Bai Feng picked up the ball again, his face burning hot with embarrassment.
Wang Chao regained the serve.
He still went for a Sneak Long Serve.
In an official match, a Sneak Long Serve was by no means the orthodox approach. It could even be called an unconventional trick. Once the opponent fully anticipated it, it became extremely dangerous.
Yet all five serves at the start of today's match had been Sneak Long Serves.
For one-tenth of a second, Bai Feng hesitated.
He had imagined it beautifully yesterday. Wang Chao would Sneak Long Serve, and he would attack first. No matter how one looked at it, an eighteen-year-old Table Tennis First Division rookie should never have been able to withstand the ferocious offense of a national team mainstay.
But after four consecutive points, Bai Feng's confidence had inevitably taken a hit.
That one-tenth of a second of hesitation cost him his chance to attack. Forced to push the ball back, he sent it to the baseline of Wang Chao's backhand.
Without a word, Wang Chao flicked it.
The ball raced like a galloping horse and plunged into the table in front of Bai Feng.
Bai Feng instinctively counter-looped.
Wang Chao played a forehand loop.
Bai Feng looped directly down the line.
Wang Chao looped again from the backhand, also changing the line.
Bai Feng attacked with his backhand.
Wang Chao stepped around and switched to a Forehand Loop.
Bai Feng shifted as well, switching to a Forehand Loop.
At last, the rally became a true evenly matched mid-distance exchange.
There was not much to say about this kind of point. It was purely a contest of raw ability.
You attacked from all sides, and so did I.
As long as either player was even slightly weaker on the forehand or