Inspired by the life of table tennis legend Marty Reisman, the film tells the story of Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), an ambitious shoe salesman with big dreams. Mauser idolises the icons of the hardbat era and sees himself as part of this illustrious tradition. But his path to the top is thrown into doubt when he loses to Japan's Endo and his innovative bat in an important tournament. To secure a second chance and a place in the next competition, Marty urgently needs to raise money. If he fails, his dream of becoming world champion threatens to evaporate in his uncle's shoe shop.