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

Chapter 502 Chen Jin and Ye Sijia vs. Lin Shidong and Kuai Man! Winning the Mixed Doubles Championship!

Local time, 8 p.m.

There is one hour left before the mixed doubles final begins.

Although it was the final, the atmosphere before the match was not as tense because it was an internal battle.

Chen Jin, Ye Sijia, Lin Shidong, and Kuai Man arrived at the training hall early to warm up.

Inside the venue, the lights were on.

Apart from a few people, it was completely empty.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

The crisp sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock echoed even louder in the otherwise quiet venue.

After a round of sparring, they were covered in sweat.

The four players paused training to wipe their sweat and drink water.

"Let's get things settled before the competition even starts."

Lin Shidong put one hand on his hip, took a sip of water, and said with a smile, "Whoever wins later will treat everyone to dinner."

"no problem."

Before Chen Jin could speak, Ye Sijia readily agreed, a confident smile on her face, "We're treating this meal."

In yesterday's women's singles round of 16, she defeated the formidable Sun Yingsha, who is ranked number one in the world.

Today, she defeated Hina Hayata and advanced to the women's singles semifinals.

These two victories, against formidable opponents, boosted her confidence to an unprecedented level.

"So confident?"

Lin Shidong smiled and asked Kuai Man beside him, "Kuai Man, what do you think?"

"I also want to treat everyone, what should I do?"

Kuai Man smiled.

"I'll definitely let you treat me next time."

Ye Sijia blinked.

The key point is that, apart from this mixed doubles match, the two have...

The women's singles semifinals will also be played tomorrow.

Undoubtedly, this mixed doubles final served as a warm-up match for the two.

"Chen Jin".

Kuai Man looked at Chen Jin and said, "During the match later, you'd better hold back a little and don't hit me, or I'm afraid I'll get disfigured."

"That depends on whether Brother Stone will go easy on you."

Chen Jin smiled.

"You can pull it down!"

Lin Shidong looked dejected. "I lost to Tomokazu Harimoto in the singles today. My wrist is still sore, and I'm not in good form."

"Besides, who doesn't know you now?"

"You dare to say something like that, asking me to go easy on you?"

Hear the words.

Chen Jin chuckled.

He immediately reached out and patted Lin Shidong on the shoulder.

"fine."

Chen Jin laughed and said, "Brother Stone, I'll avenge you in tomorrow's men's singles semi-final."

"Okay, I've written it down!"

Lin Shidong said, "If we can beat Zhang Ben 11-0 tomorrow, we absolutely cannot beat him 11-1. We must not give him any points."

"Watch out!"

Chen Jin smiled.

A confident smile curved his lips.

The four looked at each other and smiled.

However, this private harmony and laughter will not carry over into the upcoming finals.

They both knew that once they stepped onto the final stage, they would be all-out opponents.

The best way to respect the game and your opponent is to go all out and finish them off decisively.

……

9:10 PM.

The mixed doubles final started on time.

The entrance to the backstage area.

In the shadows where the spotlight has yet to shine, the four main characters are already in place.

"ladies and gentlemen!"

The host's voice, like a rousing bugle call, instantly ignited the passion of the entire audience: "Please welcome our finalists tonight with the warmest applause!"

The spotlight, like a sharp sword, suddenly cleaved through the darkness of the passageway.

A wave of cheers surged forth.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia took the lead and appeared on the field with firm steps.

"Chen Jin, keep it up!"

"Ye Sijia, keep going!"

……

The fans in the stadium shouted loudly.

As Ye Sijia walked down the runway, she could still feel her heart pounding as if it were drumming in her ears.

"take it easy……"

Ye Sijia reminded herself, "Focus on the competition, stay focused, be decisive and resolute, and don't hold the team back."

Lin Shidong and Kuai Man, who followed closely behind, also had calm expressions and walked with ease.

Without the shared sense of camaraderie in external battles, internal battles often put players to a greater test of their mental fortitude and performance under pressure.

Both sides know each other inside and out, and there are no secret weapons to speak of.

It's a contest of raw skills, tactical execution, mental resilience in critical moments, and absolute trust in your partners.

Handshake before the match.

The moment fingertips touch is both politeness and a declaration of war.

Guess the first one, warm up with a practice match.

The ping-pong ball traced white afterimages above the table.

The crisp sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock, like the drumbeats before a battle, resonated in everyone's ears.

The sparring session ended quickly.

The referee raised his hand to signal.

The competition officially begins.

first round.

0: 0.

Ye Sijia served first.

"laugh!"

Diagonal, shorter on the lower side.

Kuai Man shrugged.

Chen Jin controlled the swing back.

Lin Shidong quickly chopped Ye Sijia's middle-side backhand.

Ye Sijia uses a backhand flick.

However, due to insufficient friction, the net was turned off.

0: 1.

"mine."

Ye Sijia was somewhat annoyed by her mistake and took the initiative to take responsibility.

"It's not a big problem."

Chen Jin said in a low voice, "After all, it's our first time playing against them. In the first few points, we'll mainly be testing the waters and adapting to their tactics and rhythm as quickly as possible."

"clear."

Ye Sijia nodded.

In the following matches, the Lin Shidong/Kuai Man pair clearly got into the game much faster.

The two have been partners for some time and already have a good understanding of each other.

Lin Shidong's singles loss did not have any impact on him.

This, on the contrary, fueled his even stronger desire to win.

With his backhand topspin and backhand smash, his single-ply quality was extremely high, repeatedly tearing through Ye Sijia's defenses.

Kuai Man's strength is also top-notch.

Whether it's short parries and long chops, or continuous rallies, they are all excellent.

Their offensive and defensive partnership was seamless.

His positioning and coverage were almost flawless.

At the start, Lin Shidong and Kuai Man took a 5-1 lead.

Taking advantage of the moment while wiping away sweat.

"The opponent is closely marking our middle-hand side, so we need to be extra careful when we move to cover for them."

Chen Jin said in a low voice, "There's no need to put all your strength into every move, as that's more likely to lead to mistakes. Just defending against one move is fine."

"When attacking, pay attention to the placement of your shots."

Despite Chen Jin and Ye Sijia's efforts to adjust and try to stabilize the situation.

However, the combination of Lin Shidong and Kuai Man has already gained momentum.

11: 8.

Lin Shidong/Kuai Man took the first point.

Back on the sidelines.

The break between sets lasts only a few dozen seconds.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia whispered to each other, discussing tactics.

In the exchange of glances, a new consensus seemed to have been reached.

Second round.

1: 1.

Chen Jinfa went to the ball.

A seemingly ordinary hook shot, with a subtle flick of the wrist at the moment of contact with the ball.

This led Lin Shidong to mistakenly believe it was an upspin.

Unexpectedly, it didn't turn around.

Lin Shidong's swing was short, but the arc rose high.

"Chance!"

Ye Sijia, as if she had caught the scent of her prey, swiftly turned to the side and unleashed a powerful front-hand strike.

Snapped!
The ball, with astonishing speed, slammed towards the opponent's forehand side in the middle of the table.

Kuai Man was unable to save the ball in time.

2: 1.

"nice shot!"

Chen Jin cheered loudly.

He gave Ye Sijia a big high-five in celebration.

The moment palms touch, what is conveyed is not only strength, but also confidence.

This one point was like opening the floodgates.

Ye Sijia completely let go of her burdens.

Since defeating Sun Yingsha and Hayata Hina, it's as if she's broken free of an invisible shackle that bound her, allowing her to see a higher perspective.

It also made her believe that she was fully capable of standing on this stage and performing freely.

She no longer doubted herself; her eyes shone with unwavering determination, and her actions became even more decisive and ruthless.

Forehand attack, every shot is a powerful smash.

A quick backhand rip, fast and ruthless.

In a sustained stalemate, he not only withstood the opponent's attacks but also took the initiative to exert force, creating more opportunities for Chen Jin to turn his body and strike decisively.

The rhythm of the match was completely controlled by the Chen Jin/Ye Sijia pair.

The two players' transitions became smoother.

The transition between offense and defense was as smooth as flowing water.

Chen Jin was responsible for strong mid-to-long-range output and securing crucial points, while Ye Sijia held an absolute advantage in the first three rebounds and close-to-the-table speed. 11:5.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia decisively won back a point.

The score is 1-1.

The score is tied.

The third game became the key to the entire match, and both sides were well aware of its importance.

Lin Shidong and Kuai Man were clearly unwilling to relinquish the initiative easily and intensified their struggle.

They are even more ruthless, especially when it comes to the hair-giving and receiving phase.

They attempted to use Ye Sijia as a breakthrough point to suppress her again.

1: 1.

2: 2.

2: 4.

6: 6.

……

The score went back and forth.

It's like two top masters dueling on a tightrope at the edge of a cliff.

Even the slightest mistake could lead to utter ruin.

8: 7.

Lin Shih-tung/Kuai Man are leading by one point.

Key points.

Lin Shidong serves.

Short forehand stroke with sidespin.

Ye Sijia decisively chopped a long shot, heading straight for Kuai Man's backhand baseline.

Kuai Man raised the board and rushed forward at an angle.

Chen Jin unleashes a powerful forehand smash.

Lin Shidong pulled back.

Ye Sijia barely managed to defend.

Kuai Man quickly ripped the ball down the line with her backhand, the ball flying like lightning towards Chen Jin's backhand corner.

Chen Jin leaped forward, and before his body was fully in position, he used his amazing core strength and feel to scoop a wide diagonal shot with his backhand.

The ping-pong ball traced an unpredictable arc, returning to Lin Shidong's backhand corner.

Lin Shidong had already moved into position, his wrist tucked inward, poised to unleash a powerful smash.

"Snapped!"

This shot was powerful and heavy.

It's fast.

This was a sure-fire kill!
Like a meteorite, it crashed towards Ye Sijia's backhand side.

Ye Sijia gritted her teeth and stepped forward.

Use your body weight to meet the incoming ball and firmly press down on the racket.

boom!
The ball hits the racket.

Penetrating the base plate.

The shock made Ye Sijia's hand tremble.

The racket almost slipped from my hand.

However, Ye Sijia managed to hold off the ball and return it to its original position.

Using the opponent's force against them, the ball moves very fast.

the other side.

Kuai Man adjusted her footing and slid sideways.

"Snapped!"

Forehand smash.

However, she is a girl after all.

Their strength and speed are, after all, inferior to those of men.

What's more, the person she was facing was Chen Jin.

In Chen Jin's eyes, this sudden surge in quality was nothing but a flaw.

The instant Kuai Man made her move.

Chen Jin flashed away.

It seems they had anticipated Kuai Man's landing point and moved into position in advance.

Turn your waist to prepare for the shot.

He was like a crossbow ready to be released.

Facing the initial descent of the incoming ball.

The power of the whole body starts from pushing off the ground with the feet, passes through the waist, hips and arms, and is finally fully poured into the racket.

"Snapped!"

The racket and the ball work together perfectly.

He sprinted sideways and charged straight ahead with explosive speed, as if a stone had shattered the sky.

whoosh-

The ping-pong ball, like a shooting star tearing through the air, hurtled towards Lin Shidong's backhand sideline with a piercing sound and a speed too fast for the naked eye to perceive.

Lin Shidong retreated to the mid-to-long range, trying to pull back with a backhand.

However, he underestimated the quality of Chen Jin's attacks.

The speed was too fast, and I couldn't match the timing.

"Break!"

It hit the edge of the board and flew out of bounds at an angle.

8: 8.

“Wow——!!!”

The whole place was boiling.

"Boiled!"

Chen Jin clenched his fist and roared.

With a snap, he high-fived Ye Sijia in celebration.

If Ye Sijia hadn't withstood Lin Shidong's explosive attack, how could Chen Jin have scored on the counterattack?
This shot not only secured a crucial point.

More importantly, morale soared.

Then, they pressed their advantage and attacked.

11: 9.

The score is 2-1.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia successfully overtook them.

After the thrilling comeback at the end of the third game, the outcome of the fourth game seemed to be predetermined.

The scales of victory continued to tip in favor of Chen Jin and Ye Sijia.

The two worked together more and more seamlessly, their understanding and tacit agreement becoming increasingly profound.

Chen Jin's two heavy cannons are still incredibly powerful, but they require even more attention to the landing point and control.

Ye Sijia's transition was lightning fast.

The pace of the game, sometimes a whirlwind of fast attacks, sometimes a patient maneuver and control, was entirely dictated by the injuries to Chen Jin and Ye Sijia.

This kept Lin Shidong and Kuai Man busy, unable to find an effective solution.

Although Lin Shidong and Kuai Man never gave up and fought hard to catch up.

They even called a timeout when they were down 2-6, trying to break the opponent's momentum.

After the timeout, the two players did manage to score two points back.

However, Chen Jin and Ye Sijia quickly regained control of the situation.

10: 5.

Chen Jin and Ye Sijia took the lead and secured the game point.

It is also the turning point of the match.

It's also the championship point.

"Whoo~"

Ye Sijia holds a ping-pong ball and stands at the serve position.

Thump, thump, thump...

She could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest, almost shattering her ribs.

"Hold on!"

"Don't get excited!"

"Serve well!"

Take another deep breath and clear all distracting thoughts from your mind.

He lowered his head and his gaze fell on the ping-pong ball in his hand.

It was as if this was the whole world!

The ball is tossed into the air, and the racket is pulled back.

"laugh!"

Lateral downward rotation.

Under pressure, Kuai Man dared not take risks and cautiously addressed her shortcomings.

Return the ball to Chen Jin's center, slightly off-center.

Chen Jin quickly stepped forward.

Lower your shoulders and raise your elbows.

Lean forward and tuck your wrists inward.

Seeing that Chen Jin was about to twist the object with force, Lin Shidong subconsciously took half a step back.

however.

Just before the racket makes contact with the ball.

Chen Jin suddenly changed his tactics.

With a flick of the wrist, hardness is transformed into softness.

He returned a short, floaty ball with an extremely tricky landing point, heading straight for Lin Shidong's forehand corner.

The ball speed is not fast, but the arc is low and flat, and the second bounce does not go off the table.

Lin Shidong was scammed!

Taking a half-step back caused him to lose the best hitting point.

In a hurry, he strode forward.

His body had lost its balance, making it impossible for him to launch a high-quality attack.

I could only manage to chip the ball back.

Extremely poor control.

The arc is high, and the speed is slow.

opportunity!

Golden opportunity!

It was like a piece of fatty meat being offered to one's mouth.

Ye Sijia was already on high alert.

With a clear eye on the incoming ball, without the slightest hesitation, the footwork is precisely adjusted, and the body moves forward.

"Snapped!"

Forehand smash.

The ping-pong ball transformed into a white lightning bolt, accompanied by a whistling sound, and hurtled towards the opponent's right side of the table.

When Chen Jin made that clever return shot, Kuai Man had already realized the danger.

As soon as Lin Shidong made his move, she desperately moved towards her backhand side.

Ultimately, it was beyond their reach.

The white ball had already crashed off the table and bounced away before she could extend her racket.

The score is now set.

11: 5.

The match is over.

The score is 3-1.

The pair of Chen Jin and Ye Sijia defeated Lin Shidong and Kuai Man.

Win the mixed doubles title at the 2025 WTT USA Grand Slam!

(End of this chapter)