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

Chapter 463 Semifinals, Chen Jin VS Hugo!

The St. Bride Cup is also known as the "bride's cup".

Therefore, some say that the St. Bride's Cup is a wedding for one person and a funeral for 127.

This statement seems to have been confirmed in the training hall.

5 month 24 day.

The penultimate day of the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

Local time, 9:00 AM.

Lusail Stadium.

The training hall, which was originally packed with people, is now almost empty after several days of fierce fighting.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the floor and the fine dust particles dancing in the air.

The huge venue was completely empty.

Only Chen Jin, Hugo, and a few others remained, engrossed in their training in their respective areas.

The sounds of hitting the ball, footsteps, and shouts echoed through the stadium, making the place seem even more desolate.

"Pay attention to restoring!"

"Keep up with the pace!"

"Suppress the arc!"

"Power with the index finger of your backhand!"

……

Wang Hao personally took to the field, feeding Chen Jin multiple balls while giving him verbal reminders.

Sweat had already soaked through his back.

However, Chen Jin's expression was focused, as if he had inexhaustible physical strength and energy.

Every step, every shot, is a push to the limit.

During break.

Wang Hao then discussed with Chen Jin the details of the penhold backhand topspin, the fine-tuning of the fingers when switching between forehand and backhand, how to use the index finger to generate power when generating power with the backhand, and how the feet and hands should coordinate when starting a second attack.

Every detail is meticulously crafted, reflecting the experience and insights of Wang Hao, a master of the penhold backhand style.

Chen Jin listened very attentively.

However, he did not simply imitate.

Instead, they used their own playing styles to verify each other in order to achieve integration, and gained a lot of insights.

not far away.

Another pool table.

Hugo is also training hard.

His coaching team is also busy simulating tactics for Hugo.

Hugo's eyes revealed a ruthless glint.

Every powerful shot seemed to be driven by an intense desire to win.

Out of the corner of his eye, he would occasionally glance in Chen Jin's direction.

Where their eyes met, invisible sparks flew.

After winning the runner-up title at the World Cup, Hugo once again made it to the semifinals of the World Table Tennis Championships in just over a month.

With a singles medal in hand, he has already broken Hugo's best result at the World Table Tennis Championships.

It is also Brazil's first World Table Tennis Championships singles medal in history.

Hugo made history once again.

However, his goals go far beyond that.

As a professional table tennis player, who wouldn't want to stand on the final stage and raise the St. Bride's Cup, which symbolizes the highest honor in table tennis?

Of course, to achieve all this, he must overcome the formidable obstacle in front of him—Chen Jin!
The defeat in the World Cup final made Hugo realize that there was still a significant gap between the two in terms of absolute strength, consistency in the game, and handling of crucial points.

Over the past month, he has almost worn out all of Chen Jin's past matches, especially the World Cup final.

Together with the coaching team, they analyzed Chen Jin's match videos frame by frame to find weaknesses.

Hugo himself went into seclusion to practice diligently.

Strengthen short-ball techniques to compensate for the lack of initiative in short forehand shots and enhance the offensive power of the forehand...

The semifinals of the Doha World Table Tennis Championships, where Hugo faced Chen Jin again, seemed like a divine arrangement, providing him with the perfect stage to avenge his defeat.

"As long as I can defeat Chen Jin and enter the finals, I can fight against the rest, whether it's Wang Chuqin or Liang Jingkun."

Think of this.

Hugo took a deep breath and felt a surge of hot blood rushing through his chest.

He practiced hitting the ball with even more effort.

……

at noon.

The first men's singles semi-final match started on time.

Wang Chuqin VS Liang Jingkun.

One is a core player who urgently needs to prove himself, and the other is a veteran who wants to achieve good results in major competitions.

They knew each other inside and out, and there was no testing between them.

From the very first point of the first game, both players went all out, giving no inch of ground.

A bizarre first shot, a thrilling rally, a powerful smash, a tenacious defense...

A variety of technologies were showcased, drawing gasps and applause from the audience.

The score went back and forth, and the situation was tense at one point.

Ultimately, Wang Chuqin gradually gained the upper hand thanks to his more refined handling of the first three shots, faster transition speed between mid- and close-range shots, and more varied control over the landing points.

After a hard-fought six games, Wang Chuqin defeated Liang Jingkun 4-2, becoming the first player to advance to the men's singles final of the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

at this time.

Chen Jin, Xie Mingyang, and Zhang Jiahao were having lunch at the hotel restaurant.

Watch the entire match via mobile live stream.

"Ugh."

Seeing Liang Jingkun's regrettable defeat, Zhang Jiahao seemed to feel sorry for him and sighed, "Sweetie lost again."

"Four World Table Tennis Championships, four bronze medals... It seems it was destined that I would never make it to the finals."

"Just like Coach Wang's Sanya."

"It's true... what is destined to be yours will be yours, and what is not, you cannot force."

Xie Mingyang glanced at him: "Didn't you ask your Zhang family ancestors to help Liang Jingkun?"

"With the status of my Zhang family ancestors, how could we easily help others?"

Zhang Jiahao snorted coldly, his face full of piety and respect. "Besides, Wang Chuqin has made it to the finals, just as I wished."

"Oh?"

Xie Mingyang was somewhat surprised. "This is rather unusual."

All he knew was that, although they were teammates and appeared to be on good terms, Zhang Jiahao had never really liked Wang Chuqin.

Given this, it was originally thought that Zhang Jiahao would support Liang Jingkun to defeat Wang Chuqin in this match.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Jiahao had this idea.

This was something Xie Mingyang really didn't expect.

"There's nothing strange about this."

Zhang Jiahao chuckled, "Wang Chuqin made it to the finals, getting closer to the championship, which increases his chances. Then he got crushed by my brother Jin."

"Isn't the disappointment and frustration of having something within reach yet being unable to obtain it even more satisfying?"

"And I just want to see the despair of those TZMs watching their pigeons fall in the finals, hehehehe..."

After listening to Zhang Jiahao's words.

Chen Jin shook his head and smiled, "You're quite vengeful, aren't you?"

"I haven't even made it to the finals yet."

Chen Jin said, "Let me get past Hugo first."

"Sooner or later."

Zhang Jiahao laughed and said, "I have complete confidence in you, Brother Jin."

"Don't."

Chen Jin laughed and said, "I'm afraid my racket will keep gushing out 'poisonous milk' (a Chinese idiom for bad luck)."

Talking and laughing.

Xie Mingyang seemed to be thinking, and said, "It seems that Wang Chuqin has changed his playing style in this competition."

"The transition speed and landing point of mid-to-close range rallies are now faster and more flexible than before."

"That's very targeted."

As he spoke, Xie Mingyang turned to look at Chen Jin.

In fact, Wang Chuqin's technical improvements were already evident during the World Cup.

But he still lost to Hugo.

During the closed training period, Wang Chuqin improved his playing style considerably by taking into account the loss in the World Cup and learning from Chen Jin's strategy of defeating Hugo Calderano.

The duel with Liang Jingkun is a good example.

With Chen Jin's keen eyesight, how could he not see it?
"Yes, Wang Chuqin's playing style is indeed seeking change."

Chen Jin nodded. "Moreover, compared to Hugo, they are the complete opposite."

"One focuses on speed and transitions between mid-to-close range, while the other emphasizes powerful topspin shots from mid-to-long range; each has its own strengths..."

The words were not finished.

Zhang Jiahao interjected, "Isn't this a coincidence? You have both the speed of connecting mid-range and close-range shots, and the powerful topspin from mid-to-long range."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jin smiled slightly: "Don't think that far ahead, focus on the present."

……

Five p.m.

Lusail Stadium.

The place was packed with people, with no seats available.

One after another, shadowless lights focused on the maroon table in the center.

A large screen suspended in mid-air is displaying information about the two opposing sides.

Chen Jin (China) vs. Hugo Calderano (Brazil).

The majority of the audience were football fans from China, as well as local Chinese residents. They waved the Chinese national flag and chanted in unison.

"Chen Jin, keep it up!"

"China team, you will win!"

The cheers grew louder and louder.

Amidst a sea of ​​red, one could still hear voices cheering for Hugo.

It contains a mix of English and Portuguese.

There were even a few shouts of "Go Hugo!"

Zhang Jiahao turned his head, looked in the direction of the sound, and spat out in disgust: "Judging from that voice, it's definitely TZM."

In his view, when it comes to this kind of battle, apart from TZM, who in their right mind would cheer for an outsider?
TZM simply felt that if Hugo could beat Chen Jin and advance to the finals, Wang Chuqin's chances of winning would be greater.

After all, Chen Jin's condition and strength are obvious to all.

In their previous encounters, Wang Chuqin had suffered crushing defeats.

If Chen Jin makes it to the finals, then my own pigeon will probably only be able to say "You're the best" again.

Therefore, they placed all their hopes on Hugo.

"Has TZM forgotten who personally eliminated their pigeon from the World Cup semi-finals?"

Zhang Jiahao looked disgusted. "Is this some kind of attempt to acknowledge an enemy as one's father?"

"Don't generalize."

Li Qian sat next to him and said, "Hugo isn't without fans."

"Moreover, people pay for tickets to watch the game and have the right to cheer for their favorite players."

There's nothing wrong with what they said.

But Zhang Jiahao still felt nauseous, as if he had swallowed fly excrement.

At this moment.

The lights suddenly went out.

The originally soothing music became more exciting.

"It's finally starting."

Followed by.

A dazzling light show ensued, and the host's voice resounded throughout the venue.

amid cheers.

Chen Jin and Hugo then appeared on stage.

Courtside.

Wang Hao, as Chen Jin's off-court coach, had been waiting for a long time.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to organize equipment before the match, Wang Hao gave Chen Jin his final tactical instructions.

"I watched all of Hugo's matches at the Doha World Table Tennis Championships repeatedly, including the mixed doubles, and found that his handling of short forehand balls has indeed improved."

Wang Hao's voice was low, but his speech was fast and clear: "The control within the station has also been strengthened, but it should pose a limited threat to you."

"Moreover, many of his techniques are already established. Although he has been cramming for a month, his true abilities will be revealed when he gets desperate."

Listening quietly to Wang Hao's instructions, Chen Jin took out a towel and a water bottle, stood in front of Wang Hao, and stretched his limbs slightly.

Wang Hao continued, "Hugo's backhand is still his scoring weapon. His single-shot quality is very high. Don't be stubborn and try to compete with his backhand in terms of intensity."

"We still need to use our short forehand to limit Hugo's ability to take the initiative, enter a stalemate, control the game and place our shots well, move him around and prevent him from getting a firm footing to deal damage."

"Hugo will definitely go all out from the start, and some of his shots might even be a bit unreasonable. You have to be mentally prepared. It's normal to go all out a few times. Don't let your mindset get flustered."

"If he goes all out, we'll go all out too. We're a penhold grip player, and our strength lies in attacking the first three shots. Let Hugo see how powerful the penhold grip is!"

Chen Jin listened attentively, nodding occasionally.

His gaze was focused and calm.

“Time!”

The referee's reminder suddenly rang out.

"Pay attention to continuity and connection."

Wang Hao and Chen Jin high-fived, "Go for it!"

Immediately, Chen Jin grabbed a towel, turned around, and headed towards the arena.

the other side.

Hugo also stepped forward.

He was brimming with fighting spirit, like a cheetah poised to pounce.

The moment the two shook hands.

Like a Mars collision with Earth, a silent explosion.

Toss a coin to guess who will go first.

Hugo was awarded the right to serve in the first game.

Then, following the established procedure, they warmed up and practiced together.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

The intense sounds of hitting the ball mingled with the cheers from the crowd, creating a deafening roar.

Two minutes passed quickly.

"Whoo~"

Hugo let out a long breath, held the ping-pong ball in his hand, and tossed it a few times.

He turned his head to the side and glanced at Chen Jin.

Seeing Chen Jin with his left hand on his hip, leaning down, his eyes sharp and intimidating like a hawk.

Hugo crouched down, ready to serve.

All of a sudden.

The scene fell silent.

All eyes were focused on the small white ball in Hugo's palm.

first round.

0: 0.

Hugo tossed the ball high into the air, then turned his waist to prepare his racket.

"laugh!"

Right half of the platform.

Short ball from the side.

Chen Jin stepped forward, slightly adjusted his racket angle, and used the spin of the incoming ball to set up a small forehand triangle.

This short swing, whether in its rotation or its landing point, fully demonstrates the skill involved.

Hugo quickly took a large step forward, lowered his body, and executed a high loop.

"laugh!"

Accompanied by a dull, sharp, frictional sound.

The ping-pong ball, accompanied by intense spin, flew towards the straight line of the opposite side of the table, like a small storm.

Chen Jin was prepared.

Slide to the side and seize the landing point.

"Snapped!"

Forehand reverse cross-court shot.

Like a white lightning bolt descending from the sky, it instantly cleaved Hugo's left side of the stage.

Hugo tried his best to defend the left half of the table, but it was too late.

0: 1.

Controlling the ball within the table, forehand counter-loop, adjusting the landing point... what seems like a simple ball actually contains a lot of complexities.

Hugo's expression suddenly became more serious.

Stay calm and keep serving.

The forehand is short.

Do not forward.

Chen Jin is short.

Hugo's swing.

Chen Jin quickly chopped the ball down the middle baseline.

Hugo uses a backhand flick and drives forward with force.

Chen Jin stepped forward and retaliated.

Hugo took a half step back and unleashed a powerful backhand flick.

"Snapped!"

It was as if a giant axe had cleaved the heavens and earth.

The momentum is strong and sinking.

This shot was Hugo's signature move, which he was very proud of.

Throughout the world of table tennis, almost no one can withstand his backhand smash.

however.

There are no absolutes in this world.

The instant Hugo made his move, Chen Jin took a step back, his feet barely touching the ground.

However, the body's center of gravity remained low throughout.

His body was slightly turned to the side, and his wrists were tucked in.

Undeterred by Hugo's earth-shattering attack, he countered with a backhand sweep, unleashing his own power.

"Snapped!"

The sound of the ball hitting the ground was like a thunderous roar.

Hugo's fierce counterattack was met with an even more ferocious counterattack from Chen Jin.

The small ping-pong ball suddenly transformed into a thunderbolt, exuding a destructive aura, and hurtled towards Hugo's table.

(End of this chapter)