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

Chapter 435 Is there anything in the world more frustrating than "failing at the last hurdle"?
Xie Mingyang stood up from the ground, a hint of pain showing between his brows.

Look down.

Bruised right knee and abrasions on right elbow.

His diving forehand shot, while successfully saving the ball, also resulted in a minor injury.

However, he only glanced at it, completely ignoring it, and walked towards the pool table.

My leg muscles twitched, and I felt a slight discomfort.

He walked with a slight limp.

Xie Mingyang frowned slightly.

"Xie Mingyang".

The referee asked, "Are you alright?"

"fine."

Xie Mingyang rubbed his knee.

However, the discomfort persisted.

The key point is that he had already used his timeout in the third game.

According to the rules, it no longer qualifies for suspension.

Seeing Xie Mingyang's expression, the referee knew exactly what was going on and immediately reminded him, "In this situation, you can use a medical timeout."

"Need not."

Xie Mingyang shook his head. "I'm really fine."

In the deciding game, I was in the lead.

Perhaps they can take advantage of this momentum and win the game in one fell swoop.

Calling a pause and slowing down the pace might not be a good thing for him.

As for the wound, it's not too late to treat it after the match.

Seeing that Xie Mingyang was stubborn, the referee did not feel comfortable trying to persuade him further.

Just as I was about to raise my hand to signal, the game continued.

Unexpectedly, Lin Gaoyuan suddenly put down his racket and gestured to pause the game.

He then picked up a towel and walked to the sidelines.

Xie Mingyang was stunned for a moment.

Left with no other option, he put the racket on the table and returned to the sidelines.

"Are you okay?"

Li Qian had already come to greet them.

"fine."

Xie Mingyang shook his head.

While talking.

Chen Jin called the team doctor and helped Xie Mingyang sit down.

The team doctor entered the field carrying a medical kit, squatted down next to Xie Mingyang, and carefully examined the bruises on his knees and the abrasions on his elbows.

The bruises covered a large area and were dark in color.

At this moment, Lin Shidong and Zhang Jiahao also came over and quietly looked at Xie Mingyang without saying a word.

"Old Zhao."

Li Qian asked with some concern, "This injury shouldn't be anything serious, right?"

"The bones and ligaments are fine, but there is noticeable subcutaneous bleeding."

As he spoke, the team doctor quickly took out an ice pack and applied it to the skin. "Continue playing the game, there shouldn't be any major problems."

"but--"

He looked at Xie Mingyang with a serious expression, "You still need to be careful and try to avoid sudden stops and turns, as well as taking big strides to save the ball, to reduce the burden on your knees."

"Understand?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Mingyang frowned inwardly.

But he still nodded: "I understand."

The timeout is over, back on the court.

Xie Mingyang moved his right knee, but whether it was psychological or something else, the discomfort was still there, like a thread.

3: 4.

Lin Gaoyuan serves.

The forehand is short.

Do not forward.

Xie Mingyang took a step forward, intending to make a short move.

But the moment he put his right leg on the ground, that slight discomfort suddenly amplified, and he inexplicably went limp.

His legs buckled, and his hand movements went out of control.

The return shot curves slightly high.

In a duel between experts, such a mistake is tantamount to giving away points.

A hint of coldness flashed in Lin Gaoyuan's eyes, and he showed no mercy, swinging his racket with full force.

"Snapped!"

Violent rush to the front of the stage.

Like a heavy artillery barrage, the small white ball slammed into Xie Mingyang's arms.

Xie Mingyang was unable to get back in time to defend.

4: 4.

Lin Gaoyuan tied the score again.

"what happened?"

Xie Mingyang bent down and rubbed his knees again, stretching his legs and joints. "So it still has some effect after all?"

However, he didn't say much more.

He picked up the ping-pong ball that had fallen not far from his feet.

Switch sides and serve.

The middle path is short.

Side-up.

Lin Gaoyuan twisted and pulled Xie Mingyang's right half of the platform.

Xie Mingyang counter-attacks the middle line with his forehand.

Lin Gaoyuan recovered extremely quickly and connected even faster, tearing Xie Mingyang's backhand.

The large changes in angle left Xie Mingyang exhausted from running around.

Fortunately, Xie Mingyang was not slow and could keep up with Lin Gaoyuan's pace.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

The two exchanged blows, forehand smashes and backhand rips.

The ball's speed was so fast it was dazzling.

Unfortunately, due to discomfort in his knees, Hsieh Ming-yang's speed, especially when running across Taiwan, was ultimately affected.

Lin Gaoyuan seized the fleeting opportunity and quickly countered with a backhand slash to close the gap.

Xie Mingyang's transition was a little slow, and he hit the edge of the paddle.

4: 5.

Lin Gaoyuan is in the lead again.

"No."

Hsieh Ming-yang realized the problem: "We can't let Lin Kao-yuan mobilize the entire island like this."

"We must find a way to hold the mid-range and close-range positions, and use speed to counter his speed."

In this way, you can minimize the need for running over a wide area, which can aggravate knee discomfort.

Although the knee received basic treatment, even the team doctor said there was nothing wrong.

Continue serving.

Stealing growth!

Lin Gaoyuan was caught off guard and his return shot went into the net.

5: 5.

The score is tied.

6: 5.

Lin Gaoyuan once again took the lead with a serve and attack, reaching match point.

Victory is just one point away.

Xie Mingyang's pressure increased sharply.

However, there was not a trace of panic in his eyes.

Instead, it became even more serene.

In fact, Lin Gaoyuan was also under considerable pressure.

"One more serve, should we go for a long serve?"

Lin Gaoyuan pondered, hesitant, "But what if I make a mistake with my serve?"

"Or perhaps, Xie Mingyang is keeping an eye on us..."

After all, there are risks involved in growing something too tall.

Even the slightest mistake could lead to suicide.

Once the opponent has their eye on you, you might face a sudden and powerful attack.

"never mind."

"Let's play it safe for the last ball."

Think of this.

Lin Gaoyuan sent a short, non-spinning forehand.

Xie Mingyang rubbed his head.

Slightly to the left of the center line, partially off the edge.

Lin Gaoyuan took a half step back with his left leg, lowered his center of gravity, and executed a high-looping motion.

"laugh!"

It's not fast, but it spins extremely strongly.

Fly towards Xie Mingyang Middle Road.

Xie Mingyang seemed to have anticipated this, taking a step back and leaping forward to meet the attack.

Seize the opportunity when the ball is on its upward trajectory.

A powerful backhand tear.

"Snapped!"

Use the opponent's force against them.

The ball, like lightning, carrying immense force, slashed down towards the far corner of Lin Gaoyuan's left side of the table.

Lin Gaoyuan pushed off with his feet and leaped into the air.

Unfortunately, Xie Mingyang's explosive tearing attack combined both power and speed.

The angle and landing point were tricky, and the trajectory was unpredictable.

Even though Lin Gaoyuan was fast, he was still half an inch slower.

Pull the ball back to the side of the paddle and hit it out of bounds.

6-6. The score is tied again.

"I go!"

Li Qian watched with bated breath, "It's a tie again."

"This competition is so exciting!"

He clutched his left atrium with his right hand, saying, "It's like a rollercoaster ride; my heart can't take it anymore."

"Yes."

A rare hint of tension flickered in Chen Jin's eyes as well, "One goal decides the outcome."

"It all depends on how Lao Xie handles this serve."

Li Qian said in a deep voice, "They probably want to grow it by stealing."

Stealing points in crucial moments is also a tactic that can often be surprisingly effective.

Of course, risks are involved.

Chen Jin didn't speak, but just quietly looked at Xie Mingyang.

He believed that Xie Mingyang had his own reasons.

The last ball!
One goal decides the outcome!

An invisible pressure quietly spread between Xie Mingyang and Lin Gaoyuan.

Sweat kept seeping out and sliding down.

The air is compressed to its limit, and the heart pounds heavily.

Lin Gaoyuan bent his knees slightly, leaned over, and stood on the right side of the table tennis table, staring intently at Xie Mingyang's every move.

"Keep an eye on them!"

"Keep a close eye on it!"

"Prevent Xie Mingyang from growing too fast!"

Lin Gaoyuan kept reminding himself.

the other side.

Xie Mingyang stood on the left side of the table tennis table, his fingertips twirling the ping-pong ball, feeling a slight coolness.

The ball was tossed high into the air.

Xie Mingyang lowered his center of gravity and turned his waist to prepare for the shot.

When the ping-pong ball falls straight in front of you.

His fingers and wrist suddenly jerked.

"laugh!"

The ping-pong ball, with strong sidespin, drew a low, short arc and landed precisely on Lin Gaoyuan's left side of the table, on his forehand side.

"It's a short ball?"

Facing this ball, Lin Gaoyuan originally intended to step forward and perform a topspin loop.

However, under pressure.

Ultimately, I opted for the safer approach of receiving the serve, using a short, shuffling motion.

The instant Lin Gaoyuan made his move, Xie Mingyang instantly started moving, his right leg thrusting forward off the stage, his body pouncing into the center of the stage like a cheetah, his center of gravity extremely low.

Seize the landing point, raise your elbow and lower your shoulder.

Sudden.

The dull pain in my knee suddenly intensified the moment I exerted force.

It felt like being pricked by a red-hot needle.

Xie Mingyang frowned, clenched his teeth, and his face paled slightly.

However, the movements did not change or stop in the slightest.

The wrists are rotated inward at an incredible angle, and the power originates from the soles of the feet and is perfectly concentrated in the wrists.

Fingers and wrists, unleashing explosive power.

"laugh!"

Twist and pull diagonally with a reverse grip.

The white ball, with extreme sidespin, surged forward with great force, transforming into a rainbow piercing the sun, and crashed straight into the far corner of Lin Gaoyuan's backhand baseline.

Lin Gaoyuan only felt a flash of white light before his eyes, his body staggered and fell, losing all his balance.

However, in the rush, the defense was a little slow to recover.

The racket futilely swept through the air.

"昘——"

The ping-pong ball flew past his hand like lightning.

7: 6.

Xie Mingyang wins Game 7!
They defeated Lin Gaoyuan with a score of 3:2.

"Won!"

Li Qian slapped his thigh hard, unable to hide his excitement.

It's worth noting that Lin Gaoyuan was one of the five key players in the men's table tennis team during the Paris Cycle.

If we're talking about a civil war, besides Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, Wang Chuqin, and Liang Jingkun, who dares to say they're guaranteed to win?

Now, however, he has been defeated again by Xie Mingyang.

With a record of eight wins and one loss, Xie Mingyang is just one step away from the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

"There's only one game left, but..."

Li Qian, with his keen eyes, had already noticed the unusual expression on Xie Mingyang's face.

The pain in his right knee had intensified significantly after the earlier outburst, sending waves of aching and stinging sensations through him, instantly covering Xie Mingyang's forehead in a fine layer of cold sweat.

Xie Mingyang stood there, panting heavily.

He subconsciously pressed his left hand on the area above his right knee, his brow furrowing in pain, but his back remained straight.

We won, but the cost was clear.

"Well played."

Lin Gaoyuan took the initiative to step forward and shake hands with Xie Mingyang.

"Thank you."

Xie Mingyang nodded.

"Is your leg alright?"

Lin Gaoyuan glanced at it.

"fine."

Xie Mingyang didn't care at all. He picked up his racket and towel, turned around, and walked to the sidelines.

The limp became more pronounced when he walked.

Chen Jin stepped forward, took his arm, and slowly sat down on the bench by the side of the field.

Upon closer inspection, the bruises on the knees were darker in color, and the swelling was more noticeable.

Zhang Jiahao, accompanied by the team doctor, rushed over.

Seeing this, he frowned deeply.

"You, surnamed Xie, you'd better be alright."

Zhang Jiahao's gaze darkened slightly. "I don't want to win the match later on in a dishonest way."

"Don't worry, I..."

Xie Mingyang hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly gasped, his body tensing. "Hiss~"

The team doctor crouched down to examine the injury and pressed on the edges of the wound.

"Forcing yourself to exert force can strain your muscles and cause some internal bleeding. Your bones and ligaments are fine, but you will need some time to rest and recover."

The team doctor spoke while applying ice spray, saying, "If we continue playing at this high intensity, what if..."

"no problem."

Xie Mingyang interrupted the team doctor, his eyes resolute, "I can do it."

Only one crucial match remains before the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

If we give up now, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?
Is there anything more frustrating than "failing at the last hurdle"?
"You're already like this, why are you still trying to be strong?"

Zhang Jiahao sneered, "Why work so hard? There's no prize for forcing yourself."

"In one's life, one may make countless efforts, but opportunities will only appear once or twice."

Xie Mingyang said in a low voice, "If we don't seize this opportunity with all our might, we might miss it completely."

Brother, with your family's wealth, why do you need to work so hard?

Wouldn't it be better to go back and inherit the family business, and be a carefree, silly son of a landlord?
Isn't working yourself to the bone something only people with no money or power do?

Your behavior is utterly outrageous!
Zhang Jiahao pursed his lips, inwardly cursing.

Seemingly hearing Zhang Jiahao's inner monologue, Xie Mingyang looked up and glanced at him.

"Since I chose table tennis as my professional career path, I was prepared to fight tooth and nail for it."

"Injuries and injuries were to be expected."

Xie Mingyang raised his chin slightly, his eyes shining, "If I can't give my all to the thing I love most, what's the point of living?"

Having spent a long time with Xie Mingyang, Zhang Jiahao was well aware of Xie Mingyang's personality and temperament.

Zhang Jiahao curled his lip and muttered, "Sick."

At this moment.

Wang Hao and the chief referee came over and inquired about Xie Mingyang's injury.

"It looks a bit serious."

Wang Hao frowned, looking at Xie Mingyang, "Why don't you rest a little longer?"

"Need not."

Xie Mingyang shook his head.

"Don't let your stubbornness lead to bigger problems and affect your future career."

Wang Hao said in a deep voice.

Putting aside other factors, judging solely from Xie Mingyang's performance in the competition, his talent and ability are beyond doubt.

Given time, he will surely achieve great things.

Wang Hao didn't want Xie Mingyang to suffer a greater loss for a small gain and be ruined early on.

After all, you can participate in the World Table Tennis Championships every two years, but talented people are not always available.

"Don't worry, Coach Wang."

Xie Mingyang stood up, stretched his ankles and knees, and said stubbornly, "I'm really fine."

"……All right."

Knowing he couldn't persuade Xie Mingyang otherwise, Wang Hao turned to the head referee and said, "Old Sun, arrange a match for Xie Mingyang and try to let him rest as much as possible."

"Row."

The chief referee glanced at the match schedule in his hand, then looked at the situation in the arena. "Wait until table five finishes before taking over the next table."

The match at table five, Xiang Peng's final game against Sun Zheng, had just begun.

The match will last at least twenty minutes.

This time is enough for Xie Mingyang to rest and recover his strength.

Afterwards, Wang Hao offered Xie Mingyang a few more words of encouragement before leaving.

"The one surnamed Xie."

Watching Wang Hao walk away, Zhang Jiahao grinned, feigning a fierce expression, "Don't think that just because you're injured, I'll go easy on you."

"While you are sick, I will kill you!"

"In this competition, I'm going to avenge my previous defeat and show you what it means to only win crucial games!"

"Jie Jie Jie Jie..."

(End of this chapter)