Maruo Miyagawa
Bro's got match point!
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Maruo. Score: 6-2.
Yes!
I won...
I won with my own skill!
Kanagawa Junior Tennis Tournament Arena
Court 6, Maruo Eiichiro.
I won, 6-2.
All right, you're finished for the day, Maruo-kun.
Good work!
And I'm Takasaki Natsu, from Court 1.
I won, 6-0!
Nat-chan.
You beat Miyagawa-kun, 6-2?
That's amazing!
But getting there was much tougher than the score makes it seem.
Regardless, we're both one step closer to the All-Japan Junior!
Yeah.
Huh? You don't seem as happy as I thought you'd be.
Huh? No, it's not that, but...
"But"?
Somehow... Unlike how it's been in the past,
it was a real struggle to win.
I guess it showed me how intense a real match can be.
So you had that type of match.
I can understand how that feels.
Huh?
But you'll probably have more matches like that in the future.
The more you win.
That's right...
Nat-chan's experienced this lots of times.
It may feel that way to you now since the match just ended,
but you'll understand soon
that the truly fun matches are the ones that feel that way.
I was able to defeat Miyagawa-kun.
In retrospect, it was by a large deficit.
Thoughts on Today
From the beginning of the match, I felt like I was ahead in terms of skill,
but I couldn't relax for even a second.
That prickling fear wouldn't go away...
It's probably because I knew
Miyagawa-kun's future was riding on this match.
This wasn't a match he could
afford to lose if he wanted to move forward.
So today's match may have changed Miyagawa-kun's whole life.
My life may have changed, as well.
This is probably what a true match feels like.
I'm not exactly sure about what Nat-chan was saying,
but I wonder if I'm really going to have a lot more matches like this.
In any case,
Kanagawa Junior Tennis Tournament VS Miyagawa Takuya
I doubt I'll ever forget today's match.
Baffled by Intuition
Yes!
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Maruo. Score: 6-1.
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Maruo. Score: 6-0.
He made it to the top four unseeded?
That match against Miyagawa wasn't a fluke after all.
With this tournament,
Maruo's definitely made a name for himself in Kanagawa.
He's completely different from last year.
No kidding!
He was completely different from what you told me!
That's not my fault.
If you wanna complain, take it up with Maruo, the one who got stronger.
In tomorrow's semifinals, which do you think will move up?
The second seed, Mogami, or Maruo-san?
It doesn't matter which.
The Kanagawa Junior Circuit U-12 Boys' Champion is Egawa Takuma-kun.
The runner-up is Araya Hiroshi-kun.
Egawa Takuma-kun is really something special.
Players like him only come along once every ten years.
Damn, that's ten straight losses.
This is no joke.
I'm not going to be second for the rest of my life!
I'm going pro, too!
Game, set.
Winner: Egawa Takuma.
Score: 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.
I don't want the title of Kanagawa's second best anymore.
I'm going to stand at the top.
I can see how he was able to beat Miyagawa!
Cross!
Yes!
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Maruo. Score 6-3, 6-2.
An unseeded player's going to the final!
It's completely unexpected.
Maruo-kun, that was incredible!
Hey, hey, I can't believe you actually made it to the final!
Yeah.
To think, just last year, you were losing in the third round!
I think being able to defeat Miyagawa-kun had a huge impact.
I feel like something's majorly changed since that match.
Just to let you know, this is all according to plan thus far.
Coach Aoi.
As expected, your final match is against Araya.
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Araya. Score: 6-2, 6-1.
Yeah!
Which means...
You know better than anyone else that it won't
go as it has in the past, right?
Yes. He's a strong opponent.
He's a regular at the All-Japan Junior, and he's also aiming to go pro.
In other words, he's not only someone of a higher rank
whom you have to surpass by summer,
but he's also someone who's defeated you before.
However, I predict that you can win.
Anything is possible.
Uh, sorry,
but did you have to end that thought on such a discouraging note?
What can I say? I'm telling it like it is.
If you have the time to be worried, then let's get to practicing.
Okay!
Oh, he's at it!
Oh, Nat-chan.
You're in the final, too, huh?
Let's do our best tomorrow, okay?
Yeah.
It'd be great if we could both win together.
Aoi-kun, do you have a moment?
What is it, Coach Sakakibara?
If you're asking me out on a date, we can talk later in private...
I'm not!
You're a hot topic among the girls now.
They're psyched that an unseeded player is in the final!
Don't put that kind of pressure on me!
My rank is low, so if I don't win this prefectural tournament,
I can't place in the top seeds.
Oh, yeah... If you stay unseeded,
you'll end up facing a seeded player sooner.
To qualify for the All-Japan Junior,
I have to get past the second round in the Kanto Junior,
so I'd have the upper hand if I were a seeded player.
All right, Maruo and Natsu.
Yeah?
The two of you play against each other.
What?!
Why am I playing against Nat-chan... against a girl?
I'm not telling you to do it just for fun.
For Natsu, this'll help prepare her for Shimizu Aki in the All-Japan Junior.
Shimizu-san?
Right now, you barely have any rivals in the Kanto region,
so you haven't been able to play against a high-level player, right?
Plus, the way Maruo-kun uses control is
similar to how Shimizu-san plays tennis.
And for Maruo, to put it simply, this is mental training.
There are times I watch you play during matches and
wish you could play more like Natsu.
What does that mean?
You two are true contrasts to one another.
If Maruo were the logical type,
Natsu would be the intuitive type.
Of course, both of those characteristics are fantastic,
so it's not like we want you to change them.
But watching you, there are times when I think
you'd benefit from learning how to play tennis more intuitively.
Oh...
Instead of picking apart the details, just try it.
Doesn't it sound fun? Come on.
But I understand what you mean.
I was able to move very intuitively in Florida, just once.
And I played a surprisingly good match because of it.
I really do wish I could play like that intentionally.
Oh?
Um, will this match be played like usual?
That's right.
It's just one set, but treat it like a regular match.
Wait a second, Ei-chan... What's that supposed to mean?
Are you saying that a boy playing seriously
against a girl would be unfair?
N-No!
I've never played a match against a girl, so I don't know how it works!
Natsu, you don't have to worry about it if you lose,
so just prioritize watching how Maruo plays.
Hey! Coach Aoi, you're assuming I'm going to lose, too?
That's not right.
You're not even that much taller!
And I watch Ei-chan every day, so I know exactly how he plays.
If you think you're gonna win so easily, think again!
Her reasoning is all over the place...
Okay, fine!
So which side?
Huh? Oh... Upper, then.
I'm lower. It's my serve.
You're both warmed up, right?
Do your best.
O-Okay.
All right, one-set match. Play!
I wonder what Nat-chan's serve is like...
15-love.
See? Ace.
I-It's faster than I expected!
Stop spacing out!
Just because you're ranked in Japan's top class
doesn't mean you're allowed to lose to a girl.
It could happen!
This is bad!
I can't get myself to focus!
Playing like this is rude to Nat-chan and a waste of a practice!
Speaking of, Mike once mentioned that the process
of falling in love and being in battle are the opposite of each other.
All right.
I'll imagine that I'm fighting Nabae-kun right now.
My opponent right now isn't a girl, it's a top-class male player!
A big hurdle I have to overcome.
A powerful opponent I have to defeat.
The number one player in the country, Nabae Yu!
As if I could think that!
30-love.
Is it really okay for me to be doing this?
4-0!
Araya-san, you're being way too intense!
Knowing who it is I'm facing, I don't want
to let my guard down until the end.
More importantly, you're not playing adequately as Maruo's proxy.
Come at me!
I can't possibly imagine Nat-chan as Nabae-kun.
I'll just do what Coach Aoi told me to do
and take in Nat-chan's tennis style.
I want to be able to play more intuitively.
A fast wide serve!
If I calm down, I can return it!
What?!
She created an open court with that wide serve,
so why did she hit it straight?
A slow ball, no less!
Then I'll go...
Deep crosscourt!
She went for a power hit here?!
Out. 40-love.
What?!
Why would she go for such a hard hit now?
If she'd hit a hard shot to that open court earlier,
it would've been easier for her to win the point.
Fast!
Are they going to get even faster?
She's confident in where she aims, too.
I need to be careful.
But the second serve will be my chance.
This time I'll go straight from the return to...
What?!
Forward?!
Game: Natsu. 1-0.
Yeah!
Th-That was definitely weird just now!
Coming to the net on a second serve, against a male opponent...
No matter how I look at it, that's reckless!
But I missed my timing because of it,
so is this her strategy?
Or am I overthinking it?
I have no idea!
But at the very least, I have to hold serve.
I'll just go for it and...
So fast!
Whoa, whoa, that was brutal! And you call yourself a man?
You're the one who told me to take it seriously!
Natsu, the key to speed is getting used to it.
If you can get used to a boy's speed,
it'll be easier for you to deal with a girl's serve.
Right!
It went in, and she was still able to make contact...
Game: Maruo. 1-all.
I didn't know Ei-chan's serves were this impressive.
But I'll return it next time.
A deep slice.
Nat-chan will probably use the time it takes for me to get there, and move up...
She isn't?!
No! Too shallow!
But she isn't going in for the score.
Is running back and forth a weak point?
If that's the case, I'll hit it deep and run up!
Game: Maruo. 2-1.
You've done great so far, Natsu.
But from here, Maruo-kun's
plan of attack is to make you run back and forth, so be aware.
Okay.
Your timing has been off by a beat.
If Natsu's footwork was that of a male player's,
you'd definitely be destroyed.
That's because I have no idea what she's thinking...
I told you. Natsu plays intuitively.
That's what's amazing about her.
You won't be able to figure it out by thinking about it.
So just watch with your eyes,
feel it with your body, and listen to your instincts.
Watch, feel, and obey.
That's what I felt in Florida that time...
Don't you think it's kinda similar to being in love?
H-Huh?
Watch, feel, obey...
She returned one!
Nat-chan really is amazing.
As usual, I can't tell how she'll respond.
So instead of guessing, I'll just focus on hitting a mix of short and deep.
Ei-chan's reactions are getting faster.
And that's not all.
All of his shots are intended to keep me running back and forth.
He's controlling even the moves I've yet to make!
It's like he's figuring me out more and more.
Incredible!
So this is what we're working with.
Yeah.
Game, set. Winner: Maruo. Score: 6-1.
Natsu Maruo
Good job, both of you.
That's it for today. Rest up for tomorrow.
That was really tiring.
Not for my body, but for my mind...
That was fun! Let's do it again sometime.
It was a great experience.
But I feel like what I learned in this match will be useful to me someday!
6-0.
Come on, we're moving on to the second set.
Tomorrow's the final!
Let's wrap this up!
This is nothing compared to how much our club practices!
That's because it's you, Araya-san.
I want you to win the final tomorrow, no matter what.
You don't need to tell me that.
I want you to show everyone how strong our club really is.
Call it a day, Araya. I want to talk to you.
I'm aware that you want to go pro after you graduate high school.
Your schedule up to that point
will be determined by how you do in the All-Japan Junior.
Right.
You've done a great job to get here.
From here on, our club will be fully dedicated
to supporting your path toward going pro.
We can do that for you
because you made it through this difficult program
designed for players who want to go pro.
There aren't many who can get to this point.
Only those who have gifted bodies and train them to the fullest can get here.
Use your entire body for more power!
Hey, what's wrong? Stand up!
If you can't keep up, this is it for you.
Hey, wait a second!
Don't give up! You can keep going, can't you?
Let go of me.
You're lucky
to have the physique you do.
It's impossible for me.
How long are you gonna rest, Araya?
Faster!
It's about how fast you can reach your top speed!
Move quickly and shoot hard!
That's what the future of tennis is!
Kawai!
What are you doing, Araya?!
Don't just stop!
But Kawai's...
That's not your job.
You need to run!
Everyone here is your rival.
Think only about coming out on top.
Hey, Araya! Sorry about earlier.
Is it true that you're quitting?
Oh, you heard?
I decided to give up on going pro.
No matter what I do, I just can't move as fast as you or hit as hard.
It's about time I came to terms with it.
But I love tennis, so I'll continue playing...
So...
You have to do your best.
You're our hope.
We're planning to create the ideal environment for you.
If there's anything you need, let us know.
Thank you.
Kanawaga Junior Tennis Tournament Arena
Outdoor Outdoor
Today's Matches Next Matches
Araya Hiroshi Takasaki Natsu vs vs Maruo Eiichiro Sakurai Rei
Ever since I was a kid, the path to going pro
has been my goal, and I've left my friends behind to reach it.
For the club, for my friends, and more than anything, for myself...
As a future pro player, I won't lose to you!
I have more than enough data on Araya-kun.
He's left-handed.
He's a baseliner who attacks with speed and power.
His counter shots are powerful.
Take Down Araya File 1. Aim for his weak point: his slow start. 2. Take your time during points and play at your own pace. 3. Contest of endurance. 4. It's important to concede points sometimes. Especially with Araya-kun who has both speed and power on his side, it's normal to lose from time to time. 5. Avoid his fast-paced tempo and surprise him.
He's impatient and short-tempered,
but in our last match, he adjusted his play in the end.
He has a habit of dropping his shoulder after a cross counter.
For everything else, I just have to play him and find out.
Today's the day...
Go in!
...I'll repay him for that.
Serve.
Then I'll be on this side.
Good luck.
This feeling...
It's the same sensation of prickling fear that I felt with Miyagawa-kun.
The reason I didn't feel this way last year
is probably because I wasn't fully focused on going pro.
I have to overcome this first.
My desire won't lose to his!
Last year, he went after me before I could get my engine started,
but I won't be playing that way anymore.
I'm going all-in from the start!
Even my tendency to rush the game
can be turned into a weapon if I control it.
You were the one who taught me that.
Best-of-three-set match.
Araya to serve.
Here I come!
Next Time
All right! I'm giving it everything from the start!
He has even more power than last year!
You've gotten a lot stronger, haven't you?!
His speed and the volume of his voice have increased,
yet he looks calm.
Item 1 of my Take Down Araya File from last year, his slow start, has been fixed!
I'll show you how different the two of us are, right here and now!
Next time on Baby Steps,
Start with a Roar
"Start with a Roar."
End