40 Tokyo World Games-Mixed Doubles
◎【Three-in-one】We must play a good game.◎
This was the first mixed doubles competition in table tennis history.
It was also the first table tennis event that the Chinese team participated in at the World Games held in Japan.
Because the home base is in Japan.
The opening ceremony of the World Games alone achieved the highest ratings in history.
Thank you for watching the mixed doubles table tennis commentary for this World Games. I'm commentator Sen Qiaobei. It's time for the players to enter the arena. In the first match of the 32-to-16 round of 32, the Chinese team will face the Danish mixed doubles pairing of Rui Fu and Kadisha.
Denmark only registered for this one event, and it seems everyone is very interested in the mixed doubles event.
This time, the Chinese team will feature Zhu Qi, the previous World Cup champion, and Song Linzhou, the men's team's star player. Their combined mixed doubles win rate is 15 wins and 2 losses in 17 matches. Although these matches are all domestic, this win rate suggests a strong team chemistry.
The commentators responsible for commentating the mixed doubles event this time are both reporters from the sports channel, one male and one female.
The man is Sen Qiaobei, who had previously interviewed Zhu Qi.
He spoke cheerfully: "I interviewed Zhu Qi at the Tokyo Qualifying Tournament a year ago. Although she was only sixteen at the time, she struck me as someone with a very mature perspective. As a national table tennis player, she has already shone in many international competitions."
The female commentator continued, "Yes, I previously commented on Zhu Qi's World Championship match. This girl struck me as decisive and unhesitating. As the youngest winner of the 'Golden Throne', and now the youngest player in Chinese national team history to compete in the World Games, let's look forward to her performance at the Tokyo Games!"
Denmark does not attach much importance to table tennis competitions. Although the two participating athletes are relatively good players in the country, there is still a big gap between them and the Chinese team.
The people sitting in the audience were even more nervous than Zhu Qi who was sitting at the pool table.
Although Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou won the first game with a score of [11:9], Ah Shui was still so nervous that he forgot to breathe: "Why do they seem a little restrained?"
Maomao also felt it: "Maybe it's because I'm not used to it in the first game."
The person who provided off-court guidance to Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou was Xu Dong.
As the coach who has been in charge of Zhu Qi and the mixed doubles team, Xu Dong knows the status of both of them very well.
Although the Chinese team scored in the first game, the game was relatively conservative.
As a coach, the first thing to do is naturally to reduce the pressure on the athletes.
"It's okay, don't worry, just play one ball at a time. Once you get the hang of it, you can go for it. You two are already very proficient in your steps and movements now..."
Xu Dong handed them both water while calming down.
At the beginning of the game, Zhu Qi also felt that his emotions were a little too excited.
Although I have participated in the three major competitions before, the feeling is still different because it is the World Games, which has the highest gold content among all competition systems.
So now more and more people are paying attention to table tennis, but in fact, during normal competitions, it is good if one-third of the seats in the audience are full.
Because everyone prefers to use the ticket money for daily expenses.
But a large-scale competition like the World Games is always packed from the opening ceremony onwards.
When I looked up, I saw a dense crowd of little heads, and every pair of eyes was staring at me, front, back, left, right, and in all directions...
Song Linzhou's eardrums were vibrating. Although Chairman Ren had taken him and Zhu Qi to watch a women's volleyball match yesterday, the feeling of actually being on the court was different from sitting in the audience.
The noise coming from all directions was like a tide, almost drowning him.
The two children took a deep breath and patted each other on the shoulders to encourage each other.
I feel a little more at ease.
Seeing that they were almost calmed down, Xu Dong immediately said, "These two Danish players are not as good as you in every aspect. Let them warm up in the first game. In the second game, let's follow the previous agreement and focus on the opposing female player to score."
The two nodded, and the pause ended.
When he put down the water cup and returned to the pool table, Song Linzhou took a deep breath and tried his best to ignore the thousands of eyes in front of him.
"Hey." Zhu Qi suddenly called him.
Song Linzhou shuddered and looked at the girl sideways: "What's wrong?"
Zhu Qi pointed at the Danish male player opposite him and said, "His forehand is not as good as yours."
This sentence was like a reassurance, calming Song Linzhou's agitated mood.
He knew that Zhu Qi was encouraging him and asking him to find his right form, but he also knew that Zhu Qi never praised anyone casually. With his confidence doubled, Song Linzhou's defense at the far table became even more solid.
Zhu Qi was only responsible for launching crazy attacks near the middle of the table.
The commentator also calmed down after seeing this scene.
As the saying goes, a man and a woman working together makes the work easier. Although the first game was a tough one, it's clear that Baobao and Daling have both found their form.
At the start of the second game, the Danish pair started serving, and the antelope followed up with a penhold-style crosscourt lob. Oh wow, this penhold-style crosscourt lob was even more powerful than I'd imagined.
The Kirin team is playing more and more steadily, scoring points continuously! They are already 5 goals ahead!
Look at the Qilin duo's pace. Baobao is positioned near the table, handling balls that go into and around the table. Daling firmly defends from mid-range and far-range, attacking from both sides! The effect of his penhold-style horizontal strokes is evident! While Daling's style is less aggressive and more stable than Baobao's, his high balls from the far table allow the opponent to smash back, allowing Baobao to quickly backhand the ball towards the center of the opposing team, catching them off guard!
[Great! The Kirin team won the second game with a score of 11:6!]
[Congratulations! Both players are now taking a short break and preparing for the third round...]...
Winning the second game means laying a great foundation for victory.
Ah Shui and Qin Xiaoba in the audience were shouting their voices almost hoarse. They stood on Maomao's left and right, and Maomao covered his eardrums and shouted along with them.
They competed with the audience in vocal skills.
Chang Hongxia nodded frequently as she watched, feeling relieved. "Very good, they've found their form. As long as they don't make any mistakes, they'll be able to advance successfully."
Gao Xiaofeng nudged He Qianlu next to him with his elbow and asked, "Did you teach me how to play with a straight blade?"
"What's the matter? Is there a problem?" He Qianlu raised his eyes lazily.
"Of course not. I'm just thinking that since you've spent all your money to come to the national team as a specially hired instructor and teach them all the skills, it would be a shame if you didn't come to coach the national team."
He Qianlu said casually: "Not interested."
Gao Xiaofeng laughed: "Are you not interested in coaching the national team, or are you afraid that coming here will cause another public opinion storm for someone? After all these years, if you haven't let it go, then..."
He Qianlu glared at him, and Gao Xiaofeng spread his hands: "Okay, I won't say anymore. Look at your character, you are so stubborn."
Conversation room.
The third game is over.
[In the third game, Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou of the Chinese team defeated Rui Fu and Kadisha of the Danish team 3:0]
There is one last round.
The two players on the Danish team are of average level.
When they were beaten to a pulp, they gave up resistance.
Winning the game is that easy.
Zhu Qi reached out and took the towel handed to him by Xu Dong. After simply wiping the sweat from his forehead, he felt more at ease.
The fourth round was also a complete crushing victory for Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou. It was as if they had eyes in the back of their heads, able to tell where the other was without even turning around. As soon as a space was vacant, the other would immediately fill it!
The commentators repeatedly exclaimed "good coordination" and "decisive moves", expressing their approval of the two new mixed doubles players.
The two scored points crazily along the way.
It even scored 10:0.
Xu Dong in the guidance area called a timeout.
With the score at this point, as long as Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou don't make any mistakes, it will be absolutely impossible for them to turn the tables.
Xu Dong called a timeout purely to allow Zhu Qi to calm down, stay on the court for a while longer, and feel the atmosphere of the World Games.
Ren Xinhua in the audience also guessed that he would win the first game beautifully, but he didn't expect it to be so beautiful.
Even the Buddha shouted a few times excitedly.
"Denmark isn't very good at table tennis. Let's give them a point."
Zhu Qi has no habit of giving up points. She always believes that points should be earned through one's own ability.
However, the national team has an unwritten rule that players cannot be "shaved bald".
After World War II, many countries with limited economic resources and long-term wars found it difficult to find a table tennis table. The players competing at the World Games were also "children from humble backgrounds" sent here by the entire nation.
Giving up a point is etiquette, but the important thing is not to let others lose too badly.
The timeout is over.
In the end, Song Linzhou killed the ball himself with his serve, giving the opponent a point.
At the Tokyo World Games, Chinese team Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou defeated Denmark's Rui Fu and Kadisha 4-0 in the mixed doubles round of 32 to advance to the next match.
The first match of the mixed doubles group was a shutout.
Everyone's morale was greatly boosted.
It also gave the national table tennis team a good start.
After the two sides shook hands, Xu Dong came up and gave Zhu Qi a hug, then began to help Zhu Qi pack up and prepare to leave.
Chang Hongxia knew the match was secure when she saw the third game. She went to the next table to watch the South Korean team's match for a while, and when she came back, she said, "Sweden beat Austria in Group B2, so you'll face them next. South Korea also made it through Group B3, and their next game is against Hungary."
Ah Shui was melancholy: "Sweden used to be very strong, but their level has dropped a lot in the past two years. How does it compare to Denmark?"
Maomao smiled and said, "It should be a little better than Denmark, but looking at the state of Baobao and Daling, there's absolutely no problem. They played really well in this first game, it's really encouraging to watch."
After Zhu Qi came out of the dressing room, she changed into a fresh set of spare clothes, which felt damp. As she stuffed the towel into her bag, she thought of something.
"Have the women's singles draw results come out yet?"
Zhu Qi didn't hold back his strength, and he didn't know where he touched Maomao's shoulder, and Maomao suddenly gasped.
But soon, Maomao's smile returned, as if it was just Zhu Qi's illusion, and she said with a smile: "It came out. Sister Xia and I were in two different half-areas and didn't run into each other."
Ah Shui didn't notice that Maomao was acting strangely just now, and happily followed Maomao: "Does that mean you and the captain won't meet before the semi-finals? There's hope of winning gold or silver, what a great sign! That's great, that's great..."
Maomao and A Shui walked in front, talking and laughing, leading Zhu Qi out of the locker room, but Zhu Qi looked at Maomao's back and pursed his lips slightly.
/
The cat has a very familiar smell of medicine patches on it.
Zhu Qi knew that she didn't want A Shui to know, nor did she want the coaches to know, so she took advantage of the time when A Shui went out to throw away the garbage to lift up Maomao's clothes.
Sure enough, there was a thick plaster on her right shoulder, and there were some traces of the plaster residue on her skin. It was probably there for several days.
"It's useless to just stick this on." Zhu Qi frowned.
She knew the source of Mao Mao's shoulder injury, and also knew that it was an internal injury that required surgery to correct.
But the competition is just around the corner, how can we have enough time for surgery?
Maomao put on her clothes, looking relaxed: "It's okay, I just practiced a little too much these two days and my muscles are reacting. And I told Coach Cun that we are going to play these two days..." She paused.
Zhu Qi looked up: "Are you going to get a blocking injection?"
Maomao nodded.
Zhu Qi was traumatized by the blocking injection. Even the blocking injection twenty years later only had an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, and only treated the symptoms but not the root cause.
Moreover, this thing will make people's bones harden, prone to osteoporosis and even muscle atrophy. One injection will shorten an athlete's career by one year.
What's more, the blocking needles at this time were far less sophisticated than those in the future, and could not be accurately injected into the wound.
Today's blocking injections are large-scale injections, and the needles are extremely thick, even thicker than those used for cow injections, and have greater side effects.
Zhu Qi's ankles are also prone to injury. Once, the pain was so severe that he couldn't even put on his shoes, but he gritted his teeth and endured it, refusing to get an injection.
Zhu Qi looked at her: "What did Coach Cun say?"
"It's not recommended to play, but if it's really too painful to play, you definitely have to play and be in the best condition to play."
"What about Coach Jiang and Chairman Ren?" Zhu Qi asked again.
Maomao shook his head.
Zhu Qi understood: "They don't know?"
"I didn't dare report it. My condition isn't as serious as it was during the World Cup. It's just an old ailment. It's just a slight stinging pain, not enough to prevent me from lifting my arm. I can play after a shot. If Chairman Ren knew about this, maybe..."
"Are you afraid that you won't be allowed to play?" Zhu Qi asked.
Maomao nodded.
Ever since her shoulder injury at the World Championships two years ago, Maomao has been actively cooperating with her therapist for conservative treatment. Despite a couple of strains and injuries, the young woman's recovery has been relatively smooth. However, upon arriving in Tokyo, the pain returned. Unlike the team competition, women's singles doesn't offer a P card. If she can't play, she'll simply forfeit. This leaves Chang Hongxia alone on the Chinese team.
"No matter what, I have no regrets. I've been playing tennis since I was 4 years old, and I've waited 17 years to finally stand on the World Games stage. For this game, I can give everything. As long as I can win gold, even if they tell me that I can never play tennis again after returning to Tokyo, I'm willing to do it."
Zhu Qi had slept with her for two years, and this was the first time he heard Maomao say such heroic words of being ready to die.
For a moment, she recalled the scene in her previous life when Maomao apologized to the nation live on the national sports channel after losing to Tokyo, and she was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.
The 21-year-old Mao Mao is much stronger than he was two years ago, with more muscle. He also went through a lot of hardship to improve his straight-to-horizontal style, otherwise he wouldn't have had time to have surgery for his shoulder injury.
She said to Zhu Qi, "You know, I envy your natural touch and the fact that you've achieved something others have worked so hard for their entire lives at such a young age. But honestly, I was quite unwilling to accept those two losses to you in the qualifying tournament and the Asian Cup. I also believe I'm just as hardworking as you. Coach Cun once told me that you're my biggest competitor in the future. I agree. The future is yours, and I don't have much time left. I must seize this opportunity."
Zhu Qi knew that his presence was also a pressure for Maomao.
At this point, although the injection is the worst option, it is the only option left.
Zhu Qi said, "Yes, I felt bad even after winning those two games against you. I always felt like I was taking advantage of you because of your shoulder injury. When you're fully recovered, we must play a good game. Best of nine, 5-for-5, 21-point format."
The cat laughed.
Who said Zhu Qi can't speak?
This is really heartwarming.
Before the two of them finished talking about the topic "The only heroes in the world today are you and Cat", Ah Shui came back after throwing away the garbage with a serious look on his face.
"What's wrong? You were so happy when you went out, but now your mouth is so pouty that you can hang a bottle of oil on it." Zhu Qi asked.
A Shui turned sideways, and Coach Jiang and Chairman Ren followed behind him, and behind them were Coach Cun and Chang Hongxia.
As soon as they saw these people, Zhu Qi and Maomao looked at each other and understood.
Maomao’s shoulder injury could no longer be concealed.
/
This is the first time Zhu Qi has seen Maomao being scolded in all the time he has been in the national team.
Maomao has always been the player that the coaching staff trusts the most. Even a coach like Foye, who likes to be sarcastic, can't find any fault with Maomao.
But today, Ren Xinhua and Fo Ye took turns criticizing the cat for half an hour.
Of course, along with Maomao, her supervisor was also scolded. The scolding was also about why she didn't report the recurrence of her shoulder injury.
Why not report it?
Of course, he was afraid that it would be the same as what happened in the World Cup that year, where Ren Xinhua would not allow Maomao to continue the competition.
"I told you two years ago that if you feel unwell, you should see the team doctor immediately. You can't just bear it!" Foye stood with his hands behind his back, shaking with anger. "What's wrong with you? Is it serious?"
"It's really not serious!" Maomao assured again and again, shaking his arms back and forth. "It's just a little muscle reaction, it's fine now."
Buddha asked the team doctor to check it out and found that it was indeed just a muscle strain. It was not serious enough to the extent that he could not even lift his arm like in the last World Cup, but it was definitely not okay.
Chairwoman Ren knew now wasn't the time to blame. Seeing that Maomao was in good condition, she felt a little relieved. She patted Maomao's head and warned, "The injection can only reduce inflammation and relieve pain. If you don't want your career to end at the Tokyo World Games, you'd better think carefully about what I suggested to you."
Maomao's expression paused for a moment, then he nodded.
After the leaders left, Ah Shui breathed a sigh of relief. When she went downstairs to throw away the garbage, she saw several leaders asking her with dark faces whether the cat was in the room. She was scared out of her wits.
As soon as the leaders left, Ah Shui started complaining, "Why didn't you tell me your shoulder injury recurred? You've been helping carry water and luggage these past few days. Are you okay?"
Maomao shook her head. "The injections will get me through Tokyo, so it's really okay." At this point, she began to envy the two young girls' physiques, still so young and free of fatigue. "Sister Xia had a patellar dislocation before, and right after the stitches were removed, she got an injection to compete in the National Table Tennis Championships. What's my problem?"
Ah Shui was amazed. Every athlete was a tough guy.
Those who can stand at the top of the world are all triune gods, possessing extremely high talents, good physical fitness, and sufficient efforts to support them.
Her body hasn't responded yet, but as an athlete, it's only a matter of time before she continues to move forward with injuries. Later...
Even after Chairman Ren left with a few people, he still felt uneasy.
Although the team doctor said that Maomao is in good condition, they also watched the competitions of Japan, South Korea and Russia in the past few days and found that the level of the players from these three countries this year has improved a lot compared to four years ago.
They all originally played with horizontal rackets, and taking advantage of the enlargement of the ball, they developed several special playing styles, each targeting the Chinese team.
well.
Seeing Ren Xinhua's gloom, Chang Hongxia said cheerfully, "I heard that after the first mixed doubles match, the ratings for the sports channel dedicated to table tennis events soared to 25%, almost catching up with the Spring Festival Gala. This shows that people are really paying attention to table tennis now, which will be good for us to promote table tennis enthusiasm across the country in the future."
That being said.
Winning the game would be the best, but if we lose... the consequences would be unimaginable.
Ren Xinhua glanced sideways at Head Coach Jiang, who had been following them. "Lili and Shushu were working on some women's doubles routine a while ago, and I watched them play, and it didn't sit well with me. Serving isn't allowed to be obscured these days; everything from the toss to the arm swing to the ball needs to be clearly visible to the opponent, but they still have that clever trick of using subtle serves, and it makes me uneasy. I told them to change that, but when I saw them practicing on the training ground yesterday, it didn't seem like they'd changed at all."
Buddha disagreed: "The prohibition on covering the serve only applies to the arms and body. Covert serves within the regulations are fine."
Ren Xinhua frowned: "Tell them to play games cleanly and not play tricks like that. It's not glorious even if they win."
When Master Fo wanted to retort, Chang Hongxia took over and said, "I know. I will tell them."
But talking is one thing, and whether people listen or not is another.
When Chang Hongxia conveyed Chairman Ren's intention, Jin Lili, as expected, slammed the table and stood up.
"What does this mean? What do you mean by clever? Dishonorable? What dishonorable things have we done?"
When Jin Lili first joined the team, her fame was no less than Zhu Qi's. She also won a minor Grand Slam and was promoted directly to the national team, skipping the youth training camp. From the moment she joined, she was fawned over by many young players, which inevitably led to her being a bit spoiled and willful. However, her youth and the presence of the captain helped keep things in check.
But now as I get older, my willfulness has become more and more crazy.
Chang Hongxia frowned and said coldly, "Do I need to explain this any further? Blocking a serve is a violation. You received two yellow cards for blocking a serve at the Asian Cup. Do I need to remind you again? Do you think blocking with your shoulder or side is not considered blocking?"
By the time Ding Shushu tried to mediate, Jin Lili was already shaking with anger, losing her composure. "So what? The ITTF changed the material and size of the ball, and the 21-point system to target the Chinese team. Why aren't they talking about fairness now? I was just increasing my serve's scoring chances within the rules, so why is that not allowed?"
Then, Jin Lili feigned understanding and sarcastically replied, "I see. It's because I don't have that 'ability' someone has, so whatever I do is wrong, and whatever she does is right. She only takes people out for a weekend run, and it's just a penalty run. Her head coach even gave her the key to the secondary gym so she could train. If it were me, I'd probably have been demoted to the provincial team by now, right?"
"Stop talking!" Ding Shushu pulled her back. "That happened two years ago. After they finished their penalty run, they took the initiative to go to Chairman Ren and admit their mistakes. Why are you still bringing up the past?"
"Why can't I raise it?! It's unfair! It's just unfair! The entire national team gives her the best resources. She's got spots in the three major tournaments and the six major tournaments by default. The provincial team even assigns her a special team doctor! Chairman Ren, Sister Xia, Sister Xu Dong—everyone favors her. Even if she does something wrong and violates team rules, she's just given a light 'criticism.' And what about me?" Jin Lili trembled, tears of resignation falling. "Did I get into the national team because I didn't win all the 'Golden Thrones,' or because my provincial team teacher isn't a whore?"
Ding Shushu thought she was crazy.
Jin Lili also felt that she was crazy.
I want to go completely crazy and let everyone see my unwillingness and anger.
Chang Hongxia glared at her, and all the words she wanted to say disappeared at this moment.
When Jin Lili first came to the team, Chang Hongxia was also optimistic about this girl.
She has also worked hard, taken every ball seriously, played in competitions everywhere to climb the world rankings, and carefully absorbed the advice of her predecessors to improve her tennis skills.
Since when did it become so unrecognizable?
Chang Hongxia wasn't as angry as she was at the beginning. At this moment, she was more indifferent. "You've also enjoyed the benefits of being a key player in a team. You were followed around by a bunch of younger players and called "sister" all the time. You were very proud of it, right? At that time, you even asked the younger players to wash your uniforms and help you glue rubber. The coach also covered for you and condoned your behavior. Why didn't you say that it was unfair to the younger players? Oh, I forgot, there was a new member of the team who rebelled. It was the girl you envied and hated. - You better take care of yourself."
Chang Hongxia threw down these words and turned away.
Jin Lili stood there, stiff as a stick, watching the captain's back disappear through the doorway. The bomb buried in her chest finally exploded, shattering her to pieces.
/
When Maomao went to get the blocking injection the next day, the mixed doubles round of 16 to 8 had just ended.
Zhu Qi and Song Linzhou once again defeated Austria 4-0 and successfully advanced to the quarterfinals.
Although Maomao didn't watch the game, A Shui vividly described the entire process of the game to Maomao.
"You know what! That Austrian female player looks short and skinny, but the ball really spins! It might have something to do with the bat she's using. I heard it's made of this Southeast Asian wood, and the ball spins like a cannonball when it's hit!"
Maomao listened attentively, then turned around and found Zhu Qi was gone, so he asked, "Where's Baobao?"
"Oh! She said this Austrian female athlete is also competing in the women's singles, and she's helping you gather information." Ah Shui asked curiously, looking at Maomao's wrapped right shoulder. "What does it feel like to get a block injection? Baobao said they use a needle as thick as a bamboo stick to insert it into the bone. Does it hurt?"
"It's okay, a little bit, I can accept it." Maomao said lightly.
Looking up, they saw Zhu Qi talking face to face with a foreign girl. They swung each other's rackets a few times and then knocked on the rackets to listen to the sound. After a brief exchange of words, they shook hands and parted.
Ah Shui followed him over: "How's it going? Did you find out anything?"
"It's not ebony, it's koutou wood." Zhu Qi said.
"What is Koutoumu?"
"It's from Africa. This wood has long fibers and is resistant to moisture. It's harder than Limba wood and has a stronger rebound." Zhu Qi looked at Maomao. "Later, I'll imitate her style and play against you. This opponent isn't as good overall as you, but she's very fast and good at running. She'll be a problem for hitting the whole table then."
Maomao nodded and said with a smile, "Okay, thank you for your hard work. By the way, I haven't congratulated you on your successful advancement to the quarterfinals. The next game is against..."
As he was speaking, Zhu Qi saw a small group of people in the audience holding high the Taegeukgi and waving it arrogantly, celebrating that their mixed doubles team had defeated the Swedish mixed doubles and successfully entered the quarterfinals.
The red flag and the Taegeukgi waved facing each other.
It seems like they are shaking it for each other to see.
The next game is against Li Keshan and Han Taiyang.
/
Before the quarterfinals begin.
Even more excited than Han Taiyang is Li Keshan.
Han Taiyang wants to wash away the stain of her defeat in the World Cup, and she also wants revenge.
Losing to Zhu Qi again in the GTT peak battle, coupled with the World Cup final, has always been Li Keshan's inner demon.
Failure once is a pity, failure twice is regrettable, failure three times...
It's impossible for a person to fall into the same pit three times, right?
There was no way she could lose to the same person for the third time!
And most importantly, this time it’s mixed doubles!
This means that there will always be a female golfer who will catch the ball from the opposing male golfer!
"Listen, I've watched all the recordings of the Chinese mixed doubles players' recent matches and analyzed them thoroughly with you two." The Korean mixed doubles coach, standing before Lee Ke-sun and Han Taiyang with his hands behind his back, spoke word by word. "That male player poses no threat. It's unbelievable that someone would bring a penholder to the World Games. But Zhu Qi, this kid needs your careful attention."
Han Taiyang gritted his teeth and said, "I will keep a close eye on her. Don't worry, no matter how good a female golfer is, she can never be compared with a male golfer."
After listening to this, the coach of the Korean mixed doubles team was relieved to see that Han Taiyang was in such good condition, but at the same time he still wanted to remind them both.
"Everything has its surprises. Although Zhu Qi is only 17, she won the three major tournaments in her first one. But that's not important. You are a man after all, and you have an innate physical advantage, so just let go and fight. Besides, she studied under He Qianlu. Don't you know He Qianlu's fighting style best? There will be no problem. The Korean Sports Committee has high hopes for us in Tokyo this time, especially you, Taeyang..."
The Korean mixed doubles coach's words were meaningful, and Han Taiyang immediately understood what he meant.
"I know, I will definitely try my best! Definitely! I will definitely bring a medal back to South Korea!" Han Taiyang was shaking with excitement.
He bet all the prize money he had earned since he became a professional player on the Korean table tennis team. If he failed to do this, he would become a pauper.
"Very good, Taiyang. I've always believed in you, you know that, right? But the incident two years ago had such a huge impact. Whether we can turn things around depends on this time."
Han Taiyang nodded heavily and clenched his fists.
/
Tokyo World Games.
Table tennis mixed doubles competition, 8 to 4.
The race begins.
The announcements switching between Japanese and English came from the speakers at the top of the venue.
——[The game begins!]
The two of them stood on the contestant's stage and waved to the audience as they entered the arena.
In the audience opposite them, there were a dozen people wearing Chinese team uniforms and applauding for them.
Zhu Qi saw A Shui and Qin Xiaoba holding the national flag, waving it and cheering them on amid the mountain of cheers from Japan and South Korea.
The noise is nothing to the athletes.
World Games training period.
Ren Xinhua specially gathered a group of people, even the uncle who cooked in the cafeteria was called over.
During training, people gathered around the table, beating drums, blowing horns, and booing at the players.
Everyone had already developed indestructible ears, and they were like being in an empty space when standing in front of the table.
Zhu Qi has always had good hearing, and when he was concentrating, he could still successfully capture the sound of the ball.
Ah Shui listened to the Koreans shouting and yelling across the street and clicked his tongue: "Why do Koreans shout 'Come on' with 'ya'? It sounds like 'ye' in our Shanghainese dialect. If you don't know better, you might think they are calling us grandpa."
Gao Xiaofeng looked at the Korean players on the field, poked He Qianlu's arm, and said jokingly, "That kid has at least followed you to get to where he is today. Now your eldest disciple has met your second disciple, and you..."
"I don't have such an unfilial descendant." He Qianlu glared at him. "Stop talking nonsense."
Daxiong was sitting in the back and heard the two people in front talking about this topic. He joined in and said, "Brother Feng, Brother Lu, are you talking about Han Taiyang?"
"What? What's this story? Coach Da He, do you know Han Taiyang?" A Shui also pricked up his ears.
Gao Xiaofeng smiled and said, "Hey, it's nothing. It's just that Han Taiyang came to the national team as a Korean athlete to exchange and learn, and usually trained with the national team's second team. But this guy was quite 'motivated', so he kept pestering Lao He. Lao He was a tough-mouthed person with a soft heart, so he was coaxed into acting like a 'brother' by that Korean with a few sweet words. Well, at that time, he was pretty generous with Han Taiyang. But after he returned to Korea, his attitude completely changed. He said that he was being ostracized in the Chinese team, that he had difficulty eating, wearing, and consuming things, and that he had to rely on himself to get sick without being assigned a team doctor. These were all completely untrue things. Oh, and at the end, he also said that He Qianlu treated him like a little brother. I guess Lao He was scolded by the domestic reporters because of this?"
"That's too much!" Ah Shui said angrily.
"But I don't think so." Gao Xiaofeng's smile faded, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "After returning to Korea, he instantly became the object of national sympathy, which really earned him a lot of sympathy. He immediately became the captain of the Korean men's national team and enjoyed immense glory... But his career has been on the decline in the past two years. I heard it was because of the rumors at the World Cup that he was 'racist' towards black people or something..."
He Qianlu smiled but said nothing.
A person who gained attention and fame that did not belong to him by distorting facts and creating public opinion, and then destroyed all his previous efforts and reputation because of the public opinion, how could it not be considered a boomerang?
As they were talking, the selection of sides and serving rights on the court had ended.
The huge stands were like a dark blue curtain, and the light and shadows passing through the audience seats were like a swaying ocean. As the game began, uneven cheers and shouts of encouragement were heard.
South Korea starts serving.
Doubles is different from singles.
In singles, you just need to step onto the table to serve, but in doubles, there is an effective serving area, which is the opponent's right half of the court including the center line.
Li Keshan was the first to serve, Zhu Qi received the ball, Han Taiyang counterattacked, and Song Linzhou received the ball.
The players passed the ball back and forth and tested each other in the first round.
[First game, close score: Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 9:11 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
[First game, Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 0:1 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
Han Taiyang was full of energy from the start. He spun each ball towards the opposite side, and the balls had a fierce impact when they landed on the table.
Two points difference.
The first game was won by the South Korean team.
The situation is still under control.
Xu Dong and Song Linzhou's coach was giving them off-court instructions. Most of the time, Xu Dong was arranging tactics, while the male coach was handing out water and towels.
Maomao sat in the audience, feeling a little anxious. "Li Keshan's serve is specifically aimed towards the center line. I heard that to counter Baobao's 'rushing' serve, he found a retired Chinese player and practiced with him for over a year, imitating Baobao's style. Seeing today, it seems they're making some progress."
Baobao, something needs to change...
Xu Dong naturally understood the reason why they lost the first game, but as an off-court coach, he must first relieve the pressure on the players.
"It's okay. After the sixth ball, you've already mastered the rhythm. The second game is all about scoring in the first three shots. The Korean team's strategy is to use Han Taiyang to suppress Bao Bao to score, so when Li Keshan receives the ball, it's mostly a transition ball. You guys should also try to create this contrast. When it's Li Keshan's turn to receive the ball, go for it..."
There are only ten seconds left in the break.
Song Linzhou gently patted Zhu Qi's shoulder and comforted him, "It's okay. If it's Han Taiyang's turn to receive the ball, I will give it a weak spin so that Han Taiyang can't hit a high-quality ball. This way, you will feel less pressure."
Zhu Qi took a sip of water.
The heat in my lungs also subsided a little.
She looked down at the racket in her hand. In the first game, she served several "rapid running" serves, but they were all hit back by Li Keshan.
It seems that Li Keshan's targeted training is very effective.
She is no longer the Li Keshan who lost to her in the World Cup two years ago.
This time, Li Keshan was fully prepared and vowed to avenge himself.
But fortunately, Zhu Qi is no longer the inexperienced girl she was two years ago.
Back on the court, Zhu Qi's serving posture had changed. It was no longer his usual serve, but a hook style that almost no one had ever seen before.
"What is this? A hook shot? Or should it spin?" Gao Xiaofeng hugged his arms and squinted his eyes to look closely.
The cat replied: "Just put these two words together, that's it."
Gao Xiaofeng stared blankly: "Will you turn the hook hand?"
"Baobao arrives at the training ground half an hour early every day and spends two hours training at night. He originally wanted to improve his spinning and non-spinning technique. After Maomao gave him a few pointers, Baobao started to add a little hook shot into the mix." Ah Shui stared at the girl in red on the court.
The girl threw the ball, swung her arms, and hit the ball while lifting her right foot and stomping the ground.
"Bang!" The sound of feet hitting the floor overlapped with the sound of the ball hitting the ball.
Li Keshan was stunned and made a mistake in receiving the serve, which went into the net.
The Chinese team scores.
[Second game, small score, Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 1:0 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
"What's this trick? Why are you stomping your feet?" Qin Xiaoba turned his head and asked the big bear next to him.
Although Big Bear had never seen this before, he immediately understood the significance of stomping his feet: "The sound of stomping the ground can mask the sound of the ball rubbing against the racket, making it difficult for the opponent to judge the rotation."
[Second game, small score, Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 2:0 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
Just as Brother Xiong finished speaking, Zhu Qi scored again with his serve.
The South Korean side was increasingly suppressed, and by the end the score gap began to widen.
[Second game, close score: Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 8:4 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
The South Korean side made an emergency pause.
"Keshan, have you fallen into that old habit again? You can't stop fighting just because you're being suppressed! You have to stay calm!" The Korean coach danced with excitement and had rich expressions.
In fact, it wasn't just Li Keshan who was worried.
Including Han Taiyang, he felt that he was having a very hard time playing. His feet were always a beat behind and he could not keep up with the rhythm of the opposing Chinese team.
The guy who played with a straight racket was not as easy to beat as they thought. They didn't know where he learned the straight-racing horizontal hitting technique.
Logically speaking, straight blades have poor maneuverability and a weak backhand.
But the boy standing opposite him now obviously does not have this shortcoming - or rather, he has completely optimized the shortcomings of the straight blade and instead brought out the forehand advantage of the straight blade.
If the first game was evenly matched.
Then the second game was a complete crushing victory for the Chinese team.
Two red shadows overlapped with each other, one on the left and one on the right, and then moved, sometimes switching to the middle table, sometimes switching to the opponent's defense area, sometimes smashing, sometimes hitting the big board, and sometimes moving sideways to make way.
They cooperated well with each other, and when they swung their arms, the white ball flew through at high speed, and they scored points in a dazzling way.
At this time.
Everyone realized that the first two mixed doubles matches were just appetizers for them.
Starting from the quarterfinals, the Chinese team's mixed doubles will have to show their true level!
In the stands facing the Chinese team, there was a group of Japanese players, watching the mixed doubles match intently.
The more I looked at Yuan Xiang, the more itchy I felt. I really wanted to fight this girl face to face.
The South Korean team suffered a setback and soon lost the second game by 5 points.
[Second game, small score, Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 11:6 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
[Second game, Chinese team - Zhu Qi/Song Linzhou 1:1 South Korean team - Lee Ke-sun/Han Taiyang]
Zai Yuanxiang chewed his gum and blew a bubble: "Wow."
It's of some standard.
This Chinese girl.
Xu Dong was delighted, clapping her hands constantly. By the end of the second round, her palms were warm. She patted Zhu Qi on the head and Song Linzhou on the shoulder. She praised him, "Just play like this. If they can't catch Bao Bao's hook shot, they'll have to use a twist and pull. Li Keshan's twist and pull skills are average, so he can only rely on Han Taiyang to do the twist and pull. That way, Da Ling will receive Han Taiyang's ball and pass it to Li Keshan, causing Li Keshan to lose points. It's a virtuous cycle..."
It seems that in mixed doubles matches, it all depends on whether the female players can lose points.
Female players can only play an auxiliary role to help male players hit transition balls.
Zhu Qi was a little unconvinced and put down the water cup: "I can catch his ball."
Xu Dong was startled: "What?"
"I say - playing like this is a waste of time, let's end it quickly! I will be responsible for receiving Han Taiyang's next ball!" Zhu Qi said loudly.
Screens on all sides showed a girl raising her eyes slightly, murderous intent in her eyes.
【Author’s words】
This chapter has 10,000 words. I’ll put the 12 o’clock update together [Lop-eared rabbit head]
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