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

Chapter 488 Believe me, I can beat Chen Jin.

6 month 30 day.

The Chinese national table tennis team arrived in Las Vegas.

McCarran International Airport.

The hatch opened, and a rush of hot, dry air hit us.

Under the scorching sun, this world-renowned gambling city exudes an atmosphere of extravagance and debauchery.

We boarded a bus arranged by the organizing committee and headed towards the city center.

Outside the car window, the once monotonous yellow sand landscape was gradually replaced by rows of hotel buildings.

The closer you get to the city center, the stronger the sense of ultimate luxury becomes.

The entire city is like a giant, money-devouring beast, shrouded in endless desire.

MGM Grand Hotel.

It is one of the iconic pouring works of this den of extravagance.

When the team members stepped into the hotel lobby, the scene before them still surprised many of them slightly.

"Golden and magnificent" is not enough to describe its extravagance.

A stunningly high dome, a huge crystal chandelier, and a marble floor gleaming like a mirror...

The air was filled with a mixture of perfume, cigars, and money.

The most eye-catching feature is the array of slot machines scattered throughout the lobby.

They were densely packed, everywhere.

The clinking of coins falling, the hum of the machines, and the excited or frustrated whispers of the guests echoed throughout the lobby.

Brilliant lights flashed on the machine screen, outlining a series of gluttonous faces.

"Good heavens, good heavens..."

Zhang Jiahao looked around, dumbfounded. "Is this the legendary... Las Vegas?"

"Brother Hao."

Lin Shidong gently nudged Zhang Jiahao with his elbow, a smile on his face, and said in a low voice, "You're so lucky, why don't you go play a couple of rounds?"

"Don't make trouble!"

Zhang Jiahao stood tall, exuding righteous indignation, and declared resolutely, "I am mortal enemies with drugs and gambling!"

at this time.

The team leader also reminded everyone: "We all know where this place is. When going in and out, it's best to go in groups and not to go alone, especially at night."

After all, this kind of place is a melting pot of all sorts of people.

Regardless of wealth or poverty, gamblers are all bad people.

"Depend on!"

Zhang Jiahao slapped his thigh suddenly, as if he had just remembered something. "I forgot to prepare a bulletproof vest. What should I do?"

"Your skin is thick enough to withstand bullets."

Xie Mingyang, standing nearby, sneered, "What do you need a bulletproof vest for?"

If it were someone else, they would have reacted at least somewhat after being rebuked like that.

But who is Zhang Jiahao?

Upon hearing this, instead of being annoyed, he said seriously, "What if the other party doesn't aim at the head?"

Are you playing a real-life version of CrossFire here?

Chen Jin smiled.

"Don't be afraid."

Lin Shidong also laughed and said, "We are all Chinese and we all know Chinese kung fu. Within seven steps, a gun is not as fast as your fist."

Jokes are jokes.

Everyone knows perfectly well that the Chinese national table tennis team has its own rules.

Moreover, they will not easily go out during the competition without permission.

Assign rooms.

It was still Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao together.

I put down my luggage and tidied up a bit.

thump!
Zhang Jiahao lay on his back on the bed, his arms and legs spread out, forming a large "太" character.

"sleepy!"

Zhang Jiahao yawned, his eyelids heavy, as if he were about to fall asleep.

The words were not finished.

Sudden.

goo goo~
My stomach started growling again.

"So hungry!"

Zhang Jiahao sprang to his feet with a quick movement. "Brother Jin, wanna go find some food?"

"Row."

Chen Jin had the same idea, "Let's invite Lao Xie and Brother Shi together."

It just so happens that Xie Mingyang and Lin Shidong are assigned to the same room.

It's right next door.

The four of them agreed to go out together.

Following the hotel signs, I found the restaurant's location.

However, the MGM Hotel was far larger than they had imagined.

Its internal structure is like a maze.

After walking through a steel forest of slot machines and past luxury stores for more than ten minutes, I still couldn't see a restaurant in sight.

"Depend on!"

Zhang Jiahao was so hungry that his stomach was practically sticking to his back, and he was so weak that he couldn't help but complain, "It's just a meal, but it feels like it's going to be a much longer journey than the pilgrimage of Tang Sanzang and his disciples."

"They won't starve to death, but they'll be worked to death first."

……

The following two days.

While adjusting to the time difference, they conducted adaptive training at the venue.

The training intensity is slightly lower than in China, but it is more targeted and rhythmic.

Just to maintain your touch and stay in competitive form.

Chen Jin is competing in three events at this year's US Grand Slam, keeping him extremely busy.

Mixed doubles training with Ye Sijia is of paramount importance.

The qualifying rounds will be held from July 3rd to 5th.

Thanks to the World Championships and wildcard nominations, all Chinese table tennis players directly enter the main draw without having to compete in the qualifying rounds.

Therefore, there is more time to adjust and adapt.

January 7, 5 p.m.

The lottery ceremony.

All the contestants sat upright in the designated area, awaiting their fate.

The atmosphere at the scene was quiet yet tense.

As the host announced the rules, Chen Jin, as one of the guests, went on stage to draw lots for the women's singles.

After the women's singles draw.

Chen Jin returned to the audience and had just sat down.

The men's singles draw was already displayed on the big screen.

As the number one seed in the US Grand Slam, and having just won two major titles in a row, the World Cup and the World Championship, Chen Jin's name automatically appeared in the number one position in the upper half of the draw without any need for a draw.

He seemed to be ruling the world, suppressing all the contestants below.

Everyone present held their breath.

Everyone's face was filled with tension, fearing that they would draw Chen Jin in the first round.

The same applies to Zhang Jiahao.

He clasped his hands together and prayed silently, "May the ancestors of the Zhang family protect me and not let me draw Brother Jin in the first round."

"If I don't draw Brother Jin in the first round, my offerings for Chinese New Year will double this year."

"Anyone else will do, even Wang Chuqin."

His undisguised cowardice was witnessed by Chen Jin, who was sitting next to him.

Chen Jin touched his nose helplessly: "Am I really that scary?"

His tone carried a hint of confusion.

In his own view, he was simply focused on the game itself and trying his best to play every ball well.

"Brother Jin, you're not scary."

Zhang Jiahao turned to look at Chen Jin, "But you inspire despair."

"If I play against you, my mentality will collapse halfway before the match even starts."

soon.

The moment that would decide their fate had finally arrived.

The guest who drew lots turned over a chip.

The host took it, displayed it to the public, and read out the name: "Dubois Porett, from France."

Hear the sound.

Almost at the same time.

The remaining contestants, without prior agreement, breathed a sigh of relief: "Phew~"

It was as if they had survived a catastrophe. Some coaches and athletes even high-fived each other in celebration.

As far as they were concerned, as long as they didn't run into Chen Jin, they could fight anyone.

Immediately, everyone's eyes turned to the French team's seats, focusing on the young player named Porett.

His eyes held a complex mix of sympathy and schadenfreude.

Dubois Porett, 21 years old, is a young player for the French national team.

Among French men's singles players, his strength is second only to the Lebrun brothers and Simon Gauzy.

This US Grand Slam, however, is the first time he has participated in such a high-level event.

He had never fought Chen Jin before.

However, Chen Jin's name and achievements are already widely known.

When he heard his name called and was chosen to face Chen Jin in the first round, he was stunned for a moment.

Immediately, a feeling of tension and excitement welled up inside me.

"Great!"

Perret clenched his fist, his eyes gleaming with the fearlessness of a newborn calf. "Finally, I'll get to fight this legendary demon king."

Like many players facing Chen Jin for the first time, he was full of anticipation for this match.

In fact, he had already begun to fantasize about the scene of him unexpectedly defeating Chen Jin.

"Hey, Dibo."

Simon Gauzy reached out and patted Perret on the shoulder, with a hint of sympathy. "Good luck."

"Thank you."

Perret thought Simon Gauzy was encouraging him, which boosted his confidence even more. "I will definitely work hard!"

"Welcome to the Grand Slam, Deborah."

Alex laughed and said, "Here, you will learn your first lesson: confront the unspeakable fear."

"what?"

Perret looked completely bewildered. "What do you mean?"

"Yes."

Felix nodded in agreement, adding, "We've all learned this lesson, and it feels... amazing."

Even if Perret was slow-witted and dull-witted, he could still hear the teasing in the three people's words.

In an instant, I felt a surge of anger.

"Hey guys, don't do that."

Perret puffed out his chest, full of confidence, and raised his voice slightly, "Believe me, I can beat Chen Jin."

This statement came out.

Not only Simon Gauzy and the Lebrunn brothers.

Even those sitting nearby, such as Francesca, Dako, Qiu Dang, and Moregard, all turned their gazes toward him.

"Yes, Dibo."

Simon Gauzy gave a meaningful smile, as if he saw his former self who was just as arrogant and ignorant. "I thought the same thing when I first fought Chen Jin."

Felix immediately chimed in, "Me too."

Alex nodded: "Me too."

At this moment, the other contestants also joined in this "remembering the bitter past and appreciating the sweet present" activity.

Dako raised his hand: "Me too!"

Francesca: "I thought so too!"

Qiu Dangwei shrugged: "Same as above."

Morrigard: "I hate to admit it, but actually... well, me too."

Perret: "..."

Seeing these players who are well-known in the world of table tennis, and hearing them say "Me too" one after another.

For a moment, Perret's lofty ambitions seemed to have been punctured, and he began to feel somewhat discouraged.

That excitement of "I can beat Chen Jin" was largely extinguished by the collective pouring of cold water.

All that remained in my heart was a sense of bewilderment, wondering if I had set a terrible goal, and an increasingly deep sense of tension.

"Gulu——"

Perret swallowed hard and looked up at the big screen again.

But there was that dazzling "CHEN Jin" above his own name.

It was as if the Sword of Damocles was hanging over his head.

Although the fantasy in my heart was not completely shattered, it was finally overshadowed by a layer of reality: "Is this boy really that scary?"

The lottery ceremony continued.

Xie Mingyang was placed in the lower half of the bracket.

His first-round opponent is Liam Pitchford.

Zhang Jiahao is also in the bottom half of the draw, and will face Portuguese player João Gerardo in the first round.

As the draw was about to end, Zhang Jiahao looked around and asked curiously, "Huh? Why does it seem like someone's missing? Where's Hugo? Why isn't he here?"

"It seems to be a visa issue; they can't come."

Chen Jindao.

"what?"

Zhang Jiahao pursed his lips, "What a pity."

"I'd like to test my skills against Hugo."

Hear the words.

Xie Mingyang scoffed.

Next, the men's doubles draw will take place.

Upon witnessing the Lebrunn brothers receive a bye in the first round, Zhang Jiahao immediately clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and muttered some incantations.

"May the ancestors of the Zhang family bless me and Brother Jin to also get a bye in the first round."

Zhang Jiahao muttered, "Please bless me, please bless me, when I go back for the New Year this year, the offerings will be three times... no, four times!"

After listening to Zhang Jiahao's prayer, Xie Mingyang couldn't help but ask, "It's been almost a year. We owe your ancestors so much. Have we paid it all back yet?"

"It's none of your business, outsider, to interfere in my family affairs!"

Zhang Jiahao glared at him.

"Brother Hao."

Lin Shidong laughed and said, "If you can get a bye even in this situation, I'll truly admire you."

"Today I'll show you what metaphysics really is."

Zhang Jiahao seemed confident.

Once the signing is finalized, the results will be announced.

Sure enough, the combination of Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao was clearly marked with "BYE".

"Fuck!"

Lin Shidong's eyes widened. "This...this actually works?"

He had only ever heard about Zhang Jiahao's metaphysical power.

Now that I've witnessed it with my own eyes, I have to admit it.

"Thank you, ancestors of the Zhang family!"

Zhang Jiahao clasped his hands together, raised them above his head, shook them vigorously a few times, bowed to the sky, and chuckled, "I got an extra 500 dollars in bonus money. This trip wasn't a waste after all. My guaranteed income has increased a little bit."

No wonder he's so greedy.

The prize money for WTT doubles matches is already far lower than that for singles.

According to the tournament rules, the prize money for the top 32 doubles players is $1500, the top 16 players is $2000, and the champion is only $10,000.

Skipping a round means you're essentially advancing directly from the round of 32 to the round of 16, earning an extra $500 out of thin air.

It's tantamount to getting something for nothing.

The last event was the mixed doubles draw.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia, the new duo, made their international debut and attracted much attention.

The results are in. Their first-round opponents are the American pair, Nandan Naresh and Chen Yiyi.

Upon seeing this result, Chen Jin and Ye Sijia exchanged a glance instinctively.

A hint of tension and worry could still be seen in Ye Sijia's eyes.

This is her first time partnering with Chen Jin in a Grand Slam tournament.

Although the two had become increasingly coordinated and achieved excellent training results during previous team training sessions.

However, Ye Sijia knew very well that in the real arena, under the spotlight, under the watchful eyes of everyone.

The pressure and atmosphere were completely different from those of daily training.

"I hope I don't hold Chen Jin back..."

From the moment the lottery results were determined, this thought lingered in Ye Sijia's mind like a curse.

It's worth noting that, to date, whether in singles or doubles, whether in domestic competitions or on the international stage, Chen Jin has never tasted defeat.

"If... because of my mistakes, because of my teamwork, Chen Jin loses a match for the first time ever, wouldn't I become the sinner of the Chinese national table tennis team?"

Think of this.

Ye Sijia felt even more pressure.

He clenched his fist tightly, his nails almost digging into his palm.

"I hope... everything goes well in tomorrow's match."

(End of this chapter)