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

Chapter 464 Yokohama Hao, a handsome young man!
"WTF?!"

As Hugo watched the ping-pong ball hurtling towards him like a meteorite piercing through the void, his pupils suddenly contracted.

They wanted to stop it, but could only watch helplessly as the ball went in their face.

He watched helplessly as the white ball crashed near the left side of the table.

With a whoosh, it was launched away.

Sweat streamed down Hugo's forehead like a waterfall, cascading down his face, which was filled with despair.

The ball has just landed.

The referee quickly raised his hand and calmly announced the score: "11:5".

"Chen Jinsheng wins the third set!"

By this time, Chen Jin had already put down his racket, picked up a towel, wiped his sweat, and walked to the sidelines.

Hugo stood still, his racket feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

After standing there for a moment, he slowly put the racket down.

While getting the towel, I glanced at the scoreboard out of the corner of my eye, intentionally or unintentionally.

11: 6.

11: 3.

11: 5.

The score is 3-0.

Chen Jin is undoubtedly in the lead.

With a quick glance, Hugo's expression grew even more grim.

His steps toward the sidelines were no longer as light as when he first stepped onto the field; instead, they carried a hint of heaviness.

Since the defeat in the World Cup final, Hugo and his coaching team have spent the past month collecting all the match videos Chen Jin could find, including training and doubles matches.

Analyze frame by frame carefully.

Chen Jin's tactics, hitting habits, running lines, spin characteristics, mental changes... I wish I could study every pore of Chen Jin repeatedly, just to find a way to defeat Chen Jin.

Ultimately, the coaching staff devised a clear and decisive strategy.

—Strengthen control within the table and launch aggressive attacks in the first three shots, utilizing the quality of backhand single shots to fight hard from the start and disrupt Chen Jin's rhythm.

For the past month, the training hall has become their battlefield.

Hugo practiced countless times his forehand smash, his forehand topspin and flick on the table, and his ability to suppress his opponent at a faster pace in the mid-to-close range.

They trained until the early hours of the morning, only stopping when their arms were sore and numb and their legs cramped.

He was determined to defeat Chen Jin and win the championship at the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

However, harsh reality dealt him a heavy blow.

In the first game, he was able to keep up with Chen Jin's pace and resolutely execute the pre-match plan.

He did manage to score a few goals.

But Chen Jin's first three attacks were even more ferocious and ruthless than his.

It seemed that Chen Jin was the one who was causing the disruption.

Hugo also tried to end the battle in the mid-to-close range, but Chen Jin's quick transitions and positional adjustments forced him to retreat from the table repeatedly, returning him to his original form.

After three rounds, Hugo realized that his carefully constructed tactical system had already fallen apart.

Chen Jin's footwork, stability, and ability to launch continuous attacks are truly terrifying.

Hugo felt as if he had been caught in a huge whirlpool.

The more you struggle, the deeper you sink.

Ultimately, Chen Jin dominated the game with a more rapid and powerful attack from mid-range and close-range, completely overwhelming Chen Jin.

"Is it really impossible to find Chen Jin's weakness?"

Hugo pondered deeply.

He finally made it into the World Table Tennis Championships semifinals, and although he broke his own best record.

But he was unwilling to accept defeat and lost to Chen Jin again.

Moreover, they were utterly crushed.

Hugo's coach, like him, had a similarly solemn expression.

After a month of meticulous preparation and training, it turned out to be completely useless.

This kind of despair is worse than death.

Faced with a prodigious talent like Chen Jin, the coach was at a loss, unsure of what tactics to devise.

In the end, all he could do was try to comfort and encourage Hugo by making small talk.

However, Hugo's eyelids were lowered, as if he were lost in thought.

There is no harm without comparison.

The other side.

Wang Hao stood up, a broad smile on his face, and greeted Chen Jin, handing him a water bottle from afar. "You played very well."

Wang Hao laughed.

These four words are often used by off-field coaches as a "cure-all".

Regardless of the situation, maintaining morale is the top priority.

But at this moment, Wang Hao's words came from the bottom of his heart.

Because, in the three games that just ended, he saw Chen Jin's explosive power on the court, his effortless control, and his precise grasp of the rhythm of the game.

It was initially thought that Hugo, who came prepared, would engage in a fierce and intense battle for supremacy with Chen Jin.

Unexpectedly, to this day, it remains a one-sided crushing victory for Chen Jin.

"Hugo's mentality is a bit broken."

Wang Hao said, "Looking at his movements during the last few balls, they were clearly distorted. He was using excessive force, and his footwork was much slower..."

He hasn't finished speaking yet.

Chen Jin took a sip of water and then pointed to the banana in his backpack.

Seeing this, Wang Hao quickly took the banana, peeled it himself, and handed it to Chen Jin.

Chen Jin took a small bite and chewed slowly.

"In the next game, we need to control the short balls closer to the table more during the serve and receive phase, especially by varying the short balls to his forehand and the long balls to his backhand."

Wang Hao continued, "His rhythm is already out of control. If we take control of the table again, his rhythm will be completely disrupted, and he may become more agitated and make more mistakes."

"but--"

Wang Hao suddenly changed the subject, "We also need to be careful. After controlling the short distance, we must be prepared for the next continuous attack and connection."

"We cannot give him a chance to breathe, while we must ensure the quality and stability of our own attack."

Just finished.

“Time!”

The referee's warning was given.

"Pay attention to continuity and coordination, and strive to win the game in one go!"

Facing Chen Jin's retreating figure, Wang Hao clapped loudly and shouted.

immediately.

He was about to sit down.

That's when.

A video of the match was played on the large screen at the venue.

It was the men's singles final of the 2009 Yokohama World Table Tennis Championships!

In the video, the young man, who was only in his early twenties, suddenly leaped up, clenched his fist, and roared in celebration.

His face was youthful, but his eyes were filled with a desire for victory and an air of dominance that said, "Who else but me?"

Wang Hao was stunned for a moment.

His raised body froze in mid-air.

That was his peak, one of the most brilliant moments of his career!

"Wow!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers and applause immediately erupted at the scene.

Wang Hao snapped out of his daze and sniffed.

He sat down slowly, crossed his arms, and tried his best to appear calm and composed.

But inside, my heart was already churning with turmoil.

Sixteen years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The once dashing young man known as the "Wang Zuxian of Chinese Table Tennis" is now a middle-aged coach with a fuller figure and a few gray hairs visible at his temples.

The marks of time are etched on our faces and settled in our hearts.

Wang Hao's gaze involuntarily fell upon Chen Jin on the field.

Gazing at Chen Jin's tall and upright figure, I was momentarily reminded of myself in Yokohama in 2009, when I was invincible under the stadium lights. The figures of the young man before me gradually overlapped, and we became one in spirit.

In an instant, a complex emotion welled up in the depths of Wang Hao's heart.

His era may have already passed.

But his skills were passed down to the young boy.

Perhaps this brings him more satisfaction and fulfillment than any personal victory.

"come on!"

Wang Hao silently wished in his heart, "I hope you can go even higher and further than I did back then!"

(End of this chapter)