Ping Pong Episode 41 Recap
> Ping Pong Recap
Xu Tan was in the hospital, moving his knee, and for a moment felt as though his injury had healed. However, Fang Yue and Dr. Xu who then entered the room had very serious expressions. Dr. Xu informed Xu Tan that further examination revealed his anterior cruciate ligament was not merely torn, but completely ruptured. He explained that this caused an imbalance in his knee, compounded by his naturally thin meniscus.
If surgery wasn't performed, and only conservative treatment was pursued, the strain from future training and matches would cause severe damage, potentially leading to permanent disability. Dr. Xu strongly advised immediate surgery. Despite the dire diagnosis, Xu Tan decided to conceal the true extent of his injury and resume training, but he couldn't hide it from Lei Cheng, his master.
Lei Cheng, having guided Xu Tan for over a decade, was dismayed that Xu Tan would be so reckless and seemingly self-absorbed. Xu Tan confessed that, unlike Yu Kenan, who was praised as "a natural leader" and "a great player," he saw himself as "a World No.1 who has never won a World Championship" and "don't have the look of a champion."
He felt this was his last chance to achieve his late grandfather's biggest wish of winning a World Championship, and he had no reason to give up. Lei Cheng pointed out Xu Tan's repeated use of "I" or "me" in his ambitious speech, indicating his heart was solely focused on himself.
Disappointed, Lei Cheng declared their master-disciple relationship over, questioning if Xu Tan truly understood the purpose of playing table tennis and reminding him that life encompasses more than just the sport. Xu Tan, feeling that table tennis was truly all he had left, was left standing alone in the snow. Upon his return to the national team, Xu Tan felt a pang of discomfort hearing teammates address him as "Captain."
He confided in Fang Yue that, having never competed in the three big games, he felt unworthy of the title and feared ending his career as the most incompetent captain in the team's history. He implored Fang Yue to keep his injury a secret. Fang Yue understood Xu Tan's predicament and agreed to keep silent, but made Xu Tan promise that if his condition worsened during a match, he must immediately concede.
Fang Yue also informed Xu Tan about a new change for the upcoming World Table Tennis Championships: the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was implementing new plastic balls, which would require more endurance rather than just power, a change that suited Xu Tan's playing style. Fang Yue described this as a crisis for the whole team, but a potential turning point for Xu Tan, urging him to do his best but avoid overexertion.
The next day, Liu Shi, who was leaving the national team, gathered with Yu Kenan and Xu Tan for a farewell dinner. Liu Shi urged Yu Kenan and Xu Tan to put aside their differences and stop bickering. Later, Song Min approached Xu Tan, expressing his regret for the match where Xu Tan was injured.
He revealed that he had been a last-minute substitute and was specifically instructed by a coach to target Xu Tan's right side, believing it to be a strategic directive. Xu Tan assured Song Min not to feel guilty. This confession, however, caused Xu Tan to realize that someone might have deliberately caused his injury, and he couldn't imagine who else besides Yu Kenan, who knew about his knee, would do such a thing.
Overwhelmed by frustration, Xu Tan went to the training hall and began hitting ping pong balls intensely, despite his knee pain. During a coaching team meeting to select players for the World Table Tennis Championships, concerns were raised about Xu Tan's recent injury. One coach suggested that Su Shun, whose playing style closely resembled Xu Tan's, might be a more suitable and safer choice given the high-intensity nature of the tournament.
Fang Yue, however, passionately advocated for Xu Tan, emphasizing his current world No. 1 ranking, peak skills, and nearly recovered knee. Head coach Fu Chuanzhi ultimately decided that the German Open would serve as a final assessment: whoever, between Xu Tan and Su Shun, achieved better results, would secure a spot in the World Table Tennis Championships.
Before the team departed for the German Open, Yu Kenan made a phone call to Teng, stating he would not be attending the tournament due to an aggravated shoulder injury, claiming he needed to focus entirely on preparing for the World Table Tennis Championships. Teng tried to dissuade him, questioning how others would perceive his absence and arguing that the Open wouldn't hinder his preparation.
However, Yu Kenan remained resolute, insisting his decision was final, and the team left without him. In the German Open changing room, Song Min confessed to Xu Tan his lack of confidence in beating Su Shun, whom he had never defeated in over a dozen matches.
Xu Tan offered him tactical advice, suggesting that while Su Shun had strong endurance, Song Min should avoid continuous offense, focus on controlling the first three strokes, and exploit Su Shun's weakness in close-table short balls, particularly his forehand drop. Song Min, surprised by the detailed advice, questioned if Xu Tan feared him using these strategies against him in the future. Xu Tan calmly replied that these were common principles, and their effective application depended solely on the player.
Song Min then went on to defeat Su Shun in the semi-finals, utilizing the strategies Xu Tan provided. In the final, Xu Tan emerged as the champion, defeating Song Min. At a celebratory gathering, the coaching team commended Xu Tan's championship victory after recovering from injury and Song Min's impressive runner-up performance in his first international tournament, mistakenly believing Xu Tan's knee injury was fully healed.
Later, Su Shun approached Song Min, praising his performance and acknowledging that Song Min had fully controlled the pace of their match. Su Shun then revealed that the German Open was actually an assessment for both him and Xu Tan, due to the coaching team's concerns about Xu Tan's knee injury, and admitted his own skill was still inferior to Xu Tan's. This revelation struck Song Min, causing him to feel exploited.
He later confronted Xu Tan, expressing his hurt and questioning why Xu Tan, his long-time role model, would manipulate him. Xu Tan did not explicitly admit to the manipulation but simply stated that they both achieved their desired outcomes, and Song Min had ultimately benefited from the win. Later, Song Min discovered a list on a bed detailing match rankings and elimination criteria, which clearly indicated that Xu Tan's assistance had been a calculated scheme.
