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

Chapter 504 Chen Jin is my true antidote!

7 month 12 day.

The penultimate day of the US Grand Slam.

The ultimate showdown is just around the corner.

Half past eleven in the morning.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, accompanied by Wang Hao, Xie Mingyang and Huang Youzheng, arrived at the training hall on time for their pre-match warm-up training.

However, some people arrived even earlier than them.

Near the entrance, at a pool table, Ahn Jae-hyun and Lim Jong-hoon were already sweating profusely.

Under the coach's fast, accurate, and ruthless ball distribution, the two are undergoing high-intensity footwork training.

Their footsteps moved swiftly, like the wind.

The rhythm of the shots was powerful and resounding.

The huge training room echoed with the intense sounds of hitting the ball, like setting off firecrackers during the Chinese New Year.

Meanwhile, Oh Sang-eun, the head coach of the South Korean men's table tennis team, stood quietly on the sidelines with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed intently on every technical detail of the two players.

He would occasionally whisper a few words of reminder in Korean, his demeanor serious and focused.

Wang Hao's gaze met Wu Shangyin's in mid-air.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

During their playing careers, they faced off in countless international competitions and knew each other well.

Now, the identity has changed.

Each took charge of coaching the men's table tennis team, and the competition on the court continued in a different form.

With a smile, Wang Hao took the initiative to step forward.

"Coach Wu."

Wang Hao greeted him, "You're here really early."

Hear the sound.

Wu Shangyin immediately turned around.

His previously serious expression softened somewhat.

He received his early training in China and speaks fluent Chinese, allowing him to communicate without any problems.

"Coach Wang."

Wu Shangyin grasped Wang Hao's outstretched hand. "You've unearthed another incredible genius! Are you trying to kill us all?"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted and involuntarily fell upon Chen Jin, who was not far away.

The eyes are complicated.

There was admiration, sighs, a hint of barely concealed envy, and a deep sense of apprehension.

I have faced the Chinese team repeatedly, both as a player and as a coach.

However, the Chinese team seemed like a mountain standing in their way, insurmountable.

"And it's a penhold backhand topspin."

Wu Shangyin turned his gaze back to Wang Hao, and said with a sigh, "Your mantle has been passed on."

As is well known, Wang Hao honed his penhold backhand topspin technique to its peak during his playing career.

However, later, the equipment underwent several reforms.

The penhold backhand style is facing a lack of successors.

Especially the Chinese team.

Apart from Xu Xin, the other penhold grip players don't have any particularly noteworthy achievements.

Now, Chen Jin's sudden emergence has brought back the glory of the penhold backhand topspin.

It even shows potential to surpass Wang Hao's achievements back then.

Wu Shangyin couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

Just like an old father hearing someone praise his promising eldest son, Wang Hao's smile instantly brightened even more.

The crow's feet at the corners of her eyes and brows seemed to have been tinged with pride and satisfaction.

"so far so good."

Wang Hao waved his hand, but his smile was harder to suppress than an AK's. "By the way, your current talent pool development is quite impressive."

"Zhang Yuzhen, Lin Zhongxun, An Zaixian, Zhao Dacheng..."

"And your son Wu Juncheng is also very capable and has a promising future."

Upon hearing this, Wu Shangyin gave a wry smile.

Our gaze shifts to Ahn Jae-hyun, who is making a desperate save on the field.

"Very strong?"

Wu Shangyin sighed, "Yesterday in the men's singles quarterfinals, Ahn Jae-hyun was just swept by Chen Jin, completely outmatched. Is that what you call strong?"

There was a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Yesterday's men's singles quarterfinal match is still fresh in my mind.

Despite being in top form and on fire, Ahn Jae-hyun was still shut out by Chen Jin by a wide margin.

The difference between the two is self-evident.

"You can't say that."

Wang Hao's smile faded slightly, and he said seriously, "A competition cannot be judged solely by winning or losing."

"I thought Ahn Jae-hyun was in great form yesterday. He has a strong fighting spirit and a very high potential..."

His words were not entirely polite.

Ahn Jae-hyun's fighting spirit in the face of defeat is indeed commendable.

Despite performing exceptionally well, they were ultimately shut out.

Wu Shangyin sighed again, "Coach Wang, where did you find such a monster?"

"At such a young age, you already possess such strength. How are we supposed to live for the next ten years or so?"

During the Paris Olympics, the head coach of the South Korean team was Joo Se-hyuk, who was once famous for his defensive style.

However, in the men's team quarterfinals, the South Korean men's table tennis team once again lost to the Chinese team led by Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, failing to reach the semifinals.

This brought Joo Se-hyuk to tears during his post-match interview.

Entering the Los Angeles Olympics cycle.

At the beginning of this year, Wu Shangyin was appointed to take over as head coach again in a time of crisis.

It was initially thought that with the gradual retirement of Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, the era of Long Pang would end, and the strength of the Chinese team would inevitably decline to some extent due to the painful transition of the team's development.

This will be a golden opportunity for the South Korean team, and even for other world powerhouses, to catch up.

But who would have thought that the Chinese team has such a profound foundation?

Before Long Pang had fully retired, Chen Jin emerged out of nowhere, quickly filling the gaps in the talent pool with overwhelming force.

In less than a year, his dominance on the field has become even more formidable and terrifying than that of Long Pang.

Wu Shangyin was very depressed.

There's a feeling of weakness and helplessness, like just having climbed over a mountain and about to see the dawn, only to find an even higher peak standing in front of you.

But what's done is done, and complaining is useless.

The only way is to face reality and redouble our efforts.

In the singles event, with Chen Jin as a formidable opponent, the chances are perhaps slim.

However, in doubles, they can still fight for a chance of survival by relying on teamwork and tactical arrangements.

For example, today's men's doubles final is an opportunity.

In fact, Wang Hao had secretly rejoiced and often woke up laughing in his dreams.

Long Pang's retirement once caused him great concern about the development of the men's table tennis team.

If it weren't for the celestial intervention of the Purple Star, which led to the discovery of Chen Jin.

The current situation of the men's table tennis team's talent pool is probably extremely difficult, and there may even be a lack of promising young players.

Chen Jin's value lies not only in his almost unbeatable singles prowess that dominates the court.

more importantly.

It provides the entire team with a sense of security, like a pillar of strength.

Although time has passed, Wang Hao often thinks back that if it weren't for Chen Jin carrying the men's doubles team, the men's doubles title at the Doha World Table Tennis Championships might have already changed hands, relying solely on Zhang Jiahao or other players.

"Chen Jin is my true cure!"

Wang Hao was filled with mixed emotions.

……

One p.m.

Orleans Stadium.

The hall was packed.

The battle drums of the men's doubles final have sounded here.

Beams of light, like sharp swords, focused on the table tennis table in the center of the arena.

The air was thick with the tense atmosphere of impending battle.

When the host on site shouted in an excited voice, "CHEN Jin, ZHANG Jiahao—China!"

A tremendous roar of cheers and applause surged forth like a tidal wave.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, dressed in red Chinese team jerseys, walked side by side with serious expressions.

With firm steps, they entered the arena.

In the stands, fans supporting the two players made up the vast majority.

Bright red five-star flags, as well as support banners for Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, can be seen everywhere.

Some even held up banners that read "World's No. 1 Men's Doubles," exuding an air of dominance.

The enthusiastic atmosphere made it feel as if this wasn't Las Vegas, but a home game.

"Having fought a hundred battles in golden armor, we vow not to return until we win the championship..."

Zhang Jiahao glanced around the audience, nudged Chen Jin lightly with his elbow, and said in a low voice with a hint of smugness, "Brother Jin, after we retire, let's just form a group and debut."

"Look at our popularity! Aren't we even more popular than those traffic stars?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Jin glanced coldly at Zhang Jiahao, his brows furrowing slightly: "What group are you forming? What kind of debut are you going to make?"

"Of course, it's singing."

Zhang Jiahao chuckled, "In this situation, I really want to burst into song."

"Stop!"

Chen Jin finally turned his head, glared at him, and said, "Don't say a word, we're on the same side."

“Uh…” Zhang Jiahao choked for a moment and awkwardly touched his nose.

at the same time.

the other side.

The South Korean team's rest area.

Looking at Ahn Jae-hyun and Lim Jong-hoon standing in front of him, Oh Sang-eun's expression was serious. He glanced at them and placed his hands on their shoulders.

"Although Chen Jin is very strong in singles, doubles is a game for two people."

Wu Shangyin's voice was deep and powerful: "Chen Jin's partner is Zhang Jiahao. Although they have won the Singapore Grand Slam and the Doha World Championships men's doubles titles, their dominance in doubles is far less terrifying than Chen Jin's in singles. There are still many weaknesses to be found."

"Ahn Jae-hyun, even though you lost the singles match yesterday, you must maintain that form and fighting spirit!"

"Lin Zhongxun, your backhand topspin and line change are our weapons, we must make good use of them."

"If you play well and cooperate closely, winning this men's doubles championship is not out of the question!"

His words and expression were full of encouragement.

Before the match, Wu Shangyin and the coaching staff repeatedly studied all of Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao's past doubles match videos in an attempt to find a breakthrough.

The final conclusion is—

"Try to resolve the issue within the first three or five boards, and avoid getting bogged down in too much stalemate and protracted struggle."

"The key is to suppress Zhang Jiahao's touch and prevent him from hitting those incredible shots."

"As long as Zhang Jiahao's form is suppressed, and he can't play smoothly or comfortably, Chen Jin alone cannot carry the team in doubles matches..."

Listen quietly to Wu Shangyin's instructions.

Ahn Jae-hyun nodded repeatedly.

Having just been decisively defeated by Chen Jin in the men's singles yesterday, he is burning with determination and eager to get his revenge in the doubles.

Their fighting spirit had already reached its peak.

Furthermore, Wu Shangyin's tactical arrangements and encouragement further boosted their confidence.

"Don't worry, coach."

A flame seemed to surge in Ahn Jae-hyun's eyes. "We understand."

Although Lin Zhongxun did not speak, his clenched fists and tightly pressed lips also revealed his resolute heart.

"Time—"

Just then, the referee's voice came.

Remind both players to enter the arena.

Chen Jin/Zhang Jiahao and Ahn Jae-hyun/Lim Chung-hoon walked from either side of the court to the center table.

They approached the referee.

Cross handshake.

Needless to say, Chen Jin remained expressionless, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well.

All emotions have been subdued.

All that remains is extreme focus.

Zhang Jiahao had also put away his usual playful demeanor, his gaze sharp.

His entire demeanor became somber and dangerous.

It's clear that both players are fully engaged in the game.

Like a warrior about to draw his sword.

Toss a coin to guess who will go first.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao raised their hands at the same time, tacitly indicating to each other to guess first.

Ultimately, luck was on their side without a doubt.

They won the right to serve in the first game.

Immediately afterwards, a two-minute warm-up sparring session began.

In their first encounter, both players used this brief time to carefully feel each other's ball trajectory, spin, and hitting intensity.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

The ping-pong ball flew through the air above the table, leaving trails of white afterimages.

The speed gradually increases, and the force gradually increases.

Zhang Jiahao's mind, however, recalled Chen Jin's words when he went on stage.

"Lim Jong-hoon is a left-handed player. He is one of the few players in the Korean team with high-quality topspin and strong ability to change direction. We need to pay special attention to his backhand topspin when receiving serves."

"Ahn Jae-hyun's forehand is more outstanding than his backhand. It is powerful and fast, especially when he is on the side, which is very threatening."

"So, when playing against them, we need to control the landing points as much as possible and put more pressure on their left side of the table, especially Ahn Jae-hyun's wide-angle forehand, so that we can't let him easily turn his body and exert force."

"In addition, their handling of short balls inside the table is a relative weakness, lacking finesse."

"We can add more variety to our serves and returns. Short balls should be shorter and have more spin, so we can control them and prevent them from getting a chance to attack easily."

The thinking is clear and the strategy is well-defined.

"With Brother Jin around, playing matches is so much fun."

Zhang Jiahao couldn't help but sigh to himself, "I basically don't need to use my brain; I just need to focus on executing the tactics."

Although he usually seems carefree and even a bit overconfident.

But in reality, he was well aware of the principle of being outwardly relaxed but inwardly focused.

Once on the field, facing an opponent, one never dares to be careless in the slightest.

His partner, Chen Jin, gave him a lot of peace of mind on a tactical level.

With Chen Jin, more energy can be devoted to the application of skills and on-the-spot adaptability.

My mind hasn't changed.

Warm-up sparring session is over.

first round.

0: 0.

Zhang Jiahao stood on the right side of the table and took a deep breath.

He held the ping-pong ball in his hand and gently rubbed it a few times.

His sharp gaze swept over Ahn Jae-hyun and Lim Jong-hoon, who were standing ready opposite him.

Chen Jin leaned slightly forward in the left half of the court, his body relaxed, ready to strike.

Like a cheetah lying in wait, ready to leap up at any moment and deliver a fatal blow to its opponent.

"Whoo~"

Zhang Jiahao bent over and lowered his center of gravity.

Then, he tossed the small white ball in his hand high into the air.

The whole world seemed to fall silent instantly.

"laugh!"

The friction sound was barely audible.

A short ball with strong sidespin spin is aimed straight at the opponent's right side of the table.

Ahn Jae-hyun was prepared and quickly took a step forward.

Determine the rotation and decisively shorten the swing.

Return the ball to Chen Jin's middle-side backhand position.

The trajectory and landing point are exquisitely controlled.

Chen Jin did not make a move, but instead steadily swung back.

Lin Zhongxun suddenly took a big step forward, seized the landing point, and twisted the ball with his backhand.

"昘——"

The ball speed suddenly increased, with strong sidespin, drawing a strange diagonal line, heading straight for Zhang Jiahao's backhand corner.

"nice shot!"

Zhang Jiahao secretly praised him, but his steps were not slow.

With a cross step, he quickly reached his position.

With a backhand flick, a side cut.

With a few deft strokes, relying solely on feel, the ball's sidespin was neutralized.

The ping-pong ball floated lightly towards Ahn Jae-hyun's backhand sideline.

Ahn Jae-hyun originally intended to forcefully turn and launch a side attack.

However, Zhang Jiahao's return shot was low, flat, and light, offering no leverage.

They had no choice but to cut off a piece of wood as a temporary measure, just to make sure they could get on stage first.

But he seemed to have forgotten that one of his opponents was Chen Jin!
This shot was like handing food to a tiger.

Chen Jin, who had been pacing the mid-to-close range with small, quick steps, resembled a cheetah hunting its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The moment Ahn Jae-hyun released his shot, he had already anticipated the trajectory and arc of the incoming ball.

Chen Jin quickly took a small step to the right and back, creating space to hit the ball.

The body's center of gravity is entirely on the right foot.

The waist and hips are like a fully drawn bowstring.

Lower your right arm to prepare for the shot and build up power.

"Snapped--!!!"

A loud, explosive sound of the ball being struck suddenly rang out.

Chen Jin swung his racket like a cannonball, channeling all his strength, and slammed it hard into the white ball.

The instant the racket makes contact with the ball.

The combined efforts were concentrated to the extreme.

Whoosh!
A white bolt of lightning, moving at a speed too fast for the naked eye to perceive, tore through the air and crashed towards the left side of the table with a piercing whistle.

"昘——"

The ball landed on the table and bounced up instantly.

Lin Zhongxun had just raised his backhand when the ball had already disappeared.

1: 0.

Swift and decisive, a fatal blow!
(End of this chapter)