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

Chapter 363 Wang Chuqin: What I lost today, I will take back with my own hands.

Award ceremony.

Simple, yet solemn.

Chen Jin stood on the podium, smiling, and waved to the fans in the audience.

A figure, dressed in a sharp suit, led by the emcee, approached Chen Jin.

It is Liu Guoliang who embodies the three aspects.

With his signature smile on his face, Liu Guoliang reached out and touched Chen Jin's cheek.

"Played well."

Liu Guoliang looked up at Chen Jin, his voice tinged with a hint of relief.

Then, he took the heavy trophy from the emcee and handed it to Chen Jin.

Photographers from the surrounding area swarmed around.

The shutter clicked loudly.

The flashes of light illuminated the podium as if it were daytime.

Liu Guoliang was enjoying the scene. He turned slightly to get closer to Chen Jin, his smile growing even brighter.

After the group photo was taken, Liu Guoliang whispered, "Keep it up."

His voice was low, but every word was clear, reaching Chen Jin's ears: "Whether our penhold grip can regain its former glory depends on you from now on."

"Yes."

Chen Jin's eyes were firm.

Next.

Liang Jingkun left the scene holding the runner-up trophy.

Chen Jin was left alone to enjoy the championship moment.

After a while, the barrage of flashes finally subsided.

Chen Jin turned around, picked up the trophy, and continued walking along the players' tunnel.

The noise behind me, blocked by layers of walls, gradually became distant and blurred.

Deeper into the passage, the light became even dimmer.

Only a few safety lights shone with a faint, dim yellow glow.

Sudden.

Chen Jin stopped in his tracks.

Because he noticed that not far ahead, a figure was leaning quietly against the cold white wall, almost blending into the shadows.

"Coach Wang."

Although the light was dim, Chen Jin recognized it at a glance.

Wang Hao looked up when he heard the sound.

A warm and gratified smile immediately bloomed on his wrinkled face.

Her smile, like the spring sunshine, instantly dispelled the gloom in the passageway.

"They played exceptionally well in this match."

As he spoke, Wang Hao reached out and squeezed Chen Jin's arm with a little force, feeling the power contained in the young body. "In less than half a year, he has reached the top of the world."

"I wasn't wrong about you."

Back then, during the U16 selection trials, the reason why Wang Hao treated Chen Jin differently was simply because of his relationship with Coach Wu.

However, as the game progressed, Chen Jin's strength and achievements completely won over Wang Hao.

"but--"

Wang Hao changed the subject, his expression becoming more serious. "You must understand."

"Being number one in the world is not only an honor, but also a pressure and a responsibility."

"From now on, your every move and every word will be magnified and scrutinized, interpreted and judged repeatedly."

"Good, bad, well-intentioned, malicious... they will surge towards you like a tide, overwhelm you, and if you are not careful, you will be doomed."

Wang Hao stared intently into Chen Jin's eyes, as if trying to dissect Chen Jin's soul.

There was a pause.

He continued, "On the court, conquering your opponent with a racket is certainly powerful, but true power lies here..."

Wang Hao gently tapped his heart with his finger. "Whether facing praise or slander, at the peak or at the bottom, to remain steadfast and true to oneself—that is true strength."

"Even if you reach the top of the world rankings now, you'll still be an uncrowned king."

"Your pace cannot stop here."

"The World Cup, the World Table Tennis Championships, and even Los Angeles three years later are the highest halls of table tennis, the places where the weight of a champion is measured."

"Chen Jin".

Wang Hao's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

With an almost burning heat and anticipation, it suddenly struck Chen Jin's heart.

"It's been more than ten years, it's time to give the world a little bit of a shock with a traditional candybar phone."

The voice echoed.

The empty passageway was completely silent.

When he said this, Wang Hao's eyes were burning, as if flames were flickering within them.

It was as if, after a long period of suppression, they had finally seen the expectation and longing to ignite a prairie fire.

"The straight-grip grip is amazing..."

Chen Jin murmured these four words repeatedly, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cool, smooth base of the trophy in his arms.

Indeed, the penhold grip has brought many thrills to countless fans.

Rong Guotuan, the slender figure who etched the name of the first world champion in the history of sports in New China, was a penhold grip player.

Cai Zhenhua, that man who fought like a warrior, carved out a bloody path in the European table tennis world dominated by topspin, and he was a penhold grip player.

Liu Guoliang, the first Grand Slam winner in men's table tennis who now stands at the pinnacle of power in the world, is a penhold grip player.

During the era of "Two Kings and One Horse," Marin, with his unpredictable and agile style, and Wang Hao, with his two powerful cannons, were both penhold grip players.

However, starting with Xu Xin, the penhold grip has become increasingly rare on the world stage of table tennis, like an endangered species.

The changing trends in technology place almost demanding requirements on the backhand system, like an invisible noose, making it hard for penhold players to breathe.

When fans talk about penhold grips, there's always a sense of nostalgia and regret, as if they're reminiscing about something old.

Outdated playing style became the epitaph for the penhold grip.

And Chen Jin, in his hand, held this penhold grip that many people considered "outdated".

He fought his way through, using this "outdated" weapon to defeat one top expert after another, and finally stood under the spotlight.

For Wang Hao.

Fan Zhendong's dream of visiting Paris, to some extent, made up for his past regrets.

However, the decline of the penhold grip is the deeper and more difficult-to-heal scar in his heart.

Chen Jin raised his head and met Wang Hao's eyes, which were filled with complex emotions.

There is relief, there is worry... but more than anything, there is a strong expectation for the future of the straight-grip phone.

There's even a hint of regret about being a perennial runner-up.

"Coach Wang."

Chen Jin's voice was deep yet powerful, each word resounding: "I will definitely win three Olympic singles gold medals."

This statement came out.

Wang Hao's body suddenly trembled.

The complex emotions churning in his eyes suddenly froze, then surged like waves crashing against a deep pool where a boulder had been thrown in.

Deep inside, something seemed to surge up wildly.

He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

But it felt like my throat was blocked.

He lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

When he looked up again, his eyes were surprisingly bright, like stars appearing after the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.

"it is good!"

Wang Hao said in a deep voice, "I will go with you."

……

Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Top floor banquet hall.

The massive floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall frames Singapore's dazzling night view without reservation.

The winding Singapore River resembles a flowing galaxy, and the hotel's iconic Sky Garden is like a giant ship moored in a sea of ​​stars.

In the distance, skyscrapers stand side by side, their lights shining brightly, creating a dazzling spectacle.

The banquet hall was brightly lit, as bright as day.

Soothing jazz music flowed through the air, mingling with the aroma of delicious food.

On the huge round table, covered with a snow-white tablecloth, lay exquisite dishes and gleaming tableware.

The Chinese national table tennis team members, after taking off their competition uniforms and changing into casual clothes, beamed with the joy and relaxation of victory.

Everyone sat together, eating, drinking, and chatting in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

"Hey Xie, you've got quite a wide network of connections."

Zhang Jiahao's mouth was stuffed with food, and he was holding a drink in his hand. "It's like no matter where you take a dump, someone will hand you toilet paper."

"Fortunately."

Xie Mingyang remained calm and composed. "Since it's a celebration banquet, and Chen Jin has won two championships and just become the world number one, we must arrange the best place for him." "After thinking it over, this is the only place we can go."

Hear this.

Chen Jin raised his glass and said to Xie Mingyang, "We have to clink glasses."

Although Li Qian was already used to Xie Mingyang's outrageous extravagance, he was still shocked by Xie Mingyang's words.

"Two championships?"

Zhang Jiahao pouted, "It's clearly one and a half, I still have half left."

"Your half is negligible."

Xie Mingyang said calmly.

"..."

Zhang Jiahao rolled his eyes.

If he weren't indebted to someone for their food, he would have retorted long ago.

At this moment.

Liu Guoliang, holding a glass of champagne, stood in the main seat, his face glowing.

"Everyone."

Liu Guoliang's voice was loud and clear, filled with the pride of a victor: "In this Singapore Grand Slam, our Chinese table tennis team once again swept all the titles in men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles."

"thanks everyone."

"This is the result of everyone's hard work and struggle; it is a victory for the team."

"Cheers to the Chinese national table tennis team, and to ourselves!"

"cheers!"

A burst of enthusiastic cheers and the crisp sound of glasses being raised filled the entire banquet hall.

Followed by.

Liu Guoliang offered a few more words of encouragement.

After that, everyone ate and drank freely and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

"Chen Jin".

Ye Sijia and Lin Xinyu walked over with smiles, holding their cups. "Congratulations."

"I heard you've reached the top and become the only one in the world to do so."

Although they belong to the men's and women's teams respectively, they are both newcomers who came up through the U16 selection competition.

The Lima team fought side by side.

They usually have a good relationship.

Now that I've learned that Chen Jin has become the world's number one, I naturally want to offer my congratulations.

"It's more than just number one in the world."

Before Chen Jin could speak, Zhang Jiahao interjected, "Moreover, he broke the record of 'youngest men's singles world number one' that had been held by Coach Kong Linghui for thirty years."

"I bet no one will ever break this new record set by my brother Jin!"

The words have not yet fallen.

This immediately drew exclamations of admiration from Ye Sijia and Lin Xinyu: "Wow, that's amazing!"

"Don't listen to Jiahao's nonsense, it's not that exaggerated."

Chen Jin smiled.

"This is no exaggeration."

Just then, a laugh came from behind, "It's an ironclad fact."

Looking back.

Then Liang Jingkun, Lin Gaoyuan, Lin Shidong, and others came over, raised their glasses, and said, "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

Chen Jin retaliated.

not far away.

Seeing that almost all the team members were gathering around Chen Jin, Huang Youzheng stood on tiptoe and looked at him from a distance through the crowd, his eyes showing a bit of struggle and hesitation.

Out of the corner of his eye, he cautiously glanced at Wang Chuqin standing beside him.

As the top player in men's table tennis, Wang Chuqin can be considered the biggest loser in this Singapore Grand Slam.

Not only did they lose their world number one spot, they also failed to win anything.

Needless to say, the singles title was won by Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao.

He didn't even register for the mixed doubles competition, which was his only means of covering up his shame, but instead it led to the formation of the pairing of Lin Shidong and Kuai Man.

The victory celebration banquet had nothing to do with him.

One can imagine Wang Chuqin's feelings.

In the past, even if he couldn't stand in the center position at the celebration banquet, he would still be the focus.

This time, however, everyone's attention was focused on Chen Jin.

Given Wang Chuqin's temperament, could he swallow this insult?
Huang Youzheng was even a little worried that Wang Chuqin might lose his temper on the spot and embarrass Chen Jin.

"What if a fight breaks out? Should I stop them?"

Huang Youzheng thought to himself, "There shouldn't be any problems in front of so many people... right?"

Just as he was daydreaming.

Sudden.

Wang Chuqin made a move.

Holding his wine glass, he slowly walked towards Chen Jin.

"!"

Upon seeing this, Huang Youzheng felt a chill run down his spine.

He hurriedly followed.

Wang Chuqin remained expressionless as he walked through the banquet hall under the watchful eyes of everyone, heading straight for Chen Jin.

The teammates who had been laughing and talking loudly around Chen Jin unconsciously lowered their voices and glanced between Chen Jin and Wang Chuqin.

A subtle tension filled the air.

Zhang Jiahao held the huge pincers of half an Australian lobster in one hand and a cup in the other. His eyes narrowed as he stood guard on Chen Jin's left, watching Wang Chuqin warily.

If Wang Chuqin made the slightest move, he would take whatever was in his hands.

Wang Chuqin stood still, his face expressionless, calm to the point of being somewhat cold.

He raised his glass, the rim facing Chen Jin.

"Congratulations."

The voice was soft, unusually cold, and somewhat dry.

"Thanks."

Chen Jin smiled slightly.

Ding!
The two glasses clinked gently, the crisp sound making the surrounding air freeze for a moment.

Wang Chuqin did not immediately withdraw his hand.

His gaze, like a quenched blade, passed over the rim of the cup and pierced straight into Chen Jin's eyes.

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

Only Chen Jin, who was right next to him, could clearly hear every word.

"What I've lost today, I will take back with my own hands!"

Every word was imbued with an almost obsessive certainty.

Meeting that sharp gaze, Chen Jin did not flinch. His smile remained warm, but his eyes became increasingly calm and resolute.

"expect."

Chen Jin tilted his head back and drank the juice in his glass in one gulp.

The clashes extend beyond the playing field.

Wang Chuqin's lips twitched slightly.

Without another word, he swallowed the champagne in his glass in one gulp.

He turned and walked through the crowd, alone, towards a corner at the other end of the banquet hall.

After watching Wang Chuqin leave, the surrounding teammates seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, finally returning to their previous relaxed and lively state.

"Just looking at his shrewish face makes me furious."

Zhang Jiahao said bitterly, "One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel."

As he spoke, he spat on the ground.

The reason he clashed with Liu Dingshuo during the Macau Championship was ultimately related to Wang Chuqin.

It almost ruined his career.

In addition to various other reasons, people's impression of Wang Chuqin was naturally somewhat negative.

"Pay attention to unity."

Li Qian glared at him fiercely, then looked around, seemingly worried that someone might be listening in. "There are reporters here."

"Slightly~"

Zhang Jiahao stuck out his tongue and made a funny face.

Afterwards, he indulged in a large meal and drink.

(End of this chapter)