A Slow Starter

Dai Li never expected that, as a fitness coach, one day he could get the chance to go abroad for competitions with the national team. This time, it was the Austria Table Tennis Open, which was also a vital contest in the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) circuit.

Days before the formal game started, there were several preliminary contests. The first one was the U21 level Youth contest, which was followed by a qualifying session. Athletes who were promoted in the qualifying session would be admitted to participate in a three-day formal contest with the other qualified competitors.

In Dai Li's eyes, this contest didn't occupy big venues, nor did it attract a large audience. Lots of Asian faces were found throughout the auditorium, most of whom were apparently either overseas Chinese, or Chinese students studying in Austria.