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

Chapter 465 Crushing Hugo, Advancing to the Semifinals!
"Chen Jin!"

"come on--"

……

"come on!"

"Chen Jin—"

The cheers were loud and clear, all in unison.

When Chen Jin bent down to serve, as if commanding an order, the huge stadium immediately fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Toss the ball and prepare to swing.

"laugh!"

The forehand is short.

Side down.

Hugo stepped forward and played a short pass, sending the ball back to near Chen Jin's center line.

Chen Jin swings back.

Hugo stepped forward with his right leg, ready to raise his elbow and twist.

Unexpectedly, the return shot grazed the net.

The trajectory and landing point of the train underwent subtle changes in an instant.

It was this subtle change that completely disrupted Hugo's plan and pace of taking the initiative.

Fortunately, Hugo reacted very quickly and restarted the machine.

Transform the twisting motion into a swinging motion.

However, in the rush, the way of hitting the ball changed, and it was difficult to control the force in the hand.

The return trajectory is too high.

"Gone!"

Upon seeing this from the stands, Zhang Jiahao blurted out.

The words have not yet fallen.

"Snapped!"

Chen Jin made a powerful forehand attack, like a long-awaited bowstring.

The white ball, like an arrow released from a bow, was powerful and swift as lightning, heading straight for Hugo's forehand corner.

The moment he made his move, Hugo knew something was wrong.

He instinctively stepped back, trying to let go.

However, the ball speed was simply too fast.

Before Hugo could retreat to the center of the table, the ball, like a cannonball, had already slammed into his front.

Hugo quickly swung his racket.

The ping-pong ball grazed the edge of the racket and flew past with a whoosh.

1: 0.

"nice shot!"

The fans in the stadium erupted in cheers.

But Chen Jin raised his hand in apology, saying, "Sorry."

If that ball hadn't grazed the net and Hugo had gotten there first, the outcome might have been different.

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in table tennis.

Hugo was covered in sweat, expressionless, wiping his brow with his elbow and fanning himself.

Before the World Table Tennis Championships, I trained specifically for more than a month.

I thought that this time, in my rematch with Chen Jin, I could at least put up a fight.

However, the current situation remains one of Chen Jin's overwhelming dominance.

Even with Hugo's excellent composure, he was starting to lose his composure at this point.

"We've tried all sorts of tactics in the first three games, but they've been completely ineffective."

Hugo was momentarily at a loss. "How should we play this game?"

My mind hasn't changed.

But then Chen Jin held a ping-pong ball, blew on it, stood sideways, and glanced at him.

"Whoo~"

Hugo let out a long sigh.

Bend your knees slightly and bend over.

Chen Jin continues serving.

Still hooking the hand.

The forehand is short.

Do not forward.

Perhaps due to his inner conflict, Hugo did not rush into action.

Instead, they chose to cut short.

Chen Jin swings back, controlling the landing point.

Gently send the ping-pong ball back to Hugo's center line, slightly to the left.

Hugo's blade is slightly angled to the side, and he uses a backhand chop to place Chen Jin's backhand corner.

This swing, with its precise control of the landing point, was truly exquisite.

But Chen Jin reacted extremely quickly, taking a big step forward, lowering his center of gravity to seize the ball in the middle of its descent, and then adding a powerful backhand spin.

"laugh!"

Backhand high loop drive.

It's not very strong, nor is it very fast.

Yet it was accompanied by an unimaginable spin, like a small storm.

The arc was extremely low, the landing point was extremely deep, and it flew towards Hugo's left side of the platform.

Hugo originally intended to retaliate.

However, the intense arc and the low, flat curve made him wary.

The key moment is when the ping-pong ball lands on the table.

The flight path was not forward.

Instead, it seemed to be pulled down by some force, plummeting downwards.

"Improving!"

Hugo was startled.

He immediately changed his hitting strategy and attempted a backhand side slice.

But just as he was about to make a move...

Suddenly, I realized things weren't so simple!
The brilliance of Chen Jin's high jump lies not only in the intense rotation.

Even more exaggerated is the arc of the landing point.

—No second jump!

This was completely unexpected by Hugo.

"WTF?!"

Hugo's pupils dilated dramatically, a look of disbelief and shock flashing in his eyes.

That's a high-looping topspin from the backhand side!

It's hard to imagine what kind of incredible touch it takes to pull a ball that bounces twice and doesn't go off the table!
He attempted a backhand side slice, but only managed to slice through the air.

0: 2.

Chen Jin scores another goal.

"Wow!"

As Chen Jin scored another point, the audience might not have fully grasped the brilliance of the shot.

However, Zhang Jiahao, Xie Mingyang, and others couldn't help but be amazed.

"A high-looping topspin, and it still doesn't bounce off the table on the second bounce!"

Zhang Jiahao had already shouted, "Besides my brother Jin, who else has this kind of touch!"

To know.

For penhold grip players using a backhand topspin, the backhand high loop drive is inherently less effective than for shakehand grip players.

But Chen Jin showed off his incredible touch.

How can one not admire it?
Even Wang Liqin, Liu Guoliang, and others watching the game applauded Chen Jin's incredible move, exclaiming, "Chen Jin's touch is simply amazing!"

Wang Hao, standing on the sidelines, did not stand up, but leaned back with a smile on his face and clapped continuously.

"Good boy!"

Wang Hao's eyes were filled with admiration, "A backhand topspin, and the high hook is so delicate..."

Back in the day, he was known as a "two-faced heavy artilleryman".

His backhand is fierce and aggressive; if you're not convinced, he'll fight.

Chen Jin's backhand topspin is now just as powerful as it was back then.

Yet its delicate texture far surpasses that of my own.

"Not bad!"

Wang Hao slightly raised his chin.

The gaze directed at Chen Jin grew even more intense.

Switch sides and serve.

High throw.

The forehand is short.

Backspin.

Chen Jin stepped forward and swung his short sword.

Unexpectedly, Hugo's high-toss serve had extremely strong backspin.

Fortunately, it was a close call; the ping-pong ball grazed the top of the net and barely cleared it.

This was a real hardship for Hugo.

Due to the net swirl, the arc, spin, landing point, and rhythm underwent another fatal change.

Hugo's movements and judgments were disrupted once again.

The swing back was out of control.

The arc rises high.

"Oops!"

Hugo's heart trembled violently.

However, it was too late to withdraw from the stage.

But a chilling killing intent flashed deep within Chen Jin's dark eyes.

Like a cheetah pouncing on its prey, it leaps into the air.

At the same time, a terrifying force rapidly gathered and accumulated in the forearm, fingers, and wrist of the person holding the racket.

The moment of impact is explosive.

"Snapped!"

The ball strikes the paddle with a thunderous sound.

Chen Jin leaps and delivers a powerful strike!

Like lightning striking the heavens, the tiny ping-pong ball hurtled towards Hugo's left side of the table at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

The force was immense, the speed was incredible, and Chen Jin's flicking motion was devastating, striking in all directions.

This led Hugo to misjudge the route.

By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late.

In the rush, there wasn't time to swing the racket.

He grabbed at the ball haphazardly with his left hand, seemingly trying to catch it.

The ping-pong ball flew past his fingertips.

0: 3.

The ball hasn't hit the ground yet.

Chen Jin raised his hand and said, "Sorry."

Another lucky shot that grazed the net.

Witnessing Chen Jin's gesture, Hugo shook his head helplessly, a bitter smile curving his lips.

"Even God isn't on my side anymore?"

Trailing 0-3 in the overall score and having a bad start in the deciding game, Hugo's mentality was already somewhat broken.

Two net swipes further shattered his composure.

"Whoo~"

Raising his elbow to wipe the sweat from his brow, Hugo took a deep breath. "Stay calm!"

"Believe in yourself, there is still a chance."

Try to comfort yourself and adjust your mindset.

Then, continue serving.

It's still a high throw.

However, there have been some changes this time.

A long ball from the side was aimed straight at Chen Jin's left side of the table.

Knowing that he was no match for Chen Jin, but after three rounds of fierce fighting, his mentality and physical strength had declined significantly, making it difficult to maintain his accuracy in the fight.

Even so, Hugo still wanted to break the deadlock with a long shot, which might have a surprising effect.

Even though he was leading by a large margin in the fourth game, Chen Jin never let his guard down and kept a close eye on the serve.

Anticipate the route and place your troops in advance.

As the ball begins its descent, unleash a powerful backhand flick.

"Snapped!"

The sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock was deafening.

The small white ball, carrying terrifying power, crashed down like a meteorite towards Hugo's backhand corner.

The ball moved faster than lightning, leaving a trail of afterimages in its wake.

Hugo retreated from the table to deflect the force, but dared not confront it head-on, and could only place it backside against the opponent.

However, the power and spin of this ball were clearly beyond his control.

"Snapped!"

Hugo felt a jolt in his right arm.

The ball went out of bounds.

4:0
"Wow!"

The audience gasped in surprise.

"A penhold grip player's backhand actually broke through Hugo's backhand in one shot?"

"Chen Jin is too abnormal!"

"In the fourth set, Hugo is down 4-0 and has no chance to fight back... This set should be in the bag."

"Go Chen Jin!"

……

Chen Jinfa went to the ball.

The middle lane of the hook is not short.

It was extremely fast and landed very high.

Hugo clearly hadn't expected that, before he could react, the ping-pong ball would be flying right in front of him.

In the rush, I swiped back and slightly lost control.

The ball went out of bounds.

5: 0.

Second serve.

Or a hook shot.

The forehand is short.

Side-up.

But Hugo saw right through him.

Hugo's pupils contracted sharply, and he quickly stepped forward to seize the landing point.

Sink your shoulders and raise your elbows, then twist your backhand with explosive force.

"Snapped!"

The ball flew like lightning, hurtling towards Chen Jin's forehand corner.

Chen Jinfei lunged forward, trying to pull back.

However, the power and speed of this ball far exceeded expectations.

Although he managed to touch the ball, his footing was unstable, and he couldn't lower his center of gravity, so he couldn't hold the ball down at all.

1: 5.

Hugo finally pulled one back.

Come on!

Hugo clenched his fists and roared with excitement.

It was as if he wanted to vent all the frustration in his heart through this roar.

This point was hard-won.

Especially in such a passive situation.

Unfortunately, it's just a drop in the ocean.

Faced with such a huge disadvantage, it is difficult to quench the thirst.

Unless the upcoming matches allow them to gain momentum and turn the tide.

Walk to the referee's table.

They picked up towels and wiped their sweat.

Hugo gasped for breath, his mind racing as he considered the next tactics and strategies.

soon.

Back on the field.

Hugo serves instead.

High throw.

Short, no-spin forehand stroke.

Chen Jinjia spins a small triangle with his forehand.

Hugo's step forward was a little slow, and his drop shot went into the net.

1: 6.

Continue serving.

The forehand is short.

Side-up.

Chen Jin quickly stepped forward and unleashed a powerful diagonal twist.

Hugo's reaction was incredibly fast; he leaped into the air and executed a forehand counter-attack.

The ping-pong ball, carrying immense power and a strong arc, spun towards Chen Jin.

Because of the explosive twist just now, Chen Jin's center of gravity shifted to one side, and he was a little slow to recover, so he couldn't step off the table in time for the transition.

Faced with this ball coming at them, their situation suddenly became passive.

however.

Between the electric light and flint.

As if under conditioned reflex, Chen Jin met the incoming ball with superb feel and backhanded downwards.

"laugh!"

It's like receiving a serve; the power and spin of the incoming ball are almost completely neutralized.

The ball returned to the table halfway.

The rhythm changes in an instant.

Hugo originally thought that Chen Jin might use the opponent's strength against him and defend with a backhand.

Therefore, standing in the middle, he was already prepared for a strong counterattack.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jin countered by deflecting the force and cutting off a half of the ball.

The change in the trajectory of the landing point caught him off guard.

With a sudden push of his feet, he lunged forward.

At the same time, generate power from the wrist and forearm with a short burst of force.

"Snapped!"

A powerful backhand flick.

Offline.

The score has widened to 7-1.

The serve returned to Chen Jin's hands.

He hooked a short, forehand sideways shot.

Hugo stepped forward and twisted the middle.

Chen Jin uses a fast, straight-line shot.

Hugo twisted his waist and tore the diagonal line in the opposite direction.

Chen Jin slid to the side, seized the landing point, and unleashed a powerful forehand smash down the middle.

Hugo was forced to step back and lose his balance. In this state, he relied on his powerful core strength to forcefully pull back.

Chen Jin positioned himself near the mid-table and unleashed a powerful forehand smash.

"Snapped!"

Heavy artillery bombardment, powerful and devastating.

Hugo had no choice but to step back from the table again and counter-attack with his forehand.

Chen Jin flicked his wrist and slammed the ball into Hugo's forehand corner.

Hugo leaped and lunged, pulling back diagonally.

Chen Jin's forehand is a fast, straight shot, using the opponent's force against them, and it's extremely fast.

Hugo took a big step and lunged towards the left side of the table.

Grip the racket with both hands, intending to hit a high ball.

However, the control was slightly poor, and the return ball went out of bounds.

8: 1.

Chen Jin hooks a backhand short sideways serve.

Hugo chopped a long chop, attempting to block Chen Jin's backhand position.

However, Chen Jin was prepared.

With a slight adjustment of his footwork, he turned to the side to make way and then unleashed a powerful backhand swing.

"Snapped!"

Like a heavy artillery bombardment, they once again forcefully broke through Hugo's counter-attack defense.

1: 9.

The huge score difference caused Hugo's mentality to fluctuate significantly.

High-toss forehand short.

Chen Jin's swing was short, and he was slightly too high.

For Hugo, this was originally a good chance.

Hugo's forehand flick.

"Snapped!"

My feet slipped, and my hands were too tight.

They actually ate and then went offline.

1: 10.

Chen Jin has reached game point in the third game.

This is also the match point of this semi-final.

"Stable!"

Zhang Jiahao, who had been tense, leaned back and relaxed completely. "Chen Jin won and advanced to the finals."

With such a large point difference, it's simply impossible for Hugo to turn the tide against Chen Jin in his current form.

It's not just Zhang Jiahao.

Even Victor Hugo himself, faced with such a disadvantage, clearly realized that there was no hope of turning the tide.

"Lost..."

Hugo's eyes revealed a hint of resignation.

High toss serve.

Short backhand.

Side down.

Chen Jin twists and pulls the diagonal line.

At this moment, Hugo had lost all will to fight and had let go of the burden of victory or defeat.

Facing the incoming ball, unleash a powerful backhand flick.

This shot required no skill; it was simply a miracle of sheer force.

In fact, Hugo didn't even expect to be able to go on stage.

Unexpectedly, things turned out differently.

They actually went on stage.

Fortunately, Chen Jin did not relax, lowering his center of gravity and using a backhand to defend.

He managed to defend against it.

Hugo swung his forehand and hit a cross-court shot.

The attack was incredibly fast and powerful, catching Chen Jin completely off guard.

10: 2.

"what?"

Seeing Hugo pull back a point, Zhang Jiahao was taken aback at first, then relaxed, "It's just a last-ditch effort."

Hugo also knew that his shot was a fluke.

Moreover, winning back one point would not help the overall situation.

Therefore, no celebration was held.

He simply walked silently to the side and wiped his sweat.

Back on the field.

It was Chen Jin's turn to play.

High throw.

Forehand serve.

Landing point, center line.

"Semi-sexy?"

Hugo slid to the side, lowered his center of gravity, and prepared to execute a high loop.

To everyone's surprise, he failed to appear on stage twice.

Hugo's backswing had already been made; there was no time to adjust.

They could only watch helplessly as the ball fell.

The score is now set.

competition is over.

11: 2.

The score is 4-0.

Chen Jin defeated Hugo with overwhelming dominance to advance to the men's singles final of the Doha World Table Tennis Championships!
(End of this chapter)