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

Chapter 438 Doha Singles Roster Finalized! A Major Earthquake in the Table Tennis World!

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

The ping-pong ball bounced a few times on the table before being firmly grasped by Xie Mingyang's left hand.

Xie Mingyang stood on the left side of the table, his legs slightly bent, leaning forward and close to the edge of the table, looking like a cheetah ready to pounce.

The discomfort in my knee has temporarily subsided after applying ice.

However, every shift in weight and every push-off is a reminder of the pressure on the knees.

Across the table, Zhang Jiahao was bent over like a bow, his eyes sharp as a hawk.

An invisible pressure quietly permeated between the two of them.

Courtside.

The matches at the other tables have all ended.

All the coaches and players gathered around, watching the game intently.

The outcome of this match will not only concern Xie Mingyang and Zhang Jiahao, but will also determine Lin Gaoyuan's fate.

Therefore, Lin Gaoyuan was particularly nervous.

His competition was already over.

A record of eight wins and two losses is, in theory, a highly competitive achievement.

But now, Lin Gaoyuan's fate is not in his own hands.

Lin Gaoyuan crossed his arms tightly to his chest, his back straight, his eyes fixed on the ping-pong ball in Xie Mingyang's hand.

"Whoo~"

Xie Mingyang took a deep breath.

Immediately, I cleared my mind of all distracting thoughts.

Extend your left arm forward, palm open, above the table, beyond the end line.

Toss the ball upwards and draw the racket back.

"laugh!"

A low, flat white light, with a strong sidespin, flew towards Zhang Jiahao's forehand position.

Zhang Jiahao took a step forward, lowering his center of gravity.

With the racket in hand, like a dragonfly skimming the water, seize the rising moment, move forward slightly, and gently swing short.

Xie Mingyang also stepped forward quickly, stretched his arm slightly forward, and suddenly exerted force with his wrist.

"laugh!"

A long, fast, and powerful chop shot aimed straight at Zhang Jiahao's backhand baseline.

Zhang Jiahao reacted quickly, taking half a step back and, as the ball began its descent, launched a backhand attack with a powerful spin.

"laugh--"

The high-hanging arc ring rose up in response.

The ping-pong ball, with a strong topspin, flew over the net like a small storm, sweeping towards Xie Mingyang's center.

This ball had strong spin, but its speed was not fast.

This gave Xie Mingyang ample time to adjust.

Xie Mingyang moved quickly with small, quick steps, sliding to the side to create an opening for his forehand.

The body's center of gravity is on the right leg.

"Sigh~"

A clear protest came from my knee.

But it was only for a moment.

Xie Mingyang gritted his teeth and chose to ignore it.

The right arm draws back to the starting position, while the waist and abdomen gather power.

As the ball begins its descent, forcefully push off with your legs, twist your waist, and thrust your hips forward.

All of a sudden.

All the strength in his body was poured into his right arm.

The racket whipped up a gust of wind and thunder, tearing through the air, and struck the ball with tremendous force.

"Snapped!"

A loud bang, like a thunderclap.

The originally small and light ping-pong ball suddenly transformed into a bolt of lightning that tore through the sky, hurtling towards Zhang Jiahao's central chasing position with astonishing speed, terrifying spin, and power.

This shot effectively shut down Zhang Jiahao's space to take the initiative.

However, Zhang Jiahao had a sudden inspiration and slashed back.

"laugh!"

Cut the ball back to the side.

The ball, with its strange sidespin and low, flat arc, flew back to Xie Mingyang's backhand side.

Take a small step to secure the landing point.

Knowing that the incoming ball had backspin, Xie Mingyang dared not slack off. He lowered his center of gravity, drew back his racket to build up power, and adjusted the racket angle.

"Snapped!"

He lunged forward sideways.

The ball, like a meteor, hurtled towards Zhang Jiahao's forehand corner with lightning speed.

Zhang Jiahao took a cross step and leaped into the air, managing to save the ball at the last possible moment.

Xie Mingyang refused to give an inch, forcefully turning to the side and continuing to violently counterattack with his forehand.

"Snapped!"

Another explosive surge.

Zhang Jiahao returned the ball to his backhand side, but unfortunately, he couldn't generate enough power and could only drop a high ball.

Seeing this, Xie Mingyang showed no mercy whatsoever.

Stay calm and keep an eye on the landing point.

Once the ball lands in the right position, leap up, look down from above, and smash the ball.

"Snapped!"

The ping-pong ball, carrying an endless killing intent, hurtled towards Zhang Jiahao's half of the table.

By this time, Zhang Jiahao had already stepped back from the table and continued to place high balls.

"Snapped!"

Another thunderbolt struck.

However, they still couldn't break through Zhang Jiahao's defenses.

"Snapped!"

Xie Mingyang smashes the ball on his third attempt.

It has greater power and a wider angle.

But they still couldn't break through.

Zhang Jiahao's defense was as stubborn as a city wall.

His footwork was on full display during this extreme save.

He unleashed four or five consecutive powerful smashes, displaying his full strength and precision in both power and placement.

However, Xie Mingyang was unable to win for a while.

Looking at the high arc of the incoming ball, it resembled a grenade falling from mid-air.

Once again, with perfect accuracy, it landed on Xie Mingyang's half of the table.

Xie Mingyang aimed at the incoming ball and channeled all his strength into it once more.

He was trying to decide the outcome with this powerful dunk.

"Snapped!"

Its power was unprecedented.

The sound of the ball hitting the paddle was like thunder, resounding throughout the entire stadium.

however.

Xie Mingyang used too much force and felt the handle of the paddle slip suddenly in his sweaty palm.

"not good!"

Xie Mingyang thought to himself.

Fingers clenched tightly.

But, it's too late.

The racket slipped from his hand the instant he swung it with all his might, like an eel.

It also resembles a kite with a broken string, flying to the side.

boom!
The racket crashed down, hit the floor a short distance away, bounced twice, and then came to a stop.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

All eyes immediately turned to the other side of the net.

Although Xie Mingyang's racket flew out of his hand, he still smashed the ball steadily.

It remains to be seen whether they can break through Zhang Jiahao's defenses.

Zhang Jiahao originally intended to continue with high balls.

But, just a glance.

He raised an eyebrow as he witnessed Xie Mingyang's racket slip from his hand.

Immediately, he decisively turned to the side and forcefully pulled back.

the other side.

Xie Mingyang's racket slipped from his hand and fell to the ground; there wasn't enough time to bend down and pick it up to continue the match.

At this moment, Xie Mingyang was like an unarmed swordsman.

Faced with an assassination attempt, unable to retaliate, they could only stand still and await their doom.

"It's over!"

"Xie Mingyang lost this point."

In the current situation, if the score were to change to 10-10, it would be significantly more disadvantageous for Xie Mingyang.

After all, he was injured.

That's what everyone was thinking.

At the moment Zhang Jiahao touched the ball, his wrist moved almost imperceptibly.

The panel shape has been changed.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, what should have been a thunderous counter-attack turned into a skewed arc. A slight error can lead to a disastrous outcome.

The ping-pong ball flew high over the sideline of the table, without even grazing the edge of the table.

The ball landed very softly, but in the quiet training hall, it sounded like a thunderclap.

next second.

Zhang Jiahao's expression instantly shifted from the excitement of "about to score" to extreme frustration, disbelief, and anger.

"grass!"

Zhang Jiahao jumped up and stomped his foot hard, "How the hell could we lose?!"

The voice was loud and clear, filled with resentment.

It was as if he was resenting and blaming himself for not seizing this excellent opportunity to retaliate.

Full of emotion, with a very strong infectious quality.

Even Li Qian expressed his regret: "What a pity about this ball. We only needed to defend it steadily."

However, it was all too late.

11: 9.

The score is 3-1.

Xie Mingyang defeated Zhang Jiahao, winning this crucial match.

"Wow!"

Li Qian clapped excitedly.

Chen Jin smiled.

Lin Gaoyuan, however, looked ashen-faced.

The light in his eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only an empty, lifeless silence.

Doha's hopes for a singles match were completely dashed by Zhang Jiahao's final shot that went out of bounds.

He didn't even have the energy to investigate whether it was a deliberate mistake; the outcome was already decided.

The men's singles spots for the Doha World Table Tennis Championships have now been determined.

Lin Shidong and Xie Mingyang got the last two tickets.

"Whoo~"

Xie Mingyang let out a long breath.

He didn't celebrate, didn't cheer, and didn't even turn around to pick up his racket.

Instead, he took a step forward and walked towards Zhang Jiahao.

At this moment, Zhang Jiahao was still immersed in his mistake and unable to extricate himself.

Only when Xie Mingyang extended his hand did he raise his head and reluctantly extend his palm.

"Hey Xie, don't get cocky."

Zhang Jiahao snorted coldly, "I'll definitely beat you next time."

"Thanks."

Xie Mingyang said in a low voice.

He knew perfectly well that, given Zhang Jiahao's form and touch, Zhang Jiahao could easily beat him in today's game.

However, in the last three games, Zhang Jiahao always seemed to fall short in handling one or two crucial points, or he was simply unlucky.

Others might just think it was due to fluctuations in performance or pressure, but Xie Mingyang could see that Zhang Jiahao was intentionally throwing the game.

The harsh words he uttered, the regret over his mistakes—it was all acting.

After all, this match involves more than just the two of them.

The coaching staff stood on the sidelines, and Lin Gaoyuan was also watching.

On the surface, they are teammates.

However, there are also differences in closeness among teammates.

Zhang Jiahao dared not yield too obviously, lest he give others a handle to use against him.

Looking at the two people shaking hands in the arena, Chen Jin smiled knowingly.

“Jiahao and Lao Xie may bicker sometimes, but they won’t let you down when it matters.”

"Jiahao knows that he has no hope in singles, but he still has the opportunity in doubles, so why not give Lao Xie the chance?"

"As for revenge, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

In addition, Zhang Jiahao also knew Xie Mingyang's personality; if he gave in too obviously, Xie Mingyang might find it hard to accept.

Therefore, they only lost the crucial points.

Although doing so might be a bit unfair to Lin Gaoyuan, it was Zhang Jiahao's own choice.

With this, all matches of the Doha qualifying tournament have been completed.

As the head coach of the men's team, Wang Hao stepped forward and picked up the microphone.

The training hall gradually quieted down.

Wang Hao's gaze swept over each team member present, and then he made a calm announcement.

"All matches of the Doha qualifying tournament have concluded."

"According to the rules and points, the men's singles participants for the Doha World Table Tennis Championships are as follows: Chen Jin, Wang Chuqin, Liang Jingkun, Lin Shidong, and Xie Mingyang."

The list was read out, and the decision was final.

"The doubles qualifying rounds will be held at 3 p.m.

"Now, dismissed for a rest."

Subsequently.

The crowd gradually dispersed, but the discussion remained lively.

After a short rest, it was almost 12:30.

Chen Jin, Xie Mingyang, Zhang Jiahao, Li Qian, and Lin Shidong went to the cafeteria together.

How are your knees?

As they walked, Chen Jin asked.

"The team doctor just checked and said it's okay, there's no injury to the bones or ligaments."

Xie Mingyang said, "However, if we have to play another match, things might be in jeopardy."

"It could potentially affect my career."

As she spoke, she glanced at Zhang Jiahao.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You're leering and have ill intentions."

Zhang Jiahao curled his lip, "You think you can play dumb with me after winning?"

"No."

Xie Mingyang didn't argue with him, but just looked at him calmly, "When I come back from Doha, I'll treat you to dinner. You can choose the place and time."

"Well, you said it yourself."

Zhang Jiahao's eyes suddenly lit up, "I'll eat your family into bankruptcy!"

"Eat my family into bankruptcy?"

Xie Mingyang chuckled, "It might be a little difficult."

At this moment.

Lin Shidong moved closer to Zhang Jiahao, nudged him with his elbow, and whispered, "Tell me honestly, did you deliberately go easy on him?"

"how is this possible?"

Zhang Jiahao, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, widened his eyes in shock. "You can insult my person, but you can't insult my sportsmanship."

"My desire for victory is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea."

"I wish I could tear that Xie guy apart, skin him alive, and grind his bones to dust..."

He spoke through gritted teeth, his facial expression extremely exaggerated, as if he had a blood feud with Xie Mingyang, who had killed his father and stolen his wife. "This time, Xie got away with it by luck. Next time, I'll definitely beat him to a pulp!"

"Alright, stop."

Lin Shidong glanced at him and said, "Your sportsmanship is so dazzling it's blinding me. You'd better stay away from me."

A group of people came to the cafeteria.

Although they had just gone through a fierce battle, the young people recovered quickly.

The enticing aroma of food in the cafeteria quickly eased the tense atmosphere.

Everyone ordered their favorite dishes, sat together, and ate and chatted.

The conversation gradually shifted from the match that had just ended to the doubles match in the afternoon, as well as the upcoming training camp and the World Table Tennis Championships.

While eating, Zhang Jiahao took out his phone, wanting to scroll through short videos to relax for a bit.

Sudden.

The movement froze.

All the color in her face faded rapidly, at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His mouth opened slightly without his noticing, his eyes widened, and he stared intently at the phone screen, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

"Clap!"

A piece of pork rib that was being held on chopsticks fell back onto the plate with a thud.

next second.

As if struck by an electric current, he suddenly jumped up from his seat.

The chair legs screeched as they scraped against the ground.

"Fuck——!!!"

A swear word, as loud as thunder, resounded through the noisy cafeteria, instantly drowning out all the commotion.

The voice was filled with shock, absurdity, and even a hint of indescribable panic.

All eyes in the cafeteria were instantly drawn to it.

Chen Jin, Xie Mingyang, Lin Shidong, Li Qian and others sitting around him all looked up in astonishment, staring at Zhang Jiahao in confusion.

Everyone was startled by his sudden and violent reaction.

"what happened?"

Chen Jin frowned slightly.

Zhang Jiahao stood there, his body trembling slightly, his fingers gripping his phone tightly.

His face was blank with shock, and his pupils were filled with a turbulent, turbulent energy.

After a while.

Zhang Jiahao turned his head and slowly uttered a sentence: "Something big has happened."

"A major earthquake in the world of table tennis!"

(End of this chapter)