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

Chapter 359 The World's Number One Has Changed Hands!

"@Lin Shidong, you can't even hold down a sixteen-year-old newcomer, what a waste of all those fans cheering for you... What use are you, you piece of trash!"

"They were played to death inside the arena, and then they were completely crushed in the back. No wonder they couldn't beat Chen Taisun. All their training has gone to waste?"

"To beat up Chen Taisun, we still need our big boss... What are those people who are relying on Lin Shidong thinking?"

"Lin Shidong, open your eyes wide, watch carefully, and learn from this. See how our Big Head will beat Chen Taisun in tomorrow's final."

"Lin Shidong's backhand mistakes today could fill a highlight reel, right? It gave me a stroke! With that kind of mentality, he should just retire already, stop taking up a spot on the national team!"

……

lounge.

Zhang Jiahao sat on a bench, holding his phone, idly scrolling through trending topics.

The hashtag #ChenJinDefeatsLinShidongToAdvanceToTheFinals# is mostly filled with insults, aside from posts congratulating Chen Jin.

The person being targeted is, without a doubt, Lin Shidong, who was once highly regarded by a certain fan group.

"It's too awful."

Zhang Jiahao frowned, somewhat unable to bear to look. "If I were Lin Shidong, I probably wouldn't dare to go online anymore."

"Two tigers fought, yet remained peaceful; it was the old wolf who was left covered in wounds..."

"Back then, weren't Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin on pretty good terms? One would slap you in the face, and the other would kiss you."

"How long has it been? How did it suddenly spoil?"

He was talking to himself, but no one responded.

My gaze shifted, and I saw Xie Mingyang sitting next to me, his eyes fixed on the game on the TV screen.

Upper bracket, semi-finals.

Wang Chuqin VS Liang Jingkun.

Turning off his phone screen and putting it in his pocket, Zhang Jiahao casually asked, "What round are we in? Who's leading?"

"The first game."

Xie Mingyang didn't even turn his head. "8:10, Wang Chuqin is in the lead."

"what?"

Zhang Jiahao curled his lip, "Wang Chuqin is actually in the lead, does that mean Liang Jingkun is going to lose?"

"uncertain."

Xie Mingyang said, "It's only the first game, and Liang Jingkun is a slow starter to begin with."

While talking.

With Wang Chuqin's half-out-of-bounds attack down the line, he broke through Liang Jingkun's backhand.

First game, 11:8.

Wang Chuqin won the first city.

Instantly.

The fans at the scene cheered as if nine thousand thundered.

"Wang Chuqin—"

"come on!"

……

"come on--"

"Wang Chuqin!"

The scene was grand and orderly.

It seemed that even the stadium's dome was about to collapse.

Even through the screen, you can still feel the fans' madness.

It's hard to imagine what Liang Jingkun, who was there, must have felt.

"Liang Jingkun, you have to prove yourself."

Zhang Jiahao clenched his fists, inwardly feeling indignant for Liang Jingkun, "I want to give these TZMs a good slap in the face."

more importantly.

This match will determine who becomes the world's number one.

If Wang Chuqin is eliminated in the semifinals, then the world number one spot will definitely change hands.

Chen Jin will reach the top of the world table tennis rankings, regardless of whether he wins the final or not.

Become the new world number one!

"The youngest and fastest world number one in history..."

Zhang Jiahao exclaimed excitedly, "I'm so honored! I'm so honored!"

My mind hasn't changed.

There was a creaking sound.

The bathroom door opens.

Chen Jin walked out while drying his still-damp hair.

"Everyone's watching the game."

Chen Jin asked, "Who's in the lead?"

"you guess."

Zhang Jiahao blinked and turned around with a smile.

"I guess it's Wang Chuqin."

Chen Jin said casually.

"Depend on."

Zhang Jiahao's mouth dropped open. "Brother Jin, you're amazing! You guessed so accurately!"

"It's not that exaggerated."

Chen Jin laughed and said, "As long as your eyesight is good enough, you can be just as amazing."

"..."

Zhang Jiahao then added, "Brother Jin, why don't you guess again, who will win between Wang Chuqin and Liang Jingkun?"

"Hard to say."

Chen Jin shook his head.

After all, the two are evenly matched in strength.

Otherwise, Liang Jingkun would not have become the emperor's personal mine-clearing general.

However, compared to Wang Chuqin, Liang Jingkun, this "leisurely prince," lacked some of the ferocity on the field.

But this competition is a little different.

With Long Pang retiring, this year presents a golden opportunity for Liang Jingkun.

Therefore, they put in their best effort.

If Liang Jingkun were to fight back fiercely, it would be hard to say who would emerge victorious.

Who do you think has a better chance?

Chen Jin asked.

"Of course it's Liang Jingkun."

Zhang Jiahao said without hesitation, "I'm not targeting Wang Chuqin, I just can't stand TZM."

"Moreover, if Wang Chuqin loses, then Brother Jin, you'll be number one in the world!"

"May the ancestors of the Zhang family bless Liang Jingkun and ensure his victory."

Chen Jin smiled at this.

Number one in the world?

Actually, he didn't feel much.

He failed to win any of the three major tournaments. Even if he became number one in the world, it would only be an empty title; he was an uncrowned king.

If one covets to be number one in the world, how is one any different from TZM?
The Macau World Cup and the Doha World Table Tennis Championships are the key events.

However, it must be said that Zhang Jiahao's metaphysics is sometimes quite metaphysical.

After losing the first game, Liang Jingkun won three consecutive games, taking a 3-1 lead and holding three match points, leading Wang Chuqin.

"Holy crap, it's in the bag!"

Just as Zhang Jiahao was thinking this...

In the next two games, Liang Jingkun lost decisively, bringing the score to 3-3.

The seventh and decisive game.

The situation is even more tense.

The score remained close, with the ball going back and forth.

The score was once tied at 10-10.

Zhang Jiahao looked on nervously: "Damn, Kun-ge, you have to hold on!"

"If you can win over Wang Chuqin, you will be my brother Jin's hero."

Fortunately, Liang Jingkun, with a stronger mentality, won the deciding game 12-10 and advanced to the final.

"Wow!"

Zhang Jiahao jumped up suddenly, "Big Fatty, awesome!"

"Brother Jin, you're number one in the world!"

"From this moment forward, you are number one in the world!"

Zhang Jiahao, beaming with excitement, grabbed Chen Jin and hugged him so tightly that Chen Jin could barely breathe.

In just six months, he went from being an unknown player to defeating almost all of the world's top table tennis players and reaching the top of the world rankings.

Chen Jin's strength is beyond doubt.

Number one in the world, well deserved!
"congratulations."

Xie Mingyang smiled and congratulated Chen Jin as well. Only Chen Jin gave a bitter laugh.

"The latest world rankings haven't even been released yet, and they've already given me a loan?"

Chen Jinwei shrugged. "My goal isn't to be number one in the world."

"No matter what, you're destined to be number one in the world, Kim."

Zhang Jiahao laughed and said, "Let's accept reality."

"To celebrate this grand event in the world of table tennis, we must have an extra meal tonight."

"The garbage dump, get it ready!"

The lounge was filled with joy.

However, human joy is not universal.

Eight Extreme Fields.

At the very moment the game ended.

It felt as if a few seconds had been stolen from time.

The venue, now completely empty, fell into a deathly silence, like a vacuum.

The deafening roar and tsunami disappeared.

All that remained was the muffled hum of the air conditioning system, and countless wide-eyed stares and slightly agape mouths.

Because they all know very well.

Wang Chuqin lost more than just this semi-final match.

It holds the title of number one in the world.

Half an hour passed.

Breaking the deathly silence was a sharp, distorted female voice, tinged with sobs, that suddenly burst forth from Wang Chuqin's massive fan base.

"Wang Chuqin, it's alright!"

"Wang Chuqin, you're the best!"

The sound was like a stone falling from the sky and crashing into the cesspool.

More voices, filled with resentment, surged in from all directions, like a flood bursting its banks, instantly engulfing the entire venue.

"Big Head, it's okay!"

"We'll support you forever!"

"You're the best!"

……

On-site interview.

The host handed over the microphone, a professional smile on his face.

"First of all, congratulations to Big Fat for advancing to the finals after a grueling seven-game battle."

"The deciding game went to a score of 12-10. How do you feel now that you've won the match so narrowly?"

Liang Jingkun took the microphone, his chest still heaving violently, sweat trickling down his temples.

He opened his mouth, about to speak.

At this moment.

From the audience, the cheers of "Wang Chuqin, you're the best!" rang out again, deafeningly loud.

Like a tsunami, it crashed down.

Liang Jingkun's smile froze instantly.

The fingers gripping the microphone suddenly tightened.

Standing silently under the spotlight, listening to the shouts coming from all directions for the opponent, he felt like a supporting actor forgotten in a corner of the stage.

"Depend on!"

Witnessing this, Zhang Jiahao clenched his fists even tighter. "This is so damn bullying!"

However, no matter how indignant he was, he was ultimately powerless to change anything.

……

The game is not over yet.

The hashtag #WangChuqin vs. LiangJingkun# has already topped the trending search list.

Wang Chuqin's elimination in the semifinals was like a powerful bomb, setting off a trending topic.

"Hahahaha, I can't laugh anymore. TZM criticized Chen Jin and Lin Shidong to death during their match, and what happened? His own brother was sent away by Da Pang. I ask you, doesn't your face hurt? Sorry, you guys have thick skin, so you probably don't feel any pain."

"Big Fatty is awesome! He's been helping dice sweep mines for years, and this time he treated the dice as mines and swept them, turning them up to the Heavenly Dipper."

"The world's number one throne for dice is really not secure now, hahaha, this is truly gratifying."

"Congratulations in advance to Chen Jin! The world number one at sixteen, the youngest world number one in history, the fastest world number one in history... A new history is about to be born!"

"Wuhu, a new emperor has ascended the throne! Sixteen years old, number one in the world, terrifyingly so."

"The world of table tennis is about to change! The Chen Jin era is truly coming!"

"World's number one, well-deserved... Congratulations in advance to Chen Jin!"

"As long as the dice aren't number one in the world, I don't care who is."

……

Of course, there are other voices as well.

"Are Chen Taisun's fans starting to take out loans now? The points haven't even been settled yet, and they're already 'congratulating' them in advance?"

"Sorry, it's Saturday today, the latest world rankings haven't been released yet. My husband is still number one in the world, so please don't lend me any more money."

"Now that you're the 'new world number one,' please take care of all those big and small tournaments from now on... mixed doubles, men's doubles, team events! Let our singles-focused 'big head' get some rest and recuperation, thank you! [smile][smile]"

……

Ten p.m.

The audience had long since dispersed, and the noise had subsided into silence.

Inside the enormous stadium, only staff members remained, cleaning up the venue.

The mixed zone also became quiet, with only a few reporters packing up their equipment.

Liu Guoliang, Li Xun, Qin Zhijian, Wang Hao, Ma Lin, Xiao Zhan, and other core members of the Chinese national table tennis team coaching staff silently walked through the empty corridor toward the meeting room attached to the venue.

The heavy curtains blocked out the city's neon lights.

Liu Guoliang sat in the main seat, his hands crossed and placed on the conference table.

He didn't look at anyone; his gaze was fixed intently on a document spread out in front of him.

"Have you seen them all?"

Liu Guoliang's voice broke the silence.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Everyone nodded silently.

"WTT's new rules have only four core elements."

Liu Guoliang extended his index finger and tapped it across the document, the fingertip making a soft tapping sound.

"First, Grand Slam tournaments will no longer require mandatory participation, but will instead be by invitation only."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the coaches present. "This also means that top athletes will have less competition and will be more focused, but it will be a test of the depth of our talent pool."

"For young players, the threshold for competing in top-level events has actually been raised in a roundabout way."

Seeing that everyone's expressions had become more serious, Liu Guoliang continued.

"Second, annual exemption."

Liu Guoliang said slowly and deliberately, “The top sixteen players in the world are entitled to be exempt from participating in two WTT Championship-level events each year, as long as they report in advance.”

"Third, the prize pool has increased overall, especially for Grand Slams and the World Tour Finals, where the champion's prize money has increased by more than 30%."

"With such generous rewards, the competition will be even fiercer."

"Fourth, the newly crowned Olympic champion will automatically qualify for all top-level tournaments in the following year, including Grand Slams, championships, and finals, without being restricted by rankings..."

The room was silent except for the faint sound of documents being turned.

In fact, the content of WTT's reform had already been basically finalized during the previous meeting.

It's just a matter of preparing to announce it to the public.

"This year, especially in the first half of the year, the WTT competition is certainly important for us, but there are two other major tests: the Macau World Cup and the Doha World Table Tennis Championships."

Liu Guoliang tapped the table lightly, "Let's talk about the World Cup, which is closer to us."

"According to the World Cup qualification rules, apart from the defending champion automatically qualifying, we can send a maximum of five people."

"The World Junior Championships singles champion has directly qualified, which means that Chen Jin has already secured a spot in the World Cup."

"The remaining four teams will either rely on their world rankings or reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup."

"but--"

At this point, Liu Guoliang paused, his gaze becoming profound, "I propose, as usual, that the coaching staff retain one reserve spot."

"What do you think?"

All the coaches nodded in agreement.

"So, the Asian Cup is the most crucial of all the upcoming matches."

Li Xun added.

After all, it concerns the qualification spots for the World Cup.

The Asian Cup qualification spots were determined well before the closed training camp even began.

"Correct."

Liu Guoliang nodded, "But that's not all, there's something even more important..."

His sharp, hawk-like gaze slowly swept over each coach present.

"We must never repeat the defeat we suffered at last year's Asian Championships!"

"At the Asian Cup, I must see three five-star red flags raised simultaneously on the podium!"

(End of this chapter)