is not decisive enough; you should be bolder."

Chen Jin continued, "Moreover, the ability to kill the game with a single shot is still a bit lacking."

“Since you’ve already stepped back from the table, if you can’t break through your opponent’s defense with power and spin, you should immediately change your landing point. But there are several balls where you want to land at the same point to break through your opponent’s defense.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Ming's eyes suddenly lit up.

It was a resonance that came from being precisely hit where it hurt, even carrying a hint of excitement at finding the crux of the problem.

"Correct!"

Xie Mingyang nodded emphatically, "If the three-shot attack doesn't break through the opponent's defense, I should immediately change my strategy..."

As he spoke, he made a backhand smash down the line, as if he were trying to recover the opportunity he had missed in the competition.

Zhang Jiahao stood to the side, completely becoming a background figure.

Hey, Xie, didn't you just lose a game?
This is the World Cup! Getting eliminated in the group stage is incredibly embarrassing, and you don't seem frustrated at all?
Brother Jin, shouldn't we comfort the guy surnamed Xie?

Even if you don't go to the casino to see sexy dealers dealing cards online, you should at least go out for a big meal, right?
Are we already starting the debriefing?

Zhang Jiahao kept complaining in his mind.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He just helplessly rubbed his short stubble and muttered under his breath, "What a pair of weirdos."

……

That evening, at 8:30.

Night fell over the stadium.

Chen Jin will face off against Pei Huan, another player in the same group.

As an Australian national team player, Pei Huan is by no means a weak team, having made it to the World Cup.

However, when facing Chen Jin, Pei Huan's tricky serves and fierce attacks seemed to hit an invisible wall, and he was unable to break through.

11: 1.

11:3.
11: 2.

11: 1.

The crushing score clearly and cruelly records the course of this match.

There was no thrilling struggle, nor any breathtaking reversal.

With textbook-perfect stability and strength, Chen Jin swept his opponent 4-0 without lifting a finger, advancing smoothly to the round of 16.

When the last ball landed, Chen Jin held his racket horizontally, his hands damp with sweat, and gently wiped the slightly dirty rubber.

It's as if a swordsman in white, after killing one person in ten steps, gently blows away the blood as vibrant as plum blossoms from the tip of his sword.

He then shook hands with his opponent, his face still showing little emotion.

When Chen Jin turned and left, he left the audience with only a lingering, unsatisfied silhouette.

This match was completely predictable, which actually made it less exciting.

Shortly after.

All group stage matches have concluded.

The list of the top 16 has been released.

Moregard, Tomokazu Harimoto, Dimitrij Ovtcharov, Hayato Togami, Hugo Calderano, Lin Yun-Ju... most of them are familiar faces, all representing the top level of world table tennis.

On the men's side of the Chinese national table tennis team, Chen Jin, Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, and Liang Jingkun successfully advanced.

As for Hsieh Ming-yang and Lin Gao-yuan, they were eliminated in the group stage.

Lin Gaoyuan's situation is somewhat similar to Xie Mingyang's.

虽然与户上隼辅战至大比分2：2，可他在与同组另一名对手的交锋中，以3：1战胜，而户上隼辅却是4：0击败对手。

In this way, Lin Gaoyuan was essentially defeated by the competition format.

The match naturally sparked considerable controversy.

It's worth remembering that Lin Kao-yuan once battled Ma Long for seven games and won the runner-up title in the World Cup.

If it weren't for the fan's shout of "Lin Gaoyuan, 4-0," perhaps he wouldn't have missed out on the three major championships.
Now they can't even get out of the group stage of the World Cup, how can this not be a cause for lament?
At 10:30 p.m., the draw results for the knockout stage were clearly presented.

Upper half:
Chen Jin vs. Anton Karlberg.

Liang Jingkun vs. Togami Hayabusa.

Lower half:
Lin Shidong VS Feng Yixin.

Wang Chuqin vs. Kanak Jha.

The situation is clear at a glance.

Chen Jin and Liang Jingkun are stationed in the upper half of the zone.

Wang Chuqin and Lin Shidong were responsible for guarding the lower half of the area.

This draw is undoubtedly a very favorable one for the men's table tennis team.

……

hotel room.

Coaching staff members including Liu Guoliang, Qin Zhijian, Li Xun, and Wang Hao were all present.

Chen Jin, Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, and Liang Jingkun were also present.

A huge knockout stage bracket was temporarily posted in a prominent position.

Liu Guoliang stood in front of the match list, his arms crossed over his chest as usual, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, sweeping over every young face.

"Chen Jin, Lin Shidong, this is your first time playing in the World Cup, and you are relatively inexperienced in major competitions. But don't rush or panic. Just treat it like an ordinary match, play freely, and go all out."

Liu Guoliang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a peculiar penetrating quality, making it exceptionally clear in the quiet room: "With your abilities, as long as you can perform at your usual level in training and matches, defeating your opponents and advancing to the semi-finals will be no problem at all."

The tone of voice was as if stating a given fact, rather than a goal.

Such certainty and trust are a powerful source of psychological support for the athletes.

Having finished speaking.

Liu Guoliang turned his gaze to Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun.

"Big Head, Big Fatty, you two are now the senior members of the team, and you've both participated in several World Cups. There's absolutely no need to worry about your experience."

Liu Guoliang said in a deep voice, "In this World Cup, you must set a good example as the senior players. You must show your dominance on the field and your responsibility off the field."

The room was completely silent.

Only Liu Guoliang's voice echoed.

Liu Guoliang paused, then his gaze swept over the faces of Chen Jin and the others again.

"Are our opponents strong? Of course they are!"

Liu Guoliang continued, "Those who can reach the round of 16 in the World Cup are all top-notch players, not weak ones."

"Erberg's stalemate, Togami Hayato's fighting spirit, Harimoto Tomokazu's fast attacks, Jaha's power... none of them are easy to deal with."

"But I believe in you, and I believe even more in our team!"

"Our Chinese men's table tennis team is never afraid of its opponents, and even less afraid of its opponents becoming stronger. The stronger they are, the more excited we are."

"It's not that we won't win the championship just because we don't have Ma Long or Fan Zhendong."

"Now is the time for you to prove yourselves!"

"Use every victory to prove yourself, to the coaching staff, to those waiting to see you fail, and to everyone else!"

His words were passionate and inspiring.

Like a bolt of lightning, it cleaved through the room's oppressive silence.

A raging fire instantly ignited deep within Wang Chuqin's eyes.

Lin Shidong pursed his lips, while Liang Jingkun quietly clenched his fists on his knees.

The pressure was immense, but it also ignited the most primal fighting spirit deep within my blood.

The yearning for victory, the desire for the championship!
"I hope that the four of you can reach the semi-finals in this World Cup."

Liu Guoliang's voice boomed, "Bring this championship trophy back to me!"

There were no lengthy tactical arrangements, and no superfluous words of encouragement.

Only the last phrase, "meeting in the semi-finals," resonated like a war drumbeat in the small room.

(End of this chapter)