"Ten thousand years old" is obviously not a complimentary term. Most of the time, the term "ten thousand years old" is more like a sarcasm.
Of course, in table tennis, to become a "second best" player, one must be one of the world's top athletes. If you were to be an average table tennis player, even if you wanted to be this "second best player," it would be impossible.
Hearing what Yushuang said, Li Dai also burst into laughter.
Currently, Yanshuang ranks second in the world, second only to Wang Anshan. Wang Anshan has been ranked No. 1 in the world for three consecutive years, and Yan Shuang's No. 2 ranking in the world is also very stable. In the past year or so, he has not been ranked No. 2 in the world since he rose to No. 2 in the world.
And Yanshuang's record in the past two years is also worthy of his status as the world's second best. In more than two years, Yanshuang has won more than a dozen runner-up places in competitions of all sizes. Of course, it's not that he didn't win the championship at all, but in comparison, those games where he won runner-up were relatively heavyweight.
Such as the runner-up in the National Games, the runner-up in the Asian Cup, the runner-up in the World Table Tennis Championships, the runner-up in the ITTF Annual Finals, etc. It can be said that the pairs in the past two years have "hidden their strength" in the finals, and it is not surprising that they are called the "second best".
When Yan Shuang was doing live broadcasts, the audience and fans would always tease Yan Shuang about the "second child in ten thousand years", which made Yan Shuang not want to continue the live broadcast.
As an anchor, what you fear the most is someone setting the rhythm on the barrage. Sometimes the rhythm people on the barrage are really annoying. Even many old anchors who have been live broadcasting for many years will be disturbed by the rhythm people. collapse. And Yanshuang is not a professional anchor. He is a professional athlete, and he is not yet twenty years old. When he sees the "ten thousand year old second child" filling the screen, his mentality is naturally jumping up and down.
It is also for this reason that Yan Shuang could not even get eight hours of live broadcast time last month.
Li Dai knew that with the strength of Yuanshuang, he would not be the runner-up in every final. Although he was not as good as Wang Anshan in terms of personal ability, he could count on one hand the number of times he met Wang Anshan in the finals of international competitions. , so his runner-up also included losing to other national table tennis players such as Cui Pengfei and Zuo Xiangxian.
Moreover, in those more important table tennis events, those who can enter the finals are all national table tennis players, and they are all capable of winning the championship, and their teammates know each other well. Many times, a lucky ball will determine the final outcome. .
Since it is not a matter of strength that causes Yan Shuang to be the "second child of ten thousand years", it is a matter of psychology.
"Did Yan Shuang encounter something special in a certain final, so he had a psychological shadow on the final and has never overcome it?" Li Dai couldn't help but recall Yan Shuang's performance in the finals in recent times.
Since joining the national table tennis team, Li Dai has watched all the important events that the national table tennis players have participated in. Not only has he watched it, but he has also discussed it with some coaches in the team. Of course, the so-called discussions were all about other people's opinions. Listen to Li Dai, Li Dai's professional level in table tennis is really not as good as those in charge of coaches.
"Yanshuang, do you ever feel that when you play in the finals, you always give up too early?" Li Dai continued: "Especially when playing with teammates, when your teammates are ahead of you, I always feel that you A little lax."
Yanshuang scratched his head: "Really? No way! I play every ball very seriously."
But Li Dai shook his head: "I am just a physical fitness coach, not a professional table tennis coach. Even I can feel it. I think many people can feel this."
Yanshuang was silent, but Li Dai continued: "Before the finals, you will not be in this situation. In terms of play style and tactics, your choices are very reasonable. Fight when you need to fight, and grab when you need to." Rob, overall he is very calm, which makes people feel at ease.”
"But when it comes to the finals, I always feel that your playing is too rigid, lacks flexibility, and the selection of key balls is not very reasonable. Sometimes you are eager for success, lose patience, and don't seem to calmly think about what's next. How to play. It feels like I'm completing a mission."
"Coach Li, you really hit the mark. I will feel the same way." Yan Shuang suddenly said: "Many times, when I reach the finals and see that the opponent is my teammate, I really feel that my mission has been accomplished. The feeling. Sometimes I even feel that the gold medal belongs to our national table tennis team anyway, so it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose.”
"Why do you feel this way?" Li Dai asked.
"I don't know." Yuanshuang shook his head.
"Don't you want to win in your heart?" Dai Li continued to ask.
"Of course I want to win!" Yanshuang nodded seriously: "When you play a game, you must be aiming to win."
"But your performance in the final made me feel that your desire to win is not that strong." Li Dai said.
Yanshuang hesitated for a moment and finally said, "Maybe! Actually, I really feel that playing table tennis is not fun."
Dai Li's eyes widened in surprise. The most talented table tennis player in the national table tennis team, who has an S+ level of terrifying talent, and has been designated as the next generation successor of the national table tennis men's team, actually said that playing table tennis is not fun! It was hard for Dai Li to imagine that a person who couldn't find pleasure in table tennis could achieve such a high level of success in table tennis.
"You must have been practicing football since childhood, right?" Dai Li asked subconsciously.
Yanshuang nodded: "I started learning table tennis when I was six years old. We have a key table tennis primary school there. If you learn to play table tennis, you can get part of the tuition free. My parents are ordinary people, the most ordinary With a salary like that, my family was not considered wealthy. In order to save tuition, my parents sent me to play table tennis.”
Yanshuang continued to introduce his experience. His subsequent path was similar to that of other national table tennis athletes. He showed his talent and was selected by the city sports school, and then experienced the city team and the provincial team.
Yanshuang was selected into the national team when he was fourteen years old and quickly showed his prominence. He entered the first team at the age of sixteen, then performed well in the trials and participated in the World Table Tennis Championships. Subsequently, he also performed exceptionally in other international competitions, repeatedly achieving good results, and ranked among the top three in the world at the age of eighteen.
After listening to Yan Shuang's introduction to his experience, Li Dai frowned. He realized a problem. Yan Shuang's participation in table tennis was more like chasing a duck to the top.
Dai Li suddenly spoke, interrupting Yan Shuang's words: "Do you think you are happy when you are playing table tennis?"
"Happy?" Yan Shuang was stunned. No one had ever asked him this question.
Dai Li said: "To become a professional athlete in a sport, the first thing you have to do is to like this sport and be able to feel happiness from this sport. So, let me ask you, when playing table tennis, what do you think? Is it soon?"
Li Dai asked this question again, but Yan Shuang fell into silence.
After a long time, Yan Shuang finally said: "I don't know, I never thought about it."
"This is your problem. You are able to get to where you are today, relying on your talent and hard work. Your talent in table tennis exceeds 99.99% of other people, and your dedication in table tennis Your efforts are more than those of most athletes, so you get the rewards you deserve."
"But you didn't enjoy the happiness. Table tennis is a project that you have been fighting for for more than ten years, and it is also a battlefield that you will continue to fight for in the next few decades. Have you ever thought about why you want to play and how hard you work? , who are you fighting for?"
"Of course we are fighting for the country!" Yan Shuang blurted out.
"Nonsense, this is the training base of the national table tennis team. Everyone here is doing it for the country." Li Dai shook his head: "But this is not the only answer, and this is not the answer you are looking for."
"For myself?" Yan Shuang looked at Dai Li with some confusion, and he continued: "Coach Gu once told me that choosing this path means treating table tennis as a lifelong career."
"Yes, so for you, table tennis is just a career and a job." Dai Li shook his head slightly: "This is not enough, at least for you, it is not enough."
"I still don't understand what you mean." Yan Shuang also shook his head.
But Dai Li already had his own idea. He changed his voice and said, "How about this? Let's go hiking with me tomorrow weekend. Maybe it will be helpful to go out and experience the natural scenery."