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

Chapter 491 This Chen Jin, he's not even human!
7 month 9 day.

The Las Vegas sun was as intense as ever.

For Chen Jin, this seemingly ordinary day turned into an unprecedented test.

Three matches a day.

At 12:30 pm, the men's doubles round of 16 began.

The mixed doubles quarterfinals will begin at 6 PM.

Men's Singles Round of 32, 7:30 PM.

Especially between mixed doubles and men's singles, there is only an hour and a half between them.

This poses an extreme challenge to Chen Jin's physical reserves, condition adjustment, and willpower.

"Depend on!"

Zhang Jiahao couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat for Chen Jin, "This competition schedule is deliberately designed to make things difficult for you, Brother Jin."

"After finishing the mixed doubles, there wasn't even time to rest before I had to go play the men's singles."

What is WTT up to?

The key point is that their mixed doubles opponents are the provincial team pair, Lin Yun-Ju/Cheng I-Ching.

This pair is so strong and threatening that they are even greater than Matsushima Teruaki and Harimoto Miwa.

Although Chen Jin and Ye Sijia's teamwork is becoming more and more seamless.

However, some problems still exist.

I could have predicted that this match against Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching would be another fierce battle.

It's not just Zhang Jiahao.

The schedule was just announced.

This caused a huge uproar on various platforms.

"It's one thing for Chen Jin to have three matches in one day, but the mixed doubles and men's singles matches are so close together. Is someone in WTT deliberately trying to sabotage Chen Jin?"

"What is JLZ doing? Arguing so vehemently?"

"WTT racked its brains to ban Chen Jin and artificially grant gold to certain people."

……

However, Chen Jin's reaction was surprisingly calm.

"The schedule has been released, and complaining is useless."

Chen Jin's face showed no emotion. "Since you're handling three events, just play well in every match and win."

Judging from his tone, it seemed as if such a grueling schedule had no effect on him whatsoever.

Fortunately, his opponent in the men's singles was Feng Yixin, a player from the provincial team.

Compared to Hugo and the F4, he's not very strong.

"That being said..."

Zhang Jiahao was still somewhat worried, "But what if we lose because of physical ability? Wouldn't that make this brat famous?"

"If Feng Yixin really has this ability, even if I'm physically exhausted, I will accept defeat wholeheartedly."

Chen Jin smiled slightly, "Don't talk about me, you also have two matches today, don't you?"

"I'm okay."

Zhang Jiahao scratched his nose and grinned, "Tonight's opponent is Ah San."

“Satiyan Genna Sekaran”.

Chen Jin cautioned, "Although he is a veteran in his thirties, he has won many regional championships, so we cannot underestimate him."

Thanks to his World Table Tennis Championships men's doubles title, Zhang Jiahao finally had the opportunity to participate in a Grand Slam tournament.

If we fail to seize the opportunity, we will lose to foreign players.

If this happens too many times, he might even be stripped of his men's doubles qualification.

Chen Jin is worried that Zhang Jiahao has become arrogant because of his World Table Tennis Championships men's doubles title.

Therefore, this is a well-intentioned reminder.

"clear."

Zhang Jiahao nodded, "We have to be at 100% and take him down!"

……

In the men's doubles match at noon, the opponents were a local pair.

Sid Naresh/Nandan Naresh.

For Nandan Naresh, this was undoubtedly a match shrouded in psychological shadow.

Just a few days ago, he and his partner Chen Yiyi were easily swept 3-0 by Chen Jin and Ye Sijia in the mixed doubles.

The suffocating feeling brought on by Chen Jin is still fresh in his memory.

That feeling of powerlessness—desperate efforts and exhaustion, yet utterly unable to budge it—was like a nightmare, disturbing him for several nights.

Now, I've changed projects and partners.

But fate had no intention of letting him off the hook.

They were about to face this terrifying demon king once again on the field.

Upon seeing the match schedule, Nandan Naresh clutched his head in his hands, gripping his scalp tightly, his face filled with despair, as if he had been struck by lightning.

How are you!

How old are you!

"elder brother."

Every cell in Nan Dan's body was filled with resistance. "How about we forfeit the match? I'm starting to not want to play table tennis anymore."

"what?"

Sid Naresh frowned, a hint of doubt in his eyes, and looked at Nandan, "Why?"

"This Chen Jin, he's not even human!"

Nan Dan said in a tearful voice, "I don't want to be abused by him anymore."

"..."

Sid Naresh was speechless.

He had certainly heard of Chen Jin's name.

But to be this afraid before even playing a singles match is hardly manly.

"Hey bro, pull yourself together!"

Sid patted Nandan on the shoulder, comforting and encouraging him, "We brothers finally have this opportunity to participate in a Grand Slam tournament, we're not here to enjoy the sun."

"We're here to challenge the strong and prove ourselves, aren't we?"

Sid's expression was serious as he stared into Nandan's eyes. "I know Chen Jin is very strong, ridiculously strong, terrifyingly strong. It's normal to be afraid of him."

"But only by facing fear can we overcome it."

"I believe God will protect us."

Sid Naresh's words, firm and powerful, calmed Nandan's mind somewhat.

"God bless."

Nandan lowered her head and kissed the silver cross she wore on her chest.

It was as if they were drawing strength to defeat the demon.

But when the two stepped onto the field to face Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, they realized that God seemed not to have heard their pre-match prayers.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao's perfect teamwork is like that of two elegant tango dancers.

The offensive was fluid yet ruthless.

Like mercury spilled onto the ground, it was unstoppable.

Zhang Jiahao didn't even need to warm up; he played with ease and confidence in the first game.

The exquisite control within the table, the smooth transitions between close and mid-range shots, the rallies with topspin shots from mid to far... in every aspect, the Naresh brothers were completely bewildered.

The two brothers were countered on offense and their defense was broken through.

They were beaten so badly they couldn't even put up a fight.

Especially when facing Chen Jin's explosive drives, the power and speed of the ball were so great that Sid Naresh didn't even have time to react several times, and he couldn't even see the shadow of the ball.

"what's the situation?"

Sid stood there, dumbfounded, "Where's the ball?"

It wasn't until Nandan patted him on the shoulder and pointed to the ground behind him that he realized the ball had already landed.

The score, however, was cruel and merciless.

11: 4.

11: 2.

11: 1.

The score is 3-0.

The match ended in less than twenty minutes.

It was as if it were just a sudden rainstorm, coming and going quickly.

competition is over.

After glancing at the scoreboard and then at the two brothers across the table, even Zhang Jiahao felt a pang of guilt.

"Brother Jin."

Zhang Jiahao wasn't even in the mood to celebrate. "Did we go too far?"

"It's because you have too much murderous intent."

Chen Jin said in a low voice, "If I hadn't deliberately returned the ball into the net at the last point, I could have seen you launch a powerful attack and scored 11-0 against them."

"Uh……"

Zhang Jiahao sighed, "Brother Jin, stop talking, you almost made a huge fool of yourself."

Fortunately, the Naresh brothers don't understand Chinese.

Otherwise, I estimate my mental state would collapse.

Even so, Nandan Naresh kept his head down, unwilling to lift it for a long time: "What did I tell you? It would have been better to just withdraw from the competition."

"Isn't this just asking for trouble?"

He turned to look at Sid.

Sid looked utterly hopeless and was already in a state of utter despair.

"Brother, you're right."

Hiddink said with despair, "This Chen Jin is not even human!"

"Now, not to mention you, even I don't want to play table tennis anymore."

The two brothers immediately embraced and wept bitterly.

Screw your ping-pong dream!!!
……

However, none of this had anything to do with Chen Jin.

After a short rest and adjustment following the men's doubles match, Chen Jin immediately threw himself into preparations for the mixed doubles match.

Xiao Zhan is still providing off-site guidance.

"Today's match was even tougher than yesterday's."

Xiao Zhan crossed his arms, his brows slightly furrowed. "If you want to beat Lin Yunru and Zheng Yijing, you have to be prepared for a long battle..."

Compared to Matsushima Teruaki and Harimoto Miwa.

Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching have been partners for many years.

Having been tempered by major competitions, they have become more experienced, their teamwork is more seamless, and their mentality is extremely stable.

Lin Yun-Ju's playing style is agile and unpredictable, with excellent touch.

The entire board is twisted and pulled, combining offense and defense.

Cheng I-Ching, on the other hand, is highly experienced, possesses a formidable forehand attack, and has an impenetrable defense.

Their bronze medal in mixed doubles at the Tokyo Olympics is proof enough of their strength.

"A protracted war?"

After hearing Xiao Zhan's words, Ye Sijia looked at Chen Jin with concern.

After mixed doubles, it's time for men's singles.

It was only an hour and a half apart.

If the mixed doubles match goes on for too long, it will inevitably affect Chen Jin's physical condition and form in the next men's singles match.

For Chen Jin, it was a case of more harm than good.

Although during the World Junior Championships, Chen Jin even had the experience of playing five matches in one day.

However, the opponents are different, and their strength is different.

This is a Grand Slam tournament!
Although it's far from the three major tournaments, Chen Jin's loss in the first singles match, especially to an international team, is bound to cause a huge uproar.

To know.

These days, countless eyes are watching Chen Jin with magnifying glasses, hoping he will lose.

By then, public opinion will be overwhelming, enough to drown people in it.

"or……"

Ye Sijia said in a low voice, "If we lose in mixed doubles, we lose. Should we focus all our efforts on securing a win in singles?"

"Mixed doubles and singles are both competitions."

Chen Jin smiled and said, "Once you step onto the field, there is no such thing as giving up; you must go all out."

"I'm a professional gamer."

Since Chen Jin had said so, Ye Sijia naturally didn't dare to say anything more.

Six pm.

The mixed doubles quarterfinals started on time.

Backstage waiting area.

Lin Yunru took the initiative to step forward and greet Chen Jin.

“Chen Jin,” Lin Yunru said with a smile, “Our coach said that this competition might be the closest we’ve ever come to defeating you, so Sister Zheng and I will give it our all.”

"Uh……"

Chen Jin gave a bitter smile, tinged with helplessness, "Why does it seem like everyone's treating me like the final boss?"

Zheng Yijing, standing next to her, laughed and chimed in: "Isn't that right? You're now the great demon king of the table tennis world after Ma Long and Fan Zhendong. Everyone wants to defeat you."

"I heard that in Japan, some media outlets have even given you a nickname: 'The Saitama of the Empire'."

Lin Yunru smiled.

"Imperial Saitama?"

Chen Jin reached out and touched his thick hair. "I'd better not use that nickname. I don't want to go bald."

Off the field, they chatted and laughed, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

But once they step onto the field...

The situation is quite different for both sides.

Either you die or I die!
Just as Xiao Zhan predicted before the match, the game turned into a tough tug-of-war from the very beginning.

Every point requires multiple rounds of entanglement and calculation to secure.

Lin Yunru's control of the table, as well as his twisting and pulling motions and quick tearing connections, caused Ye Sijia considerable trouble.

Moreover, Lin Yun-ru and Zheng Yi-jing, one on the left and one on the right, worked together seamlessly.

Focusing on the middle position between Chen Jin and Ye Sijia, they launched a fierce attack.

It makes it quite difficult for the two players to coordinate their return of the ball.

Fortunately, Chen Jin managed to maintain the situation thanks to his exceptional personal abilities.

But in the end, they were still one step behind.

9: 11.

It's a real shame that they lost the first game.

"You played very well."

Back on the sidelines, Xiao Zhan praised them generously, saying, "They played even better than I expected."

"Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching's tactics in the first game were very clear: they focused on attacking our middle position. After losing two or three points, they played a bit too hastily."

"There's no need to force a sideways counter-pull; what's wrong with just backhanding him?"

"As long as the ball lands well, we can remain calm and wait for the right opportunity to launch a counter-attack."

"Especially Ye Sijia, you should take on a couple more hits, and leave the rest to Chen Jin."

"Chen Jin, hold your position in the mid-to-close range, use your speed to suppress your opponent, and move them to the far corner."

Second round.

According to Xiao Zhan's tactics.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia quickly adjusted.

The two players, one attacking and one defending, used the speed of mid-to-close range and changes in trajectory to maneuver Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching.

Keep your opponent constantly on their toes.

Even when on the defensive, remain calm and maintain a stable defense.

This tactic proved very successful.

11: 5.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia won a round.

The score is 1-1.

Therefore, the third game became crucial.

Faced with Chen Jin and Ye Sijia's tactical variations in the previous game, Lin Yun-ru and Zheng Yi-jing also adjusted their tactics.

Positioning themselves at mid-to-near level, they launched a relentless barrage, using Ye Sijia as their primary target.

Ye Sijia was forced to leave the stage.

Both defense and offense suffered a decline in quality.

Although Chen Jin managed to hold things up, it was ultimately too late for one person to carry the load.

8: 11.

Another game lost.

The score is 1-2.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia stood on the edge of the cliff.

This is a situation that Chen Jin hasn't encountered in a long time.

This only made him more excited.

The fourth game.

What was supposed to be a mixed doubles match turned into a personal showcase for Chen Jin.

This time, he and Ye Sijia switched positions.

The mid-to-long-range counter-attack is powerful and heavy.

He leaped and dived, making a last-ditch save.

Seeing this, the provincial team coach sat on the sidelines, arms crossed, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips.

It seemed as if the scheme had succeeded.

"Run! Run as fast as you can!"

The provincial team coach's gaze darkened slightly. "You've expended so much energy on a mere mixed doubles match. I wonder how you'll perform in the men's singles later."

He had already given instructions to Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching before the competition.

Even if we lose this mixed doubles match, it's not a big deal.

The key is to exhaust Chen Jin's energy and physical strength to the greatest extent possible.

After all, the next singles match is between Feng Yixin and Chen Jin.

The more Chen Jin expends his energy, the more advantageous it is for Feng Yixin in the singles match.

They are now leading 2-1.

It was initially thought that Chen Jin might strategically abandon the mixed doubles in order to secure his men's singles title.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jin was still working this hard.

It was such a pleasant surprise!
11: 6.

The score is 2-2.

Chen Jin delivered an exceptional individual performance, dragging the mixed doubles match into a decisive game.

However, this is exactly what the provincial team coach wants to see.

"They actually managed to drag it into a deciding game with Chen Jin."

During the break, the provincial team coach smiled and said to Lin Yunru and Zheng Yijing, "In the deciding game, we're not in a hurry to win in one shot; let's find a way to keep him occupied."

"The quality of the ball you give to your female opponent can be slightly lower, so that she can counter-attack and enter a rally phase."

"If we can win this match, that would be great. Even if we can't, we still need to wear down Chen Jin's stamina."

Hear the words.

Lin Yunru and Zheng Yijing exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

The fifth and decisive game.

The contest between them has transcended the technical level; it is now an ultimate showdown of willpower and belief.

Every point was hard-won, and every mistake could ruin the entire game.

The score, like a sawtooth pattern, rose in a staggered manner.

1: 1.

2: 2.

3: 3.

……

10: 10.

Inside the venue, the atmosphere had reached a fever pitch.

All the spectators held their breath, watching the life or death of every ball on the field.

Every shot of the ball tugs at the heartstrings of everyone.

"Chen Jin—"

"come on!"

"Ye Sijia—"

"come on!"

……

The fans at the scene were shouting and yelling.

Ye Sijia's face was somewhat pale.

However, his eyes were unusually firm.

Gritting their teeth, they diligently executed every tactical arrangement, building a defensive line for Chen Jin in the mid-to-close range.

As for Chen Jin, he remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic.

Like a pillar that stabilizes the sea.

In crucial moments, his shots remained steady, decisive, and deadly.

He took on more offensive responsibilities.

With each powerful, thunderous return, he repeatedly saved match points from peril, keeping the suspense of the match alive.

"Damn, a forehand corner shot, and he dares to backhand topspin that ball? Chen Jin has a really big heart!"

"Oh my god, another match point, and Chen Jin just pulled it back... Where's my nitroglycerin?"

"I'm so nervous, so nervous... Chen Jin, Ye Sijia, you have to hold on!"

"Ye Sijia, get to work!"

……

The fans at the stadium were on edge.

Every time the score fluctuated, it drew gasps of surprise.

13: 13.

Chen Jinfa went to the ball.

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

The vast stadium was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

All that could be heard was the sound of the white ball bouncing.

Toss the ball and prepare to swing.

"laugh!"

Chen Jin tossed the ball high with his forehand, but it didn't spin.

Cheng I-Ching originally intended to pose short, but her curves rose high, almost reaching the stage.

"Chance!"

Ye Sijia decisively turned to the side and launched a forehand attack.

"Snapped!"

Lin Yun-Ju's return shot went into the net.

13: 14.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia have once again reached match point.

It's Cheng I-Ching's turn to serve.

Diagonal, short and doesn't rotate.

Ye Sijia quickly took a step to gain position, lowered her shoulders and raised her elbows, twisting and pulling in the middle.

Lin Yun-ru quickly tore apart the left half of the stage.

Chen Jin tore the diagonal line.

Zheng Yijing defends with a backhand flick.

Ye Sijia turned sideways and unleashed a powerful forehand smash on the right side of the table.

Lin Yunru pressed the straight line with his backhand.

Chen Jin bent his knees slightly, squatted down, tucked his wrists inward, and lowered them under his hips, intending to pull back.

Unexpectedly, the ball grazed the edge of the net.

"!"

Chen Jin quickly restarted the engine and moved aside at an extremely fast speed.

Control the racket angle and lightly slice the blade.

Fortunately, his touch was excellent, and he managed to save the ball.

However, the ball speed is slow and the trajectory is high.

Seeing this, Cheng I-Ching quickly adjusted her stance and turned to the side to prepare for the shot.

"Snapped!"

Forehand smash.

However, she underestimated the spin of Chen Jin's slice shot.

Too many impacts and too little friction.

歘!
The ball went into the net.

15: 13.

The score is 3-2.

(End of this chapter)