95 Moscow World Games - Women's Singles

◎Her "arsenal" is inexhaustible.◎

What do people around the world like to watch the most?

Fun.

Where can I watch the fun of the World Games?

It's at the games between Russia and Germany, India and Pakistan, North Korea and South Korea... and China and Japan.

Many audiences from other countries like to come and join in the fun.

Especially when the game gets more intense, they enjoy watching it more.

This situation is actually no different from the situation in many villages where when a parent beats their child, there is always a group of onlookers surrounding them, who yell at them not to beat the child but watch with great interest.

Before Zhu Qi's quarterfinal match began, Ah Shui got the news from somewhere.

It is said that in the semi-finals of the ice hockey match of this World Games, Germany and Russia fought on the spot, and the ice was covered with blood.

I heard that one of the ice hockey players sent by Russia this time was a former bodyguard for the president. He stumbled so hard during the game that no one could catch up. As soon as the game started, he threw his stick into the crowd, picking up one player in each hand, and beat the two bearded Germans to a pulp.

In her previous life, Zhu Qi also loved watching ice hockey games, but she didn't know much about it. By chance, she went to watch an "ice competition" with the players from the club, and then fell in love with this "elegant" sport.

Many spectators who enjoy watching sports actually have a wild nature that they want to release, and they particularly enjoy seeing the collision of the human body's limits.

Fighting is allowed in ice hockey, but it's one-on-one and weapons-free. Once an opponent is down, further attack is prohibited. The ice hockey referee also instantly becomes a Sanda referee, monitoring the situation and quickly intervening if someone gets into a fight.

Some clubs even hire thugs who will rush over and start beating anyone who throws a club.

There may be some cases of "exhibition games" in the American league to increase ratings. The game is a life-and-death struggle, and after it is over, they are photographed arm in arm and drinking.

But Big Russia was definitely serious about beating Sandezi.

After all, the United Nations was established for Sandeep and Benzi, the two invading and defeated countries in World War II.

I heard from a few other kids in the team who went to watch that at first, everyone was so sleepy watching the yo-yo game, but as soon as someone threw a club, the whole audience went wild. There were whistles, clapping, cheers, slamming bottles, pouring champagne, and the director even played "Katyusha."

With the signal "Ura", the door of the ice hockey rink opened and several people flew in. I don't know if they were athletes or something, but they looked unusual in physique.

The substitute hitter is connecting, the bayonet is bleeding, and the ice hockey game turns into a fight.

Zhu Qi was still puzzled. No wonder she saw medical personnel carrying a group of people around when she was waiting to enter the venue. The Russian doctors were familiar with the area and were probably already waiting by the stadium. She thought they were injured from the boxing match, but after calculating the time, she realized that the boxing match started later than the table tennis final.

This is more interesting than who wins the gold medal.

If Zhu Qi were present, she would have shouted, "Take my sword, the best swordsman in China!"

Now the audience who had just finished watching the ice hockey match are rushing over to watch the women's singles table tennis match. Although there is no chance of bloodshed in a table tennis match - but if the game gets heated, there might be some good extreme rallies.

As soon as Zhu Qi entered the stadium, he saw many yellow heads with colorful eyeballs popping out of the audience, looking forward to a violent aesthetic that was no less than that of ice hockey.

When Yuan Xiang entered the scene, the spotlight shone on her newly cut buzz cut, making her look sharper and more arrogant, completely different from her previous sweet image.

I didn't have this hairstyle when I played mixed doubles a few days ago.

How come you suddenly got a haircut somewhere without knowing where?

The children on the field looked at each other and felt that there was something murderous about Yuan Xiang this time.

Ah Shui, in particular, was a bit worried. "Bao Bao previously said that Haruka was some sort of... 'artificial goddess', 'ambassador of beauty', some sort of 'beautiful player' created by Japan to promote their table tennis culture. How come she's destroying her image now..."

In the past, no matter where Yuan Xiang went, she gave people the impression of a friendly and lively girl next door.

When playing mixed doubles, this girl even permed her hair into delicate inward curls, looking like she was going to make her debut at the Moscow World Games.

As a result, it was all shaved flat against the scalp. At first glance, one would think it had just come out of Shaolin Temple. It was no different from the haircut Qin Xiaoba had when he first went to the military control center for military training.

When Haraka appeared, her facial expression was not noticeable.

She looked no different from usual, but when Zhu Qi looked into her eyes, he saw the scarlet bloodshot in her eyes.

Bloodshot began to spread from the corners of her eyes, tangled like dead branches and wrapped around her dark pupils.

They only met eyes for a second before Zaiyuanxiang looked away.

Zhu Qi felt that her condition today was a little different. She looked... like she was ready to go to the battlefield and die.

The referee stood in front of the scoreboard.

The two players, one on the left and one on the right, face the referee.

Zai Yuanxiang looked at the coin in the referee's hand. The small silver circle turned over in the air. In that second, Zai Yuanxiang suddenly traced back her life before she met Zhu Qi.

She is the youngest open champion in Japan. From the first time she held a racket, her grandfather told her that she would win the table tennis gold medal for Japan in the future, become the focus of everyone's attention, and leave her name in Japanese history books.

With this indoctrination, Yuan Xiang knew that her future was linked to table tennis.

When other kids would travel around with their families on weekends, and then tell them about what they saw and heard when they went to school, Yuan Xiang was very envious.

She also wanted to relax and see the springs, rivers, and cliffs, but her family would only tell her "no".

Because she spends all her extracurricular time on ball practice.

She has no friends at school.

Because other students would use their spare time to participate in club activities, or go shopping in groups of three or five.

It was just her, who had never gone out with anyone, trapped at that square pool table.

In school, she is the dispensable one.

The teachers never cared about her, whether she participated in school activities or whether she had bad relationships with her classmates.

later.

She won the championship, achieved good results, and even made it into the Japanese national team.

Only when she stood on the podium did she feel that she was seen by others and that all her efforts were worth it.

But in the event of table tennis, there are so many brilliant figures.

In Japan, no matter what competition, Hara Kaori was always the first or second. But after going abroad, she found that...she couldn't beat anyone.

Why is this happening?

In any case, Yuan Xiang didn't want to admit it.

Before, I was just a small person in a small place, and I achieved some glory that was not worthy of praise from outsiders.

In order to win, using some means is nothing, not to mention that I have my grandfather to back me up.

This is also the idea that her family has instilled in her since she was a child, that is, she must bring honor to Japan.

Over the years.

Because of my grandfather.

Tokyo TV has launched a separate growth program for Arihara Kaori, and Arihara Kaori is a household name in Japan.

But the more attention she gets, the higher people's expectations of her become. Countless eyes are watching her, wanting to know what kind of results she can achieve in Yuanxiang.

Failing once or twice is nothing...but...every time she meets this Chinese girl, she loses.

It was like someone had cast a spell on her that she could never get rid of.

Did she want to lose to Zhu Qi?

Doesn't she want to win?

She wanted victory more than anyone else and wanted a chance to turn things around.

Sometimes in her dreams, Yuan Xiang would dream of herself and Zhu Qi running and fighting on both sides of the billiard table.

But every time I woke up, I found that dreams were just dreams after all, and the reality was that I had never defeated Zhu Qi once.

The night before I came to the Moscow World Games.

As Yuan Xiang sat under the cross in the church, listening to the pastor reading from the Bible, she asked herself this question.

This time... this time, could I defeat that person? Could I defeat her just once? Just once?

The pastor happened to be reading from the Gospel of Matthew, and it seemed as if a divine spirit was responding to him in secret.

— “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

In order to save his image after losing several matches before Haraka.

The Japanese team said a lot of good things about Hara Kaori and basically listed all the possible reasons that may have led to this.

At first, everyone might think that they had indeed made mistakes or were not feeling well, but as the number of losses increased, no one believed it anymore.

If Yuan Xiang fails to achieve some good results in the Moscow World Games.

Then all the people in Japan will know.

In Yuanxiang, he just can't beat the opponent.

Then all these years... all the efforts that the Japanese team and the Sports Bureau have made in Hara Kaori and all the investments they have made in her will be wasted.

Let alone what it takes to create a table tennis star in the Japanese sports world.

By then, the entire Japanese table tennis club will be blamed and dragged down.

There is only one guy from Okinawa on the men's table tennis team. This guy has always been a loner in the team. Except for a few players from Okinawa who practice with him, he never looks for other people to practice with. If there is no one to practice with him, he will practice alone facing the wall.

Such a guy only thinks about his own personal honor. He refuses interviews from outside reporters and all invitations to appear on TV. It is even more impossible for him to do any external publicity for the Japanese team as the Japanese team wishes.

For the Japanese team, both Haraka and Matsukaze Ichito are two big problems.

One is willing to cooperate and show up everywhere to increase the presence of the Japanese table tennis team, but his level is limited and he becomes timid when he meets the Chinese team.

One of them was able to achieve some results, but he always did what he wanted. There were even a few times when he refused to sing along with the Japanese national anthem when he was on the podium.

When the mixed doubles team was eliminated, she kept in mind every moment and every second what the Japanese coach said to her.

It was like the whispers of a devil spreading from the depths of hell, echoing in my ears countless times along with the sound of ping-pong balls.

——"You know what? If you can't beat her this time, you'll never be able to do it again in your life."

I know it in Yuanxiang.

This is my last chance.

Hair can grow back after being shaved.

But once the opportunity is gone, there will be no next one.

In the eyes of the Japanese, this behavior has a kind of romanticism like samurai committing suicide by seppuku.

Beauty is just a byproduct of supreme strength. If she has no achievements, it will be useless no matter how much she is promoted as a genius girl in Japan.

The coin settles.

Zhu Qi serves and Yuan Xiang chooses the side.

The entire hall of the stadium was empty. Although it was filled with people on all sides, there was still a sense of loneliness as if one was on the top of a cliff.

Zhu Qi took a deep breath and gripped the racket tightly. He held a white ball in his left hand, rubbing it gently in his palm. Then he walked to the side of the table, stopped, and flattened his palm.

The ball rises high into the air—

whereabouts--

Swing the racket——

Hitting the ball

When the ball starts flying, it means the war has begun.

Every ball in the first inning exceeded everyone's expectations.

When Yuan Xiang entered a state of madness, it seemed that she was showing her determination to win by shaving her hair. She fought without reservation and without any scruples.

Many domestic commentators have previously commented on Hara's playing style: "Hara's forehand is decent, but her backhand is immature, which is why she often loses to Zhu Qi. Her backhand is easily distorted."

During the previous mixed doubles match, Zhu Qi felt that Yuan Xiang's backhand seemed to have improved a lot, but unfortunately her coordination with the little cannon was poor and it didn't have any effect.

But now in a one-on-one match, facing Zhu Qila's several backhand long balls, Yuan Xiang was able to counterattack with twisting and pulling.

In the first ten goals, it was Yuan Xiang who stole the limelight.

Two points ahead of Zhu Qi.

[Small score, Zhu Qi 4:6 in Yuan Xiang]

The backhand twist and pull requires very high precision in the wrist and fingers.

Those who perform this move well generally don't rely solely on wrist force, but use their fingers to push the paddle to assist in rubbing the ball. There are also some tricks to turning the paddle with your fingers. Pushing the paddle a millimeter more or less can easily lead to a wrong shot and give the opponent an opportunity.

It is an advanced operation in the backhand system.

When Yuan Xiang spun the ball into a side spin, Zhu Qi wanted to adjust the racket and pull it back with a burst of force, but found that the ball was out of bounds.

A bit strange.

Zhu Qi glanced down at the paddle in her hand. The ping-pong ball had left a circular mark on the rubber. She patted the rubber and found it damp.

Xu Dong frowned slightly, feeling that something was different in Yuanxiang today, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

If I have to describe it, it would be to elevate everything to a higher level.

The pace that I couldn't keep up with before can now be kept up with, the side-cutting ball that I couldn't catch before can now be caught, and the angle that I couldn't twist and pull out before can now be twisted and pulled out.

Could it be that shaving my head really has some psychological effect?

It was as if Yuan Xiang had opened up his Ren and Du meridians, and he was actually leading the whole way in the first game.

[Small score, Zhu Qi 9:11 in Yuan Xiang]

[Big score, Zhu Qi 0:1 in Yuan Xiang]

In fact, the first game was nothing for Zhu Qi, because Xu Dong was watching from the side, and Zhu Qi handled every ball very well without any mistakes.

She was also aware of Yuan Xiang's level. As long as Zhu Qi continued to maintain this state and wait for Yuan Xiang's "Little Superman" mode to cool down, Zhu Qi would definitely be able to overtake her.

The first game ended and the two sides changed sides.

Zhu Qi looked up at Xu Dong who was sitting next to him. Xu Dong was pulling at his collar desperately, as if he was afraid that Zhu Qi didn't understand what he meant.

This is the first time... in the match between Yuan Xiang and Zhu Qi, I was able to take the lead in the first round.

For the Japanese team, this game was very encouraging and they cheered from the sidelines.

Everyone felt that Yuan Xiang was in very good shape today, and it could be said that he was in great shape!

The quality of the loop balls she hit today was much better than any of the previous ones. It can be said that 99% of the balls were used to attack and mobilize Zhu Qi's forehand, making it impossible for Zhu Qi to switch from defense to offense.

Zhu Qi looked at the high ball coming from the opposite side, which was almost impossible to see clearly. He adjusted the angle and got into position to fight back!

In order to keep up with the opponent's rotation speed, she had to add more spin, more mass, and more insurance to the ball, adding enough! Only then could she pull it past!

But at this time, there are also risks.

Because if there is even a slight problem with the angle, it can easily go wrong.

Xu Dong watched the white ball flying back and forth, his eyes swaying left and right, and he even forgot to blink.

Three beats, four beats, five beats, six beats... eight beats!!

Bang!

When Zhu Qi took it, the ball fell straight to the floor!

Xu Dong pounded his thigh in frustration, thinking, "What a shame! Bao Bao's luck couldn't be that bad this time around? He couldn't even get this ball onto the table?"

It's really strange.

Why is it that Yuan Xiang seems to have taken stimulants today, and every ball he hits is so... extraordinary?

[Small score, Zhu Qi 8:10 in Yuan Xiang]

It was match point for Hara Xiang again.

We can't lose this round again!

If he loses again, Yuanxiang will be two games ahead!

This has never happened in any previous competition!

Was there ever a time when Zhu Qi wasn't in the lead?

The Japanese team went crazy. From the coach to the players watching, everyone stood up and shouted loudly to cheer for Hara Kaori.

Their shrill voices, the shouts of raising their arms, and the jumping up and down postures all give people a sense of irritation that makes people want to yell, "Shut up and rely on your young daddy."

But it's competition.

We can't be like football hooligans, we still have to rely on our strength.

The onlookers turned their anger into encouragement for Zhu Qi, shouting Zhu Qi's name loudly to cheer him up.

Zhu Qi looked down at the racket in his hand again.

Now I'm sure there's a problem.

The commentators were reviewing the points lost in the previous goal and felt sorry for Zhu Qi, when suddenly they saw Zhu Qi raise his hand.

[…That ball was actually a lucky shot from Hara Kaori. Normally, judging by the way it fell, it should have landed on the table. But I don't know if Zhu Qi gave it a little spin when he pulled it, so it flew outward a millimeter…]

In the first game, Yuhara played well, showcasing the agility and agility of her Japanese looping shots. While her spin wasn't particularly strong, her ability to launch a forehand and backhand surprise attack certainly caught Zhu Qi off guard.

I'd always thought that Haruka's backhand wasn't good, and since Zhu Qi is a backhander, I didn't dare compete with her, so I always ended up at a disadvantage. But today, I did have a few really good shots—high quality, strong, and with a high percentage of hitting the table. It was also thanks to Zhu Qi's agile footwork that she was able to keep up. Otherwise, I'd probably have lost the second set...

Maybe it’s gone long ago.

The last sentence is not explained explicitly, but the general meaning is similar.

Judging by Haruka's current performance, she's probably been working on her forearm coordination. Her serve now generates both speed and spin, and her backhand is more compact. Hey, Zhu Qi has raised his hand now. I wonder if he has any objections to that shot...

Normally, if someone disagrees with the point just made, they would point to the table.

But Zhu Qi pointed at his racket and said to the referee, "When I hit that ball just now, there were water stains on it."

The International Table Tennis Federation has clear regulations on the cleanliness of the balls.

Regulation 2.5.4 clearly states that players must ensure that the ball is not contaminated by sweat, grease or other substances when serving, otherwise it will be considered a violation and a yellow card will be issued.

Zhu Qi felt that the previous few balls were a bit strange, and the angles when they were hit were not what he imagined.

The referee went over to check the white ball that had landed.

There were bursts of whispers coming from outside the field again.

Many foreign reporters previously felt that Zhu Qi liked to find fault everywhere when he was in a disadvantageous situation, and then after finding fault, he would start to catch up.

Some media even maliciously speculated whether Zhu Qi deliberately delayed the game in order to disrupt the opponent's rhythm.

Zhu Qi was also speechless.

Is it not okay to question whether your opponent is using unfair means to play the game?

Table tennis balls are made of plastic, and sweat can easily affect the friction of the ball against the rubber. While the effect of sweat may diminish with repeated hitting, it can have a significant impact on the first shot.

After checking, the referee raised his hand to signal.

It seemed that there was nothing wrong with the ball just now, but the referee still reminded Yuan Xiang to make sure the ball was clean when serving.

When Haraka spread her hands, looking innocent as if she had done nothing, she drew boos from the Japanese team outside the stadium.

Zhu Qi knew without translation that he definitely didn't say anything nice.

In this case, she can only be more careful.

The next two balls were Zhu Qi's serve. Zhu Qi gave up his usual aggressive style of play against the Japanese team, and instead started slowly with short shots, and then gradually pulled back.

Xu Dong's face was wrinkled.

Seeing Zhu Qi starting to slow down his pace and looking like he was determined to fight Yuan Xiang to the end, Xu Dong began to worry secretly.

I don’t know if it was Zhu Qi’s style of play that worked, or if Yuan Xiang suddenly couldn’t accept Zhu Qi’s change from a violent style to such a “gentle” one, but the score was tied by Zhu Qi.

[Small score, Zhu Qi 10:10 in Yuan Xiang]

Xu Dong breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he had a chance to catch up, but at the same time he was worried about Zhu Qi because the next two balls were served by Yuan Xiang.

It seemed that because the referee had just told Yuan Xiang, she deliberately rubbed the white ball with the wrist guard of her right hand when serving, meaning "Look, I wiped the ball clean", and then leaned over to prepare to serve.

Zhu Qi was cautious and felt that Yuan Xiang would not be so "obedient", so he still received the ball according to the sweat stains on it. He did not dare to pull the spinning ball directly, but hit a ball that was slightly higher.

really.

On the first shot, I felt the ball sinking very quickly.

The ball fell and bounced just at the edge of the table.

After Yuan Xiang hit back and Zhu Qi took the third shot...

After that the ball was much more normal.

I guess there isn't much liquid on the ball, just a tiny bit.

With a few more tugs, the dirt on the ball was knocked off.

But this incident still affected Zhu Qi's mentality. The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became, and the more annoyed she became, the more she wanted to score as soon as possible.

Zhu Qi was actually quite puzzled as to how Yuan Xiang managed to get some "dirty stuff" on the ball.

She originally thought that when Yuan Xiang served the ball, she put some sweat on her palms, and then the white ball would stick to it before it was tossed up.

But later Zhu Qi found out that it was not the case.

When Yuan Xiang hits the ball, he will quickly turn the racket when receiving the third shot and hit the ball with the other side.

Zhu Qi guessed that she might have dipped one side of her racket in water to make the ball sink when she served.

In this case, the referee cannot immediately stop the ball and check whether it is stained with sweat.

But this also means that Yuan Xiang must have practiced this kind of serve in advance.

Zhu Qi curled his lips.

The Japanese team's basic operation is yes.

Zhu Qi's ball-pulling movements became increasingly larger, looking like a sharp knife, constantly stabbing the opponent.

The white ball is the airflow that is hit out, spinning and flowing rapidly in the air.

This kind of ball is also easy to crack.

Play defense when receiving the ball, and just give him a low-quality ball to ensure he can get on the court.

Seeing Zhu Qi handle all aspects of the ball from the far table so easily, the commentators praised him in amazement.

Zhu Qi's backhand is indeed much more stable than in Yuanxiang. Being able to maintain such a high level of quality in such a long, multi-shot match without losing a single shot is truly a remarkable feat.

Zhu Qi gritted his teeth and watched the ping-pong ball coming towards his face with side spin.

She took a step back and then turned sideways.

When the opponent saw Yuan Xiang, he also started to get ready, preparing for the next move.

But no one expected that Zhu Qi secretly gave the ball a little spin when he received it, causing the ball's trajectory to deviate to the center line as it flew to the left!

It was a train moving on tracks.

Without notifying anyone, it was forcibly transferred to another track.

Yuan Xiang didn't react in time and his attack was in vain.

[Oh, good—that was a beautiful shot. Zhu Qi feinted, made a fake move, and it looked like he was going to continue the counterattack, but in fact he forced a change of direction.]

This shot brushed the edge of the table and scored. Although it was a lucky shot, Zhu Qi was quite bold, forcing a change of direction at 10:10.

[Small score, Zhu Qi 11:10 in Yuan Xiang]

Xu Dong was so anxious that he almost couldn't breathe.

I waited until the referee flipped the scoreboard before I dared to yell, "Beautiful!"

In this crucial match point.

Every ball counts.

The Japanese coaches watched in amazement.

Zhu Qi has so many skills in his hands.

Can this kind of ball actually change its course?

Generally speaking, players dare not force side spin on a high-speed ball, causing it to deviate from its original path.

Because the risk is too great.

Once you fail to keep up with your opponent's rotation, it is easy to make a mistake in the ball and lose points.

Therefore, many players like to perform the same rotation and pull with their opponents when they are in a multi-shot stalemate, competing with each other in basic skills, and letting the opponent make mistakes first, which is the safest way to score.

Of course.

Although changing course midway like Zhu Qi carries great risks, once the change is successful, it will be difficult for the other party to catch up.

Zai Yuanxiang took a deep breath, held the ball and prepared to serve for the second round.

Zhu Qi stared at the white ball in Yuan Xiang's hand, trying to see if there was any problem with the ball.

If he is not sure whether it is a clean ball, Zhu Qi can only defend in the first shot.

Zhu Qi is a player who likes to attack while receiving the serve, and many of her tactical systems are derived from this basic point.

He was weak when receiving the ball, which meant that Yuan Xiang could attack him on the third board, but on the fourth board, Zhu Qi was still passive and many tactics could not be implemented.

There were many matches in the first game where we lost points because of this.

Xu Dong watched Zhu Qi being tied up and became anxious.

Yuan Xiang first glanced at Zhu Qi, confirmed Zhu Qi's position, and then began to raise her wrist.

Then, with a slight flick of his wrist, he served a forehand quick shot.

As the white ball passes over the net, it falls vertically toward the edge of the table.

When the ball bounced up, it made a very strange spin on the table before bouncing up.

It looked like a small tornado, blowing up the cyclone above the table and flying up with unstoppable force!

Zhu Qi wanted to pick up the ball and hit it back, but he didn't expect the ball to go to the left.

No.

wrong.

This is no ordinary forehand serve.

[Small score, Zhu Qi 11:11 in Yuan Xiang]

The score was tied again.

No one expected the second game to turn out like this. It didn't look like a quarterfinal match, but more like a final.

Because the serve from Haraka just now was not like an ordinary forehand rush ball.

The director gave a super slow-motion shot. When many people were recalling the ball, they suddenly discovered that the ball actually made a very subtle rotation on the table, which lasted for 0.5 seconds before bouncing up.

"What kind of ball is this? Why does it look so weird?" The Chinese team players next to them also found it a little unbelievable as they watched the replay on the big screen.

Why do you think it’s so awesome?

It looks very novel.

"I heard from the Japanese team that this is the serve developed by Hara Kashin. They call it the 'tornado' serve." As a member of the well-known intelligence organization of the national table tennis team, Ah Shui received information not only quickly but also accurately.

No one knows when she got the news, but when watching the replay, I felt that the name was quite suitable for the condition of the ball.

"This Little Sakura has such a useful serve, why not use it in mixed doubles?" Qin Xiaoba learned the Little Sakura from Zhu Qi, and felt that this name was a teasing term for the Japanese and not that unpleasant.

Generally speaking, when Japanese people are competing seriously, they are quite polite.

yes.

A Shui was also a little confused and couldn't understand.

In the next two games, Zhu Qi served for the match and successfully won two points in a row, which at least tied the score. However, after a hard-fought 28-point fourth game, he lost by a narrow margin of [13:15], once again giving Zaiyuan Xiang a one-game lead.

The situation today is completely the opposite of yesterday.

Yesterday, Zhu Qi got off work early and went to watch the cat game for a while.

Today is the day that Maomao finished the quarterfinals early and successfully entered the semi-finals. He will compete with Xiao Snow for a place in the finals in the semi-finals. When the results came out, I heard from the people next to him that Zhu Qi and Yuan Xiang played in the fourth game.

Maomao thought that Zhu Qi had beaten the opponent with a big score of [3:0] again, but when he went out to check the scoreboard, he found that it was [Zhu Qi 1:2 in Yuan Xiang].

This is really weird.

Are you in such a good state today in Yuanxiang?

She watched the fight from the side for a while, and as she watched, she also secretly thought that something was wrong.

Zhu Qi was suppressed and had no way to take the initiative to attack from the beginning of the fourth game. He retreated to the table to defend almost every ball.

Haraka's new serve is also very strange. I don't know when she practiced it.

Zhu Qi tried rubbing the ball, sucking the ball short, violently hitting the ball, and backhand backspin... but nothing worked.

The current situation is that as long as Yuan Xiang serves, it will be difficult for Zhu Qi to score.

In Zhu Qi's serving round, Yuan Xiang started to rub Zhu Qi's middle line, trying to drive Zhu Qi to the far table.

Ren Xinhua's face darkened as she watched this. She felt like she had seen Yuan Xiang's serve somewhere before. It looked very similar to the serve of a player from the same batch as her in the 1960s.

But that person used a straight blade, and could hit this kind of spinning serve, but the angle of the serve was not so exaggerated.

A normal serve is usually directed upwards or downwards.

But in Yuan Xiang's "tornado" serve, the ball almost flew completely to both sides.

Yuanxiang must have enhanced this kind of serve, but no one knows where the ball will fly when it bounces, and it is very concealed.

The commentators watched Zhu Qi catch the ball again and again, and failed again and again, and they were all sweating.

[Actually, I think if you can't judge the spin on this kind of ball, you can just twist and pull it first to forcibly remove the spin and then pull it through. Then, in the next shot, follow up with a long stroke to mobilize the opponent's backhand.]

[Although twisting and pulling is risky, Zhu Qi's backhand has always been his most confident area. I think the success rate is definitely more cost-effective than Zhu Qi's current trial and error...]

The commentators didn't know what Zhu Qi was thinking either.

World Games!

Such a big stage!

Actually using it as a practice table?

You are so stubborn!

I really won't give in!

I really don’t understand...well, be flexible!

Why doesn't the coach call a timeout and tell this kid to stop laughing?

Just be honest and get the points first!

It has an 8 point rating in Yuanxiang!

Xu Dong stared at the white ball flying around the court and had no time to care about the number [5:8] on the scoreboard.

She knew Zhu Qi's intention, which was to figure out the trajectory of Yuan Xiang's serve.

How do you make a ball that spins on the table?

finally.

Discovered by Zhu Qi!

As Yuan Xiang hits the ball, she gives her wrist a sharp shake. The sudden force from her wrist adds a bit of side spin to the ball as the rubber grips it—sh*t! This serve! What "tornado" serve? Isn't it just a serve from the old Chinese straight-blade players?!

No wonder!

Zhu Qi said that it looked familiar no matter how he looked at it.

The Jianghuai Provincial Team also has many old straight-blade players who have experienced the era of switching from small balls to big balls.

They also liked to hit this kind of forehand quick ball during the small ball era, because the serve was fast, the rotation was hard to see, and the landing points varied a lot, making it easy to score.

Moreover, when they were in Chaojing before, Zhu Qi took Qin Xiaoba and others to sneak out to practice basketball in the park.

There are many old men who also use this kind of ball, but those uncles and aunts are old after all, and the quality is not as high as that used by Yuanxiang now.

At that time, Zhu Qi didn't think it was strange that the ball slipped on the table. He just thought it might be caused by the wind in the park.

Looking at it this way now...it must be because even old men have "hand shakes".

To master this forehand side-spin running serve, one needs to have a high level of control over the frequency of wrist shaking and the timing of hitting the ball, especially with the old straight-blade serve, which was more flexible to control with the thumb and index finger to achieve this effect.

Now you can practice it in Yuanxiang.

As an opponent, Zhu Qi admires Yuan Xiang's development and progress based on his basic qualities as an athlete.

It seems like he has been preparing for this match with me for a long time.

Little Sakura sauce~

But when I thought about how Sakura had used her sweaty balls to dirty herself again.

This admiration only lasted for a second and then quickly dissipated.

Xu Dong watched Zhu Qi, determined to return his "tornado serve," and he began to feel anxious. But when he saw Zhu Qi jumping around the table again, scratching his trouser legs, rubbing the still-dry clothes on his belly, and wiping the sweat from his palms, he began to relax a little.

Having been with Zhu Qi for so long, Xu Dong is very familiar with some of Zhu Qi's small details and actions.

When Zhu Qi was extremely nervous and felt pressured, he would not do these little movements. Instead, he would stand still and stare at the opponent's racket, thinking about why he did not catch the ball just now and then start planning the attack for the next ball.

Yuan Xiang and Zhu Qi have fought so many times, sometimes even dreaming of competing with Zhu Qi, and she also remembers Zhu Qi's action in her heart.

Her destined enemy!

The guy who made her fall from the altar in the hearts of the Japanese people!

The witch who is your lifelong enemy!

Did they find a solution so quickly?

Yuan Xiang did not dare to slack off. She knew that Zhu Qi was smart, but she really did not expect that Zhu Qi was so smart.

In the next round, it was my turn to serve.

Inari wants to continue serving the "tornado" serve.

As a result, Zhu Qi was already standing where the ball would land!

Raise your racket!

Used a straight-board starting action!

The iconic straight bar pick!

Successfully pushed the ball back from the moment it bounced!

Zhu Qi's palm was almost completely suspended in the air, and he used his thumb and index finger to "pinch" the racket back and forth and left and right, relying entirely on these two fingers to exert force!

Everyone stand up!

Everyone has only seen horizontal hitting with a straight racket, but never seen vertical hitting with a horizontal racket!

The commentators shouted behind the screen. Even though they were knowledgeable, they had never seen such a style of play!

Zhu Qi...how did she do it?

What's going on in her brain?

Why is it so—smart?

[Small score, Zhu Qi 6:8 in Yuan Xiang]

Yuan Xiang almost didn't expect Zhu Qi to be able to hit the ball back, and watched the ball pass over her racket and fall to the ground.

When Yuan Xiang's body began to tremble again and this deep-rooted fear rose in her heart once again, her memory seemed to be pulled back to the several times she had lost to Zhu Qi in the past.

no!

We must never repeat the same mistakes again!

She's had enough!

Why is it always like this?

She also worked very hard to study Zhu Qi's techniques, finding many sparring partners who imitated Zhu Qi's style and practicing with them! She put in three times more effort than before!

The commentators of CCTV5 also couldn't quite understand it. In their opinion, it seemed that this was a shot that Zhu Qi hit on a "flash of inspiration".

Looking at Zhu Qi's expression now, he seems quite relaxed. He's not as anxious as he was in the first three games.

I guess she must have figured out how to score against Hara Kaori. Although she's now two points behind, it's Zhu Qi's serve game next.

Zhu Qi's opening move just now was very similar to the only straight-blade player on the men's team. Zhu Qi has a remarkable ability to learn, and he can incorporate anyone's moves into his own, turning them into his own "arsenal."

I wonder if that straight-blade player taught Zhu Qi anything, or if Zhu Qi figured it out on his own...

In fact, Zhu Qi didn't expect to succeed in one go.

Mainly when thinking about why Yuan Xiang did not use this serve in the mixed doubles, Zhu Qi suddenly remembered that in the mixed doubles group of Yuan Xiang and Xiao Gangpao, Zhu Qi played Xiao Gangpao and Yuan Xiang played Song Linzhou.

Song Linzhou uses a straight racket and he is responsible for receiving the ball from Yuan Xiang.

It is possible that Haraka was worried about a certain technique of the straight-blade, so she never used it once and saved it for the women's singles match to snipe herself.

So Zhu Qi tried using the straight-blade picking technique.

When they were practicing mixed doubles, their brains were numbed by the practice, so they brought in a few other kids to do some fun activities, like using their weaker hands to play the ball against each other. Zhu Qi used his left hand, Song Linzhou used his right hand, A Shui used his right hand, and Qin Xiaoba used his left hand. As a result, A Shui's right-handed skills improved by leaps and bounds, and he beat the three of them badly, even Zhu Qi was defeated.

Later, they exchanged techniques, Zhu Qi taught horizontal racket, Song Linzhou taught straight racket,

At that time, Zhu Qi practiced the push and quick flick with a straight racket, hoping to combine the flexible properties of the straight racket and strengthen his forehand area.

The result is now in use.

Nice~

This forehand topspin running shot has a weird amount of spin, but the flicking motion is superior in that it reduces the force, combining the agility of a straight racket with the feel of a slice. The ball was received so well that it was obvious that Haruka was a bit dazed.

The commentator next to him was obviously amazed by Zhu Qi's technique. After his colleague finished speaking, he was stunned for several seconds before he came to his senses and followed suit.

[In the first few rounds, Zhu Qi had been on the defensive, but now he's taking the initiative. This shows that the situation is about to turn around! Zhu Qi has taken control of the game!]

Yes, we have to admit that the Japanese women's singles players performed very well this time. Many of the issues that arose in the previous match against Zhu Qi were optimized and improved in this match. We can also feel that Hara Kaori is determined to survive in this match, but...

Unfortunately...

The person standing opposite Yuanxiang's billiard table was no longer Zhu Qi from the previous games.

The Japanese coaches only felt their scalps tingling, and every hair on their heads stood up as if they were shocked by static electricity. Their facial expressions were so stiff that they couldn't adjust.

It's really hard to imagine.

Why does a female player have so many things in her arsenal?

Why does it feel like there is an endless supply of it?

The Zhu Qi standing here at this moment is different from the Zhu Qi in the mixed doubles competition ten days ago.

She seems to be always exploring, always absorbing, and always pursuing higher skills.

All opponents who appear in front of her will become weapons in her pocket.

No one is an exception, including Yuanxiang.

It wasn't just the players and coaches of the Chinese and Japanese teams watching the game.

There are also some other national team members.

This also includes the Hong Kong team, which will not participate in the women's singles competition, the Pakistani team, which was eliminated but still plans to participate in the closing ceremony, and the South Korean team, whose women's singles players have both been eliminated...

Countless pairs of eyes were fixed on the Chinese girl next to the pool table.

Some eyes were filled with jealousy, worry and fear.

Some eyes are full of admiration and expectation.

Many people want to be her, but they cannot bear the suffering she has experienced.

【Zhu Qi 7:8 in the original fragrance】

【Zhu Qi 8:8 in the original fragrance】

[Zhu Qi 9:8 in Yuanxiang]…

It started again.

The referee flipped the scoreboard frantically.

The score increased like an injection, gradually overwhelmed the opponent's original fragrance.

Zai Yuanxiang was almost madly hitting small balls on the table, trying to compete with Zhu Qi for short balls, but as soon as Zhu Qi found an opportunity, he would immediately hit a wide-angle flying lob to score.

Everything seems to be back to the starting point.

That is the witch's curse that he cannot break no matter how hard he tries.

In a trance, Yuan Xiang seemed to hear the coach calling her.

She turned her head woodenly and looked at the instructor sitting next to her.

The Japanese coach made a pause gesture and hurriedly called back Zaihara Xiang.

Others don’t know what other tricks the Japanese team can use.

Because he knew that there would be sweat left on the ball by Zai Yuanxiang, which would affect Zhu Qi's reception of the second shot, Zhu Qi did not pursue high quality in the second shot but instead engaged in a stalemate with Zai Yuanxiang.

Later, Aragaki Hara wanted to use her newly created serve to make a stunning debut on the world stage.

As a result, Zhu Qi cracked the game in less than one round and successfully counterattacked.

I feel like all my efforts are just a joke in front of Zhu Qi.

Zhu Qi answered the questions very quickly and with high accuracy.

Jia Jia from the Hong Kong team watched from the sidelines. If she had put herself in Yuan Xiang's shoes, she'd probably have felt despair right there and then. And then she'd silently pray that she wouldn't be in the same half of the draw as Zhu Qi next time...

The ping-pong ball rolling back and forth on the ground looked like a bullet shell that had been separated from a magazine.

Under the light, it shines like a cold weapon.

The Japanese coach was chattering away giving tactical instructions.

Xu Dong was also trying to find ways to help Zhu Qi make adjustments.

Zhu Qi had no idea what the Japanese coach was saying, but Xu Dong just kept repeating one thing: "Try not to miss high balls. Don't give them high balls. Be careful not to let them move you from the near table to the far table. As long as you keep playing like this, she won't be able to get past you."

Zhu Qi could only wipe his sweat and nod.

The match with Hara Xiang took much longer than I expected.

Zhu Qi felt that he should not underestimate the enemy.

He thought that since his opponent had never beaten him before, he thought that he would win this game 100%.

In fact, if someone else were to play this game, even if Maomao was placed opposite him, Zhu Qi would play more steadily from the first game, and would not keep going into a dead end as he did before against Yuan Xiang.

There were two balls left in the fourth inning.

Zhu Qi put the towel in the basket and returned to the pool table.

When Yuan Xiang came back, the situation seemed different again.

It was as if he had gone to a Japanese coach to get some energy. He looked as if he was on fire, with steam bubbling out of his eyes.

Zhu Qi sensed a hint of murderous intent, gripped his racket tightly, and prepared to fight.

The ball flew again.

The horn sounded again.

Facing Yuan Xiang's repeated long forehands, Zhu Qi actually remembered Xu Dong's advice of "don't shoot too high", but when he saw that the ball hit by the opponent was particularly soft, he still had the intention to kill.

Zhu Qi hit a high ball with his backhand, and it seemed that Xu Dong almost bounced off the bench.

Raise your arms in Haraxiang and adjust the rhythm!

Zhu Qi was stunned. It wasn't a smash?!

When Yuan Xiang raised her arms to a level position behind her shoulders, she knew that Zhu Qi could use a smash to counter the smash! So she didn't give him a smash, but instead shot a long ball from far away!

Zhu Qi reacted quickly, turning his back to the audience and moving back to the far stage.

The cat next to it saw this scene and its pupils suddenly dilated.

She was so familiar with this scene!

Isn't this the same scene from the Jianghuai Chinese Games? That high throw caused Zhu Qi to move to the far table and sprain his ankle!

Almost the same step back!

Same angle!

Same long ball!

The ball lands at the same spot!

Because this scene is too similar to the one at the Jianghuai Provincial Chinese Games.

Maomao even thought that the Japanese team must have watched the match between him and Zhu Qi!

Everyone saw Zhu Qi almost pushing himself outside the barrier, his body tilted, his footsteps missing, his balance unstable...

It was as if someone had pressed the slow-down button on time.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... Just like a stop-motion comic, the pages are turned one by one.

Until Zhu Qi fell to the ground, covering his right foot that had stepped on air, lowered his head and let his expression fall into a gloom.

Everyone let out a sharp scream, as if a bomb had fallen into the audience.

Everyone was very interested in this sudden situation and stretched their heads to see what was going on and whether the game could still go on.

The only difference from the Chinese Games semi-finals is.

At that time, Zhu Qi quickly recovered and continued the game.

But this time…

Zhu Qi was unable to stand up until the referee came over to ask what was going on.

【Author’s words】

① This is a meme from Russia. They have a Men's Day there, where a group of people will take to the streets to fight, with the police not intervening. Then they will shout a slogan that translates to "Take my sword, China's number one sword, the White Emperor's Holy Sword, follow me." The Russian translation is "Strength and honor, victory or death, I am for everyone, everyone for me."

② Unofficial historical records indicate that during the Eight-Nation Alliance, the Ryukyu Islands, now Okinawa, wrote a letter to the Japanese, offering support, but the Japanese refused to accept it. After World War II, they offered the Ryukyu Islands to the Japanese, but the Japanese, fearing they couldn't defend them, refused to accept it. I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard it from my elders. True or false, I'll tell you. If you have any knowledge of this, please join us in the discussion. [Spread the flowers]. However, many Ryukyuans hate the Japanese government just as much as we do. Take, for example, Namie Amuro's refusal to sing Japanese songs. From a legendary diva to having all her works removed from the internet—just audacious. The fact that the Ryukyu Islands were managed by the Japanese government was a sham; no one ever said they were theirs. What if some mysterious Eastern power ever liberated them and the Ryukyu Islands were restored? [Vegetarian/Vegetarian/Vegetarian]