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

Chapter 356 Men's Doubles Wins the Championship!

2 month 8 day.

The penultimate day of the WTT Singapore Grand Slam.

The men's doubles final will be held at 1 p.m.

Chen Jin/Zhang Jiahao VS Lin Yun-Ju/Gao Cheng-Rui.

Arrive at the venue an hour early for warm-up training.

Lin Yunru and Gao Chengrui arrived at the training hall first and were sitting and stretching.

Looking up, I saw Chen Jin, Zhang Jiahao, Xie Mingyang, Huang Youzheng, and Li Qian walking in.

As the two leading men in this men's doubles final, Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao naturally took center stage.

Chen Jin smiled slightly, his eyes calm.

Zhang Jiahao, on the other hand, was beaming with excitement, rubbing his hands together, eager to try.

"Chen Jin".

As Chen Jin approached, Lin Yunru stopped what he was doing, raised his hand to greet him, and said, "It's you again."

Yesterday's quarter-final match was a crushing defeat, and I'm still feeling lingering fear.

They clashed again the following night.

Lin Yun-ru has a sense of helpless fatalism.

"Yes."

Chen Jin smiled slightly, "Perhaps, this is fate."

fate?

More like a tragic love affair!

The bitterness in Lin Yunru's smile deepened instantly.

Gao Chengrui, who was standing next to him, did not speak.

His gaze shifted and landed on Xie Mingyang.

Two days ago, he was defeated by Xie Mingyang and stopped in the round of 16.

I have a particularly deep impression of Xie Mingyang.

Feeling Gao Chengrui's gaze, Xie Mingyang raised an eyebrow and glanced at him indifferently.

A defeated opponent, I have no interest in him!
After chatting with Lin Yunru for a few more minutes, Chen Jin followed the team and chose a table to train at.

"I didn't expect Lin Yun-ju and Kao Cheng-jui to make it to the men's doubles final."

Zhang Jiahao said in a low voice.

Lin Yun-Ju is alright, after all, he is one of the F4 of foreign associations, a left-handed player who should not be underestimated in the world of table tennis.

However, Gao Chengrui was not well-known.

"Don't underestimate Gao Chengrui."

Li Qian said solemnly, "Although Gao Chengrui is young, he has a lot of drive."

"Moreover, he and Lin Yun-ju often partner in men's doubles, have great chemistry, and are very experienced on the court."

"Underestimating your opponent before a match is a big no-no. Just like Chen Jin said before, you should always look up to your opponent."

Hear the words.

Zhang Jiahao stiffened, immediately stopped joking, and nodded, saying, "Understood."

He is now just one step away from winning his first international men's doubles title.

We must not let our underestimation of our opponents cause us to miss out on the championship.

If I've worked so hard to get to where I am today, and all that effort is wasted at the last minute, that would be absolutely awful!
With this in mind, Zhang Jiahao became even more serious.

And the other side.

Lin Yun-ju and Gao Cheng-rui's coaches are also having pre-match tactical discussions with their players.

"Chen Jin's strength, whether in singles or doubles, is undeniable."

The coach's voice was low and somber. "Therefore, it's impossible for us to find a breakthrough by targeting Chen Jin."

"Our only chance is Zhang Jiahao."

"So, during the game, keep a close eye on him."

"As long as we keep an eye on Zhang Jiahao, our chances of winning the championship will greatly increase..."

The words are not finished yet.

Hearing Gao Chengrui ask, "Coach, what do you think our chances of winning the championship are?"

"Fifty percent, I guess."

The coach thought for a moment and said.

"so tall?"

Gao Chengrui laughed and said, "I thought it was less than ten percent."

"The 50% I mentioned is based on the premise that you keep a close eye on Zhang Jiahao and he performs exceptionally well."

The coach glanced at him and said, "Otherwise, let alone ten percent, the chance is less than ten per thousand."

Gao Chengrui: "..."

Damn it, with such a low win rate, how the hell am I supposed to play?
Let's just surrender with weapons!

"I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to recognize the gap between us."

The coach continued, "Precisely because of their low win rate, if you want to beat them, you must fight tooth and nail and not take any chances."

"Winning is a huge bonus, losing is no loss, just go all out when the time comes."

He listened silently to the conversation between the coach and Gao Chengrui.

Lin Yunru remained silent.

A one in a thousand chance of winning?
No, you guys are being way too optimistic.

With Chen Jin around, a one in ten thousand chance of winning would be considered pretty good.

The course of the final confirmed Lin Yun-ju's idea.

The score relentlessly continued to climb.

First game, 11:7.

Second game, 11:5.

Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao's teamwork was like perfectly meshed gears, working seamlessly together.

Chen Jin's performance speaks for itself.

As always, quick, accurate, and ruthless.

Positioning, covering, anticipation, line control, forehand and backhand continuity... all were flawless, like a stabilizing force.

This was expected, so it's nothing special.

But, unexpectedly.

Zhang Jiahao seemed like a completely different person; he became unusually excited as soon as the competition started.

The fighting is fierce and the transitions are smooth.

Like a swift sword drawn from its sheath, it lashed out freely amidst the impenetrable defenses Chen Jin had constructed.

The combination of Lin Yun-ru and Gao Cheng-rui is technically superb.

However, under the relentless bombardment from Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, he was somewhat overwhelmed and could hardly breathe.

The pre-match tactic of "using Zhang Jiahao as the breakthrough point" failed without a fight.

Lin Yun-Ju's signature all-Taiwan reverse twist, the landing point of the line is always blocked by Chen Jin in advance.

Gao Chengrui's powerful forehand attacks were repeatedly met with a fatal blow from Zhang Jiahao.

"Did Zhang Jiahao take gunpowder?"

Even the coaches sitting on the sidelines frowned upon seeing Zhang Jiahao's transformation, finding it hard to understand: "How did he suddenly become so fierce?"

He ultimately underestimated Zhang Jiahao's desire to win the championship.

In the third game.

Lin Yun-ru and Gao Cheng-rui are fighting a desperate battle.

Forced entry, a frenzied battle.

The score was once tied at 9-10.

Although Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao had reached match point, a difference of just one point was enough for their opponents to turn the tide.

The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat tense.

The stadium lights were so bright they shone blindingly, illuminating the central table like a gladiatorial arena.

Almost everyone's eyes were focused on the small white ball in Chen Jin's hand.

Standing slightly to the right of the center line, with his body slightly hunched and his center of gravity low, his gaze was sharp as lightning.

The scene was completely silent.

The few seconds of silence before the serve were incredibly heavy, enough to break your nerves.

Toss the ball and prepare to swing.

A side spin, not fast, but with strong spin and a subtle arc, went straight for Lin Yun-ju's backhand corner.

This shot landed in a tricky spot and spun unpredictably.

It grazed the white edge of the net, floated down lightly, bounced up for a moment, and then plummeted down again.

Originally, Lin Yunru wanted to take a gamble.

However, forcibly twisting and pulling is unlikely to be sustainable.

In the nick of time, Lin Yun-ju ultimately chose the safest way to receive the serve.

Step forward and swing short with a backhand.

Zhang Jiahao stepped forward and swung back.

Gao Chengrui continued in the console.

Chen Jin gently lifted it up.

Lin Yunru rubbed his long hair.

The landing point is slightly to the right of the center line.

The curve is neither too high nor too low.

However, it was only partially released.

"Chance!"

Zhang Jiahao's pupils suddenly contracted.

With a push of his feet, he moved like a cheetah, instantly sidestepping to create space.

The left leg pushes off the ground, and the waist and abdomen suddenly explode.

He swung his arm in a wide arc, then flung it out with explosive force. Whoosh!
The racket whistled through the air as it slammed into the white ball that had just bounced up.

"Snapped!"

A powerful forehand smash down the line.

A blinding white light, like a cannonball, whistled past the top of the net.

Its speed, power, and angle were so extreme that they exceeded the limits of human reaction.

The ball slammed heavily onto the far corner of Lin Yun-ru's forehand side, producing a dull, resounding thud like a heavy hammer striking a drum.

"boom--"

The ball landed.

It bounced off and rolled away.

"Choo-hoo!"

Wang Hao had already leaped to his feet, his fists clenched, and roared angrily.

At this moment, the heavy weight that had been hanging over my heart can finally be lifted.

After all, it was he who strongly recommended the pairing of Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

He was still worried that the two of them might not be able to withstand the pressure and win the men's doubles title at the Singapore Grand Slam.

Fortunately, the two did not disappoint.

How could Wang Hao not be excited?
More importantly, he saw an unusual level of tacit cooperation between Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

Nowadays, there are not many doubles pairs in men's table tennis.

The coaching staff has already made preliminary plans for the lineup at the Doha World Table Tennis Championships.

Aside from singles, Wang Chuqin only plays mixed doubles.

As for the men's doubles, other players will be selected.

Liang Jingkun, Huang Youzheng, Lin Shidong, Lin Gaoyuan, Xiang Peng, Yuan Licen... are all within the scope of consideration.

However, judging from past competitions, these men's doubles pairs have never been as good as Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

"With this men's doubles championship, Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao will have a much greater chance of going to Doha."

Wang Hao already had a plan in mind.

"Zhu--"

Zhang Jiahao's roar exploded instantly.

The moment he won the match, he threw down his racket and, like a wild horse, spread his arms and ran wildly around the table.

Sweat splattered with his movements, and his face was contorted with ecstatic joy.

He grabbed his collar with both hands, as if to tear it.

Unfortunately, the jersey was of such good quality that even after several attempts to tear it, I couldn't get it to work and had to give up.

Doha!

Zhang Jiahao raised his left arm, clenched his fist, and roared with all his might.

Such primal and surging passion instantly ignited the entire venue.

All of a sudden.

Applause and cheers swept through the entire stadium like a tsunami.

Chen Jin stood still, a faint smile playing on his lips, his expression calm.

Watching Zhang Jiahao run and celebrate with abandon, her face remained largely expressionless.

His lips twitched slightly, like a gentle breeze sweeping across a frozen lake.

He bent down to pick up the racket that Zhang Jiahao had thrown on the ground, then raised his hand and waved gently towards the cheering audience.

At this moment.

Sudden.

Then a loud shout rang out: "Brother Jin!"

Looking up, he saw Zhang Jiahao suddenly lunging at him.

On the high stands, Liu Guoliang, Qin Zhijian, Li Xun, and other top players of the Chinese national table tennis team sat side by side.

The excitement and clamor of the stadium seemed to be separated from them by an invisible barrier.

"Good boy."

Watching Zhang Jiahao sprint around the field, Li Xun smiled slightly, "He still wants to tear his jersey."

"Fortunately, we learned from past mistakes, and the quality of the jerseys now is much better than before."

Liu Guoliang's face didn't show much expression: "Zhang Jiahao performed well in this game and deserves praise."

"How about... we let them try Doha?"

This statement came out.

Li Xun and Qin Zhijian exchanged a glance.

"It's not impossible."

Qin Zhijian pondered for a moment and said, "How about we hold a direct qualification tournament for men's doubles?"

"I think it's okay."

Li Xun nodded.

"Men's Doubles Qualifying Tournament?"

Liu Guoliang seemed to be deep in thought.

"Don't fix the partners, arrange and mix them up, let everyone try, see what kind of sparks can be created with different people, and what the chemistry is like."

Qin Zhijian said, "Perhaps the combination of Chen Jin and Huang Youzheng will be more effective than Zhang Jiahao."

"Ah."

Liu Guoliang nodded, "We can give it a try."

As he spoke, he suddenly stood up and straightened his clothes.

Next.

That was the awards ceremony.

Under the spotlight, the men's doubles championship trophy gleamed.

Liu Guoliang personally went on stage to present the award to the champion.

Liu Guoliang smiled and gently patted Chen Jin's cheek as he hung a gold medal around Chen Jin's neck.

"Both Macau and Doha, keep up the good work!"

Liu Guoliang said in a low voice.

"Yes."

Chen Jin nodded emphatically.

Then it was Zhang Jiahao's turn.

Zhang Jiahao's face was flushed with excitement, and his whole body was trembling.

"Played well."

Liu Guoliang patted Zhang Jiahao on the shoulder, his gentle gaze filled with encouragement, "Neither the coaching staff nor I were wrong."

"Fortunately, the jersey was of good quality, otherwise you would have lost your prize money for this tournament."

Hear the words.

Zhang Jiahao stuck out his tongue and gave an awkward smile.

"Prepare well for Doha."

Liu Guoliang continued.

These words were like a shot in the arm.

Zhang Jiahao felt a chill run down his spine, his eyes instantly shining brightly, and he nodded vigorously.

"Don't worry, Coach Liu."

Zhang Jiahao said firmly, "Jin Ge and I will definitely live up to your expectations."

……

lounge.

The noise subsided for a while.

Zhang Jiahao hung his men's doubles championship medal around his neck; it was gleaming gold.

His swaying gait as he walked was extremely eye-catching.

"Hey Xie, did you see that?"

Zhang Jiahao's voice boomed, brimming with undisguised pride, as he raised the medal to his chest, shouting, "Gold! Champion!"

"Show off."

Xie Mingyang didn't even raise his head.

"Hey, hey, hey, what kind of attitude is this, Xie?"

Zhang Jiahao looked displeased. "You can disrespect me, but you can't disrespect the champion."

After saying that, he took small, quick steps, raised the medal again, and waved it in front of Xie Mingyang.

"cut!"

Getting a little impatient with Zhang Jiahao, Xie Mingyang snorted coldly, "Do you know why this medal you're holding is gold?"

"It's all thanks to Chen Jin."

"With Chen Jin's strength, even a dog could win if it were tied to his side."

His words were barbed.

It was initially thought that Zhang Jiahao would be discouraged by this.

However, Xie Mingyang ultimately underestimated Zhang Jiahao's shamelessness.

“You’re absolutely right, very right, and extremely right.”

Zhang Jiahao grinned, "But I have a gold medal."

"..."

Xie Mingyang turned around, his back to Zhang Jiahao, choosing to completely ignore him.

Seeing this, Zhang Jiahao chuckled and said, "Jealousy can make people unrecognizable... Even the guy surnamed Xie doesn't dare to look directly at my handsome face. Is he afraid that the brilliance of my gold medal will blind him?"

Ignoring him, Xie Mingyang said to Chen Jin, "For you, the match tonight is the main event, isn't it?"

"Correct."

Chen Jin nodded. "I've arranged to meet Lin Shidong at 5 PM for warm-up training."

(End of this chapter)