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

Chapter 364 Champion, runner-up, and third place—I want them all, not one less!
The hustle and bustle of the victory celebration gradually subsided.

The elevator ascended smoothly.

Huang Youzheng leaned against the cold elevator wall, fatigue washing over him like a tide.

He forced his heavy eyelids open and stole glances at the three people beside him.

Chen Jin stood upright, looking thoughtfully at the constantly flashing floor numbers.

Xie Mingyang remained expressionless, his face filled with deep resentment.

Only Zhang Jiahao, with his round belly protruding, kept gently rubbing it, his whole body revealing an expression of utter satisfaction: "So full, so full..."

Ding--

The elevator doors slid open.

The room on the 27th floor is where Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao are located.

"Good night."

As he left, Chen Jin turned back and smiled slightly at Huang Youzheng, saying, "Get some rest."

"Good night."

Huang Youzheng waved.

Xie Mingyang watched Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao walk out of the elevator, followed closely behind.

The elevator doors closed automatically.

Huang Youzheng was left all alone.

Eh?
its not right!
Isn't Xie Mingyang in the same room as me?

Why did he get off the elevator too?
Huang Youzheng tried to press the elevator button and call out to Xie Mingyang, but it was too late; the doors had already closed and the elevator was slowly going up.

"Hey Xie, what are you doing here?"

Zhang Jiahao glanced at Xie Mingyang behind him with displeasure and a hint of hostility, "It's the middle of the night, Brother Jin and I are going to bed. If you know what's good for you, leave now."

"Flying to Türkiye tomorrow?"

Xie Mingyang stood at the doorway, casting a long shadow under the corridor lights.

The WTT Turkey tournament began on February 17th.

The coaching staff had already registered Zhang Jiahao for the competition.

Therefore, Zhang Jiahao will travel to Türkiye by plane with Li Qian tomorrow.

"how?"

Zhang Jiahao raised an eyebrow, his words sharp and sarcastic, "I'm going to romantic blue Turkey, are you jealous?"

In the previous few times we went out to compete, either the three of us went together, or Xie Mingyang accompanied us.

But this time, Chen Jin and Xie Mingyang will participate in the Asian Cup.

Moreover, low-level tournaments like the WTT side events are hardly something the two of them could participate in.

It's only suitable for newbies like Zhang Jiahao to loot experience packs.

Xie Mingyang didn't reply, but instead reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

He casually tossed it to Zhang Jiahao.

"what?"

Caught off guard, Zhang Jiahao instinctively caught it and was momentarily stunned.

Upon closer inspection, it was a lucky bag meticulously sewn with red silk, about half the size of a palm.

The stitches are fine and dense, as if it were handmade.

Zhang Jiahao was full of suspicion. He squeezed it a few times and found it hard inside.

What piqued his curiosity even more was that he untied the red string at the top of the bag and carefully poured it out.

A silver coin, with the unique luster of an old object, rests in the palm of the hand, gleaming softly under the lamplight.

The obverse of the coin features the neat inscription "Guangxu Yuanbao".

The reverse side features two coiled dragons surrounding a traditional Chinese character for "longevity".

"This is……"

Zhang Jiahao looked through it for a long time, his eyes widened, and he suddenly realized something. A surge of anger rose up, and he glared fiercely at Xie Mingyang, "You fucking mocked me for being an old silver coin?!"

Xie Mingyang: "???"

"You can't talk about ice with a summer insect," Xie Mingyang glanced at him, his eyes filled with the helplessness of someone looking at a fool.

His gaze passed over Zhang Jiahao and landed on Chen Jin.

“The Lantern Festival is coming soon, and he is alone in Türkiye, so I’ll give him the gift first.”

Xie Mingyang said, "I'll give you yours later."

Having finished speaking.

Before the two could react.

He turned around decisively, his tall figure disappearing around the corner of the corridor.

Zhang Jiahao was left holding the heavy old silver coin, staring blankly at the air.

"What's this?"

Zhang Jiahao muttered something.

He looked down at the silver coin in his hand, then stuffed it back into the lucky bag and held it in his palm.

He walked into the room, creaked, and plopped down on his bed, looking somewhat sullen.

"You guys are so comfortable."

Zhang Jiahao's tone carried a barely perceptible sense of desolation, "Playing in the Asian Cup, the Lantern Festival is in China, but I have to go all the way to Turkey, a foreign land, all alone, so miserable..."

"Okay, stop complaining."

As Chen Jin packed his luggage, he said, "Playing well in the competition is more important than anything else."

"For many people, this kind of opportunity is something they can only dream of."

"You're lucky."

Admittedly, setting aside provincial team players like Qin Wenjie and Ouyang Liangqin, how many players from the national table tennis team's second tier are qualified to compete in the WTT side events?
Now, the coaching staff has sent Zhang Jiahao to participate in the competition, which is clearly because they value his potential.

"I understand the truth..."

After a brief silence, Zhang Jiahao looked up and asked, "Brother Jin, are you planning to go back to your hometown for the Lantern Festival?"

"Ah."

Chen Jin nodded.

There are still more than ten days until the start of the Asian Cup.

He had already sacrificed his New Year's Eve to participate in the Singapore Grand Slam.

With the Lantern Festival approaching, it would be customary to give team members a few days off to allow them to rest and reunite with their families.

"That's just right."

Zhang Jiahao perked up, "Tomorrow I'll buy some local Singaporean products, can you take them back to my parents for me..."

Hear the words.

Chen Jin was about to agree.

But Zhang Jiahao shook his head and changed the subject: "Never mind, I'll bring them things myself next time I go back."

Thinking about it carefully, it's definitely not as good as going home in person to deliver things to your parents through someone else.

Moreover, the holiday was already quite short.

Chen Jin will only be gone for a few days; he must have something to do.

Running back and forth, all that trouble only adds to the problem.

……

The next day.

The sun in Singapore is scorching and bright.

It's rare to have half a day of leisure.

As early as last night's celebration banquet, Chen Jin, Xie Mingyang, Zhang Jiahao, Lin Shidong and Ye Sijia, a few young people, had already made arrangements.

With plenty of time to spare, like a colt freed from its reins, I plunged headlong into the bustling city of this garden.

Gardens by the Bay, towering trees, look up at those steel giants entwined with exotic tropical plants.

At Merlion Park, amidst the bustling crowds, people pose for photos imitating the lion spouting water.

Wandering into the bustling alleyways of Chinatown, the rich, peppery aroma of Bak Kut Teh and the tender fragrance of Hainanese Chicken Rice whet my appetite...

Of the group, Zhang Jiahao was the most excited.

They were jumping around, seemingly trying to make up for the loneliness they would feel in the next few days alone in Turkey.

As the setting sun painted Marina Bay a golden red, the faint sound of the seven o'clock chimes could be heard.

Still feeling unsatisfied, the group dragged their bags of purchases to Changi Airport.

The terminal building was brightly lit and bustling with people.

The Chinese national table tennis team has assembled.

Upon seeing Li Qian in the distance, Zhang Jiahao's smile immediately faded. He sighed and said reluctantly, "AV Bodi, the road ahead is long. See you back home."

Good luck in the game.

Chen Jin patted him on the shoulder.

"You too."

After saying that, Zhang Jiahao picked up his equipment bag and walked towards Li Qian, turning back every three steps.

"Zhang Jiahao, what are you dawdling for?"

Li Qian urged, "Hurry up, run, get ready to board the plane."

Zhang Jiahao then quickened his pace, following behind Li Qian, and joined the flow of people checking in.

During the security check, he turned around, waved vigorously at Chen Jin and the others, and suddenly grinned.

He then turned around, and his figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the security checkpoint.

"Chen Jin".

At this moment, Xie Mingyang reminded us in a low voice, "We should go too."

The return flight, soaring through the deep night sky, made a stopover in Seoul.

When the plane landed at the Capital Airport, it was already 10 a.m.

Without stopping, the bus carrying everyone drove directly into the training headquarters.

Back in their familiar dormitory room, Chen Jin and Xie Mingyang quickly washed up, feeling utterly exhausted, and went straight to sleep.

Four p.m.

Conference room in the Training Bureau's main building.

The lukewarm sunlight streamed through the glass windows and fell onto the conference table.

All coaches, key players, and some support staff of the Chinese men's table tennis team were present, creating a solemn and focused atmosphere.

Wang Hao stood in the main seat, his hands resting on the table, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present.

"We swept all five titles at this Singapore Grand Slam, a commendable result, especially in men's doubles..."

Wang Hao's gaze finally fell on Chen Jin. "Chen Jin and Zhang Jiahao, playing doubles together, won the championship in their first tournament of this level. Very good. Keep it up."

"In addition, Xie Mingyang's performance as a newcomer was also quite impressive."

"but--"

His tone suddenly turned serious, carrying an undeniable severity: "This competition has also exposed quite a few problems."

"The initiative in the first three shots has decreased, there are too many unforced errors on the backhand, the ability to seize key points is fluctuating, the stability in the rally phase, especially the response to the powerful topspin attacks of European players... all of these have sounded the alarm for us."

Wang Hao solemnly stated, "Don't let temporary victories go to your head; our goal has never been just one game."

"The World Cup, the World Table Tennis Championships, and even the Olympics—that's our ultimate goal."

"The purpose of regular competitions is to identify problems and build up strength."

As he spoke, he tapped his fingers heavily on the table, producing a dull thud that sent a shiver down one's spine.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was deafening.

Especially to Wang Chuqin, the phrases "exposing problems" and "discovering problems" seemed to be directed at him, and his face grew increasingly gloomy.

The meeting room was quiet.

Followed by.

Wang Hao softened his tone and offered a few words of encouragement.

Then, we moved on to the second item on the agenda.

"The ITTF previously convened a meeting to listen to everyone's opinions and discuss the reform plan for WTT."

"Now, the reform plan has been released."

Behind Wang Hao, a clearly structured PowerPoint presentation was displayed on the projection screen. "You can take a look for yourselves."

"The focus today is not on this, so I won't repeat myself."

"The focus is on the Asian Cup."

The Asian Cup was suspended for four years due to the pandemic.

Now, just like the World Cup, it has finally restarted.

The competition format is also aligned with the World Cup.

Thirty-two table tennis players from across Asia will gather at the Shenzhen Universiade Center Gymnasium on February 19th for a fierce competition.

Under the new format of the Asian Cup, the competition is divided into two stages.

Group stage and knockout stage.

The 32 contestants were divided into eight groups of four based on their seeding and a draw, and competed in a round-robin format within their groups.

The top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage.

The roster for the Chinese men's table tennis team has already been announced and submitted to the International Table Tennis Federation.

The four people are Chen Jin, Wang Chuqin, Lin Shidong, Liang Jingkun, Lin Gaoyuan and Xie Mingyang.

"The Asian Cup is not just one of the nine major tournaments in the Super Grand Slam."

Wang Hao placed his hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and spoke each word with unwavering conviction and a hint of seduction: "Moreover, it is also related to Macau's qualification for the World Cup."

"According to the World Cup selection rules, among all of you here, only Chen Jin has qualified to participate through the World Youth Championship."

"The remaining qualifications require others to work hard to obtain."

Besides winning the World Youth Championship, world ranking and reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Cup are also selection criteria for World Cup qualification.

However, the world rankings are based on the results after the Chongqing Championship.

As for the Asian Cup semi-finals, it will depend on the performance of each player.

After all, the Chinese national table tennis team isn't the only one eyeing a spot in the Asian Cup semifinals.

"More importantly—"

Wang Hao's expression turned serious, and his voice suddenly rose, "This Asian Cup is being held on our own doorstep."

"What do I want to see on my own turf?"

"I want to see three five-star red flags raised simultaneously at the Universiade Gymnasium during the finals!"

"Champion, runner-up, third place, I want them all, I can't miss any of them!"

"Are you confident?"

A banner was hanging on the wall of the conference room.

The banner had eight large characters written on it.

National honor is above all else!
Wang Hao's words undoubtedly serve as a footnote to this.

"Have!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

The fighting spirit in my heart was instantly ignited.

Wang Chuqin's fist clenched quietly under the table, his eyes sharp as he glanced at Chen Jin, who was sitting diagonally opposite him.

Thanks to Chen Jin, he not only lost his world number one ranking to Chen Jin at this Singapore Grand Slam, but also failed to win any medals.

Chen Jin's challenge to secure the top spot on the men's table tennis team is putting his position in jeopardy.

After the Paris Olympics, I thought that Long Pang's retirement would be my day to shine.

Unexpectedly, an even more formidable Chen Jin appeared.

In the past six months, Chen Jin has won almost all the major championships.

This plunged him into a championship drought.

Public opinion was very unfavorable to him.

He desperately needs a victory, a championship, to prove himself and vindicate himself.

Without a doubt, this Asian Cup presents an excellent opportunity.

After all, most of the championships Chen Jin won were WTT titles, which have limited prestige.

Although the Asian Cup is not as prestigious as the three major tournaments, it is still a competition where we can raise the national flag to bring glory to our country.

Its value is naturally incomparable to WTT.

If we can win the Asian Cup, the doubts from the outside world will be dispelled.

"You're lucky you didn't get to play against the Singapore Grand Slam champion."

Wang Chuqin looked at Chen Jin, his gaze darkening. "You won't be so lucky this Asian Cup."

The specialized training for Chen Jin's playing style during the closed training in Hainan was not applicable at the Singapore Grand Slam, which he regrets.

How could we possibly miss the Asian Cup!

"Ok?"

Feeling Wang Chuqin's gaze, Chen Jin glanced up, smiled indifferently, and didn't take it to heart.

"very good!"

Seeing that everyone was full of fighting spirit, Wang Hao nodded in satisfaction, and the tense lines on his face relaxed slightly.

"Once you've got that adrenaline pumping, things will be much easier from here on out."

Wang Hao smiled and said, "This Singapore Grand Slam took place during the Chinese New Year period. Everyone worked very hard."

"Now, the competition has come to an end, and there is still some time before the Asian Cup."

"Therefore, the coaching staff has decided to give everyone a five-day holiday starting from the end of the meeting."

"On February 16, everyone must return to the team at the Shenzhen Universiade Gymnasium in advance to prepare for the Asian Cup."

"Alright, have a great holiday everyone."

"The meeting is dismissed!"

(End of this chapter)