Recaps

Black Spade Q defeated Jingyue Bay, Bingcheng Pharmaceutical, and Poseidon Club as Wang Chao and his teammates adapted to formidable opponents. The team extended its winning streak to ten matches before beating Poseidon 3:0, while Zhu Ding remained eager to face Wang Chao.

• Geng Shuai shut out Niu Linjun, and Wang Chao and Gao Ming then defeated Sun Yuanqiang and Li Huashan 3:0 to give Black Spade Q a team sweep of Jingyue Bay.
• Lin Zijun defeated Luo Jiu before losing the Kangaroo Country final to Sun Tianlong, while Black Spade Q traveled to Bingcheng City to face Bingcheng Pharmaceutical.
• Geng Shuai beat Yang Yingzi, and Wang Chao and Lu Jia targeted Liu Qiwen’s injured ankle to win the doubles match as Black Spade Q defeated Bingcheng Pharmaceutical 3:2.
• Wang Chao and Geng Shuai prepared to face Poseidon, and Luo Jiu called Wang Chao to explain Zhu Ding’s preferred and feared placements.
• Zhu Ding defeated Geng Shuai 3:0, while Zhao Li'an beat Lu Jia and Poseidon took an early lead in the deciding doubles match against Wang Chao and Lu Jia.
• Wang Chao switched hands and paddle styles to disrupt Ma Angxing’s reads, enabling Lu Jia to score and Black Spade Q to win the doubles match.
• Black Spade Q defeated Poseidon Club 3:0, while Ma Angxing resolved to learn from his loss and Zhu Ding remained eager to face Wang Chao.

Wang Chao defeated Zhu Ding, then helped Qin Huachang recruit Fan Xiaodong while preparing for international competition. As Luo Jiu won the Asian Cup after a fierce final against Sun Tianlong, Qin recalled the hard training that had shaped Sun’s career.

• Geng Shuai defeated Ma Angxing, then Wang Chao lost the first two games against Zhu Ding before Geng Shuai’s outrageous stunt helped him play freely and win the next three games.
• Zhu Ding remembered how He Jingping’s selection of Luo Jiu had left him feeling betrayed, then lost to Wang Chao and agreed to return to the national team after the season.
• After Spade Q lost to Jingyuewan with Geng Shuai suspended, Qin Huachang took Wang Chao to Liancheng City, where Sister Fan refused to let Fan Xiaodong pursue table tennis and Big Yellow bit Qin.
• Wang Chao challenged Fan Xiaodong, recognized his exceptional Overlord Twist, and learned from Fan Pingnan that Qin Huachang had long hoped to recruit him.
• Luo Jiu defeated Sun Tianlong in the Asian Cup final after Sun’s injuries forced him to ease off, and Wang Chao reassured Luo that Sun had chosen to preserve himself for future tournaments.
• Qin Huachang recalled how He Jingping had protested against Sun Tianlong being relegated to sparring-partner status, and how Qin and Sun trained together for a year and a half before Sun developed his distinctive analytical approach.

Wang Chao joined the national team’s T2 Diamond campaign and overwhelmed his opponents while Sakura Country’s top contenders faced unexpected setbacks. After Lin Zijun and Zhu Ding advanced through difficult matches, Wang Chao exposed tournament officials’ biased calls and swept Yoshikawa Hiroshi without dropping a point.

• Qin Huachang revealed his regret over how he had treated Fan Pingnan and recruited Wang Chao for the national team, while Wang Chao learned Fan Pingnan had trusted Qin with Fan Xiaodong’s future.
• Wang Chao joined the national team in the capital, beat Bai Feng in his assessment match, and earned Cai Guodong’s praise for his exceptional ability to read opponents.
• At the T2 Diamond draw, Wang Chao learned that the booklet had labeled him the Unrivaled Divine Dragon, and he was matched against Zhu Shixian in the opening round.
• Lin Zijun dominated Li Zhengzhi, and Wang Chao wore down Zhu Shixian with short-ball tactics before sweeping him 4:0.
• Lu Feiyang swept Zhuang Huishen, while Mizutori Hato appeared to overpower Zhu Ding until his back injury forced him to withdraw and gave Zhu Ding the victory.
• Zhang Benkuang unsettled Lin Zijun with repeated roars and took a two-game lead, but Lin recovered and won 4:2.
• Wang Chao noticed the referee favoring Yoshikawa Hiroshi, stayed calm through dubious calls, and used Eagle Eye to overturn a false point against him.
• Wang Chao beat Yoshikawa Hiroshi 11:0 in each of the first two games and 5:0 in both Fast5 games, completing a 32:0 shutout.

Wang Chao won the T2 Diamond Invitational, reconciled with Zhu Ding, and led Spade Q to the First Division championship. Spade Q then defeated Imperial Capital New City in the promotion-relegation match, earning promotion while New City was relegated.

• Wang Chao beat Lin Zijun in the semifinal after shutting him out 11:0 in the second game, then came back from a 3:2 deficit to win the match.
• Wang Chao invited Lin Zijun to join Black Spade Q Club, but Lin had already signed with Imperial Capital New City and considered transferring after the next spring season.
• Wang Chao defeated Zhu Ding 4:1 in the final to win the T2 Diamond Invitational, and Zhu Ding asked He Jingping to let him start over as a practice partner.
• He Jingping accepted Fan Xiaodong as his disciple at Wang Chao’s urging, while Qin Huachang continued to guide Fan behind the scenes.
• Spade Q lost to Xiang River, then won its remaining regular-season matches to finish fourth and qualify for the playoffs, and Zhu Ding missed the rest of the season with Poseidon.
• Spade Q won the First Division championship and Wang Chao earned MVP, then Wang Chao swept Liang Kunpeng in the promotion-relegation match.
• Spade Q earned promotion to the Super League while Imperial Capital New City was relegated, and Ji Qingsong resigned after realizing his coaching approach had not suited Liang Kunpeng.