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

Chapter 498 VS Tanaka Yuta, Chen Jin's Kingly Aura!
"昘——"

A small white ball suddenly transformed into a shooting star, streaking through the air before crashing to the ground.

The vast stadium was completely silent.

This silence is not a vacuum.

Instead, it was filled with a complex mix of emotions: astonishment, surprise, disappointment, and disbelief.

Like a mountain range, it weighed heavily on the hearts of every fan who supported Sun Yingsha at the scene.

11: 9.

7: 11.

11: 5.

11: 9.

The score was displayed on a large screen suspended in mid-air.

The scoreline was glaring, but it revealed an indisputable fact.

Ye Sijia pulled off a major upset, defeating Sun Yingsha, the top seed and favorite to win the US Grand Slam women's singles tournament, with a score of 3-1.

Sun Yingsha was eliminated in the round of 16!
Not long ago, the air here was still filled with thunderous cheers for Sun Yingsha.

At this moment, only the low hum of the air conditioner remains.

Even Ye Sijia herself was stunned.

Looking at the figure across from me, a figure I once looked up to, and seeing Sun Yingsha's slightly lowered head, a strong sense of unreality welled up in my heart.

Won?

Did I really win?
In that instant, Ye Sijia's mind went almost completely blank.

"what--!!!"

A cathartic shout burst forth from his throat.

Like a fledgling phoenix making its first cry.

He raised his arms high, his body trembling slightly with excitement.

Tears mingled with sweat, silently sliding down her cheeks.

Before the competition, even she herself was not optimistic about herself.

She was well aware of the gap in ability between herself and Sun Yingsha.

They thought the outcome of the match was already decided.

But in the end, she turned the impossible into the possible through her perseverance and precise tactical execution.

Even she herself didn't realize that during the competition, she seemed to have changed a little.

This change is thanks to his mixed doubles partnership with Chen Jin...

Just as Ye Sijia was filled with excitement and clenched her fist in celebration.

At this moment.

Sudden.

A burst of shouts, like a sandstorm, erupted from the stands.

"Sun Yingsha—"

You're the best!

……

"Sun Yingsha—"

You're the best!

……

It's as if Sun Yingsha is the winner of this match.

Sun Yingsha maintained her composure, walked to the net, and reached out her hand to Ye Sijia.

"Well played."

Sun Yingsha's voice was slightly hoarse, "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Ye Sijia quickly said, "Thank you, Sister Shasha."

……

Backstage.

Waiting area.

The atmosphere here is completely different from that at the stadium.

It was quieter, yet undercurrents were stirring.

The athletes about to take the stage are either resting with their eyes closed, warming up and stretching, or having final tactical exchanges with their coaches.

Chen Jin rested his chin on one hand, leaning slightly to one side as he sat on the sofa.

They stared intently at the live broadcast screen.

On the screen, the final point of the match between Ye Sijia and Sun Yingsha is playing.

And then there was that exciting moment after the match.

Seeing Ye Sijia defeat Sun Yingsha by a large margin of 3:1, Chen Jin couldn't help but smile.

"You really did it..."

Chen Jin muttered to himself.

The sound was so soft that only he himself could hear it.

In the women's singles match that just ended, Ye Sijia's playing style clearly showed some improvement.

With more decisive strikes, more agile footwork, and bolder angle adjustments, the tactics of shifting left and pressing right reminded Sun Yingsha of the fear she felt in the women's singles final at the Paris Olympics.

not far away.

Tanaka Yuta glanced over and happened to see Chen Jin's scene.

He curled the corners of his mouth, a smile like that of the Grim Reaper.

"!"

Tanaka Yuta's heart skipped a beat.

Instantly, a chill crept up his spine, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

Next up was his match against Chen Jin.

This was not the first time he and Chen Jin had faced off.

The last time the two met on the field was during last year's Lima regular season challenge.

At that time, Chen Jin was a newcomer, participating in an international competition for the first time.

However, the strength they have shown is only just beginning to emerge.

Now, almost a year has passed.

Yuta Tanaka is still stuck in the same place.

World ranking, outside the top 30.

Technical bottlenecks are difficult to overcome.
The competition ended in failure, with no results achieved.

In contrast, Chen Jin seemed to have been given a cheat code, and his career took off from there.

Not only did he reach the top of the world rankings, but he also won two singles titles, the World Cup and the World Championships.

Moreover, they have never suffered a defeat to this day.

He has become the undisputed king of table tennis today.

Their popularity was unparalleled for a time.

Tanaka Yu blushed as he recalled his mocking face in Lima.

However, he remains confident in this upcoming match.

"World's number one? It's not like I haven't beaten them before!"

Tanaka Yuta clenched his fists inwardly, "This time will be no exception!"

"Chen Jin, just you wait. I will shatter your invincible status with my own hands!"

"Tanaka Yuta, you just got it!"

A bit of self-motivation.

It was like a fire that ignited the passion within me.

My inner universe is about to explode.

My mind hasn't changed.

At this moment, staff came to notify them.

The match between Chen Jin and Tanaka Yuta is about to begin.

The lights were dazzling, and the music was rousing.

The moment the host called out the name "Chen Jin".

The scene erupted in cheers.

Cheers, applause, screams... all converged into a sea, surging towards Chen Jin from all directions.

Only the truly strong deserve to witness such a scene!

Chen Jin's expression was calm, and his steps were steady.

Amidst applause and cheers, they entered the stadium and waved to the crowd.

Unlike when he was waiting in the wings, his eyes were now sharp as an eagle's.

Every gesture he makes exudes an invisible aura of royalty.

It is the confidence and prestige built up through countless major competitions, defeating top players in the world of table tennis, stepping over the corpses of countless defeated opponents, and achieving one indisputable victory after another.

This powerful aura, like a mountain, pressed down on Tanaka Yuta on the opposite side.

"Gulu!"

Tanaka Yuta secretly swallowed.

Try your best to stand up straight and not show weakness in the face of adversity.

But, in the instant he shook hands with Chen Jin...

He could clearly feel the kingly aura emanating from Chen Jin, which made him slightly breathless.

Back then, during the Lima regular challenge, Chen Jin didn't exude this suffocatingly powerful pressure.

At that time, Chen Jin was more like a newly forged sword, its sharpness fully revealed.

But now, it is like a vast ocean, boundless and unfathomable.

Although it appears calm on the surface, it contains a terrifying power that can devour everything.

"Whoo~"

Tanaka Yuta exhaled a long breath.

Mustering her courage, she met Chen Jin's gaze.

Chen Jin's eyes were as calm as an ancient well, yet as sharp as lightning.

Even a hint of disdain flashed across his face: "You've already lost."

Startled, Tanaka Yuta quickly looked away.

Toss a coin and guess who goes first.

Yuta Tanaka won the right to serve in the first game.

Followed by.

This is a warm-up exercise for paired practice.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

The white ball bounces back and forth on both sides of the table.

Every shot Chen Jin makes is effortless, fluid, and natural, yet full of intimidation.

It's as if the person and the racket have long since become one.

Tanaka Yuta, on the other hand, seemed a little nervous.

Several shots resulted in uncharacteristic mistakes.

The warm-up is not over yet, but the difference in strength is already showing in the subtle details.

at the same time.

TV Tokyo.

In the WTT studio.

Takeshi Gouda and Koichiro Honekawa were already prepared to commentate on the match. "Welcome back, everyone!"

Takeshi Gouda's voice was powerful and resonant: "Now we are broadcasting live the WTT American Grand Slam, Men's Singles Round of 16, our player Yuta Tanaka, against the world's number one ranked Chen Jin."

"Yes, this match is very exciting."

Koichiro Honekawa added, "The Chinese player Chen Jin should be very familiar to viewers who frequently follow table tennis matches."

"He is the strongest table tennis player in the Chinese team after 'The Ferocious Tiger of the Empire,' 'The Destructive Dragon of the Empire,' and 'The Violent Panda of the Empire,' without a doubt!"

"What's terrifying is that at only sixteen years old, and less than a year after debuting on the international stage, he has won the singles titles of the World Cup and the World Championships, two top-level competitions."

"What's even more terrifying is that he has never lost a single match he has participated in so far!"

"This achievement is simply unbelievable!"

Koichiro Honekawa became more and more excited as he spoke, his words flowing freely in the passionate tone characteristic of Japanese commentators.

It's as if he's not introducing a billiards player.

Instead, it's introducing an invincible demon king.

"too strong!"

Takeshi Gouda clicked his tongue in praise, then changed the subject, "But, Honekawa-kun, there's a Chinese saying, 'Don't boost others' morale while diminishing your own.'"

"Actually, our Tanaka Yuta is just as strong."

"He is one of the main players of our Neon team, and he once defeated Wang Chuqin, who was ranked second in the world at the time."

At this moment.

On the live stream screen, a pre-match AI eight-dimensional technical analysis chart appeared in the lower left corner.

The small analytical chart clearly lists Tanaka Yuta's various technical indicators.

Strength: 7.

Speed: 9.

Forehand: 7.

Backhand: 9.

Serve: 5.

Defense: 8.

Experience: 8.

Mindset: 7.

"As can be seen from this AI analysis chart, Tanaka-kun's various skills are quite strong."

Takeshi Gouda said with satisfaction, "Backhand and speed are Tanaka-kun's scoring weapons."

"Power, forehand and serve are relatively weak."

Koichiro Honekawa nodded and added, "Yes, if Tanaka can perform exceptionally well today, especially in serve and return and backhand rallies, then he can still pose a significant threat to Chen Jin..."

The words are not finished yet.

At this moment, another AI analysis chart appeared on the screen.

This belongs to Chen Jin's eight-dimensional technology.

Strength: 100.

Speed: 100.

Forehand: 100.

Backhand: 100.

Serve: 100.

Defense: 100.

Experience: 100.

Mindset: 100.

Takeshi Gouda: "..."

Koichiro Kogawa: "???"

I originally thought that the technical data provided by AI was on a ten-point scale.

But now it seems it was actually a percentage system!
In the commentary box.

Takeshi Gouda and Koichiro Honekawa looked at each other and remained silent for a full two seconds.

"Uh……"

Takeshi Gouda smiled wryly, "This AI seems to have some problems."

"There's nothing we can do; Chen Jin is the world's number one."

Koichiro Honekawa sighed and spread his hands. "These statistics... are exaggerated, but considering his past performance in matches, they seem... reasonable."

Just saying.

New AI predictions appeared on the screen again.

This is a good opportunity to change the subject.

"All right."

Takeshi Gouda hurriedly said, "The AI ​​has now given its prediction of the win rate for this match."

"Let's first look at Tanaka-kun's winning percentage..."

"Appeared!"

"Tanaka-kun's winning probability prediction is..."

Takeshi Gouda's voice, which had been somewhat impassioned, came to an abrupt halt.

It felt as if a sharp, swift knife had instantly severed his throat.

0.000001%???

Koichiro Honekawa rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things, his face full of disbelief, "A near...near-zero win rate???"

"This...this is truly despairing data!"

The key point is that this prediction was made by their own AI.

It's even more difficult to maintain composure.

"Cough cough cough."

Takeshi Gouda coughed a few times, trying to ease the awkwardness, "Although the statistics are disheartening, the game is unpredictable, and it depends on the player's condition and performance on the day."

"We believe that Tanaka-kun will definitely perform beyond his usual level and win!"

Honekawa Koichiro quickly added, "Right, right, AI predictions aren't always 100% accurate. The athletes still have to perform well on the day..."

While talking.

The match has officially begun.

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

Tanaka Yuta took a deep breath, suppressing his inner tension.

Toss the ball and prepare to swing.

"laugh!"

Short forehand stroke with sidespin.

Chen Jin stepped forward and twisted the diagonal line.

Tanaka Yuta countered with a forehand topspin, aiming directly at Chen Jin's left side of the table.

Chen Jin straddled the ball with his left leg and flicked it with his backhand.

"Snapped!"

Its power was like splitting the heavens, its speed like lightning.

The ping-pong ball, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, hurtled straight towards Tanaka Yuta's backhand corner.

Tanaka Yuta's reaction was already quite quick.

He moved quickly, attempting to block a shot with his backhand.

However, the ball's power, speed, and spin far exceeded his expectations.

"Break!"

The ball hit the edge of his racket and flew away.

0: 1.

Chen Jin secured a winning start.

Clean and efficient, without any unnecessary delays.

The rest of the match turned into a completely one-sided affair.

Chen Jin gave Tanaka Yuta no chance to catch his breath or adjust.

The serve is aggressive and fierce.

When receiving a serve, either directly flick the ball over your hand to create pressure.

Either through precise control, like binding a large crab, keeping Tanaka Yuta busy and unable to exert his strength.

During the rallies, Chen Jin demonstrated overwhelming strength in both his powerful forehand topspin and his quick backhand flicks.

"Ah—Tanaka-kun's backhand was completely suppressed by Chen Jin!"

"Chen Jin's forehand attacks were continuous... one shot, two shots, three shots... GG! The power was too great, each shot was heavier than the last. It's unbelievable that this is a sixteen-year-old boy!"

"It's over, it's over! Chen Jin has completely destroyed Tanaka-kun's forehand and backhand attacks. Tanaka-kun has no chance to fight back!"

"Ya Zhudie——"

Screams erupted from the commentary booth.

"1:11... Chen Jin easily won the first game."

Gouda Takeshi's face was pale, and he looked up at the sky and sighed, "The gap is still too big, it's despair-inducing."

"I hope Tanaka-kun can adjust well and win the next game."

however.

In the second game, the situation did not improve at all.

Tanaka Yuta attempted to break the deadlock by launching aggressive attacks.

However, no matter how he attacked, he appeared weak and powerless in the face of Chen Jin's airtight defense and counterattacks that could turn defense into offense at any time.

Even if you manage to hit one or two good shots occasionally, you can't consistently score points.

"3:11, Game 2, GG."

Takeshi Gouda smiled wryly, "It seems that Tanaka-kun's mentality is about to be destroyed as well."

"Yes."

Koichiro Honekawa sighed, "I see absolutely no hope. Anyone else would have their mentality collapse."

"Tanaka-kun, you must cheer up!"

"Just got it!"

Unfortunately, the miracle did not happen.

In the third game.

Chen Jin did not relax at all and continued to give it his all.

The handling of each ball becomes increasingly refined in order to avoid giving the opponent an opportunity.

Tanaka Yuta had become numb, and his eyes had lost their luster.

The machine runs, the machine returns the ball, and then you watch the ball fly past you again and again.

"1:10... Chen Jin gave up a point."

"Tanaka-kun has lost all fighting spirit and has returned a point."

"1:11, 3:0 score, match over!"

"Chen Jin swept Tanaka in less than 20 minutes to advance to the men's singles quarterfinals."

After a long silence, Takeshi Gouda and Koichiro Honekawa looked at each other with bitter smiles, drenched in sweat as if they had just been tortured. "Chen Jin is still too strong, so strong that it's despairing."

Throughout the match, the commentary booth of TV Tokyo seemed to have turned into a scene of carnage.

The screams and helpless sighs of the two commentators echoed throughout the entire performance.

Looking at the final score and statistics displayed on the screen, Chen Jin's score was far ahead, with almost every statistic showing a crushing advantage.

After a while.

Koichiro Honekawa then took a deep breath and broke the silence: "I have good news."

"what?"

Takeshi Gouda rallied his spirits.

"This match proved at least one thing."

Koichiro Honekawa said earnestly, "Our AI predictions are quite accurate."

(End of this chapter)