Kanagawa Junior Tennis Tournament Arena
I won!
That's amazing!
Congratulations on the win, Nat-chan!
Congrats! That was fast.
Thanks!
So Ei-chan is leading in the second set?
He just made his first break.
He changed the tempo by mixing up his shots.
It was a very Ei-chan-like play.
So he's able to change the pace well, huh?
Game: Maruo. 4-1.
Second set!
Yes, I held!
But I've still broken only once.
Araya 2-4 Maruo
Araya 2-5 Maruo
Araya 3-5 Maruo
Set point!
If I win this, we'll be going to the final set!
I'll go for...
Another drop shot!
He's already over there!
That's so risky!
He got it!
Second set winner: Maruo.
Score: 6-3.
Yes!
My moves are getting better every time I return his drop shots.
Maybe it's because it reminds me of facing Takuma.
Even though it's the prefectural final,
I honestly didn't think my engine would start since I'm not facing Takuma.
I could never admit that to my teammates who left...
But I honestly couldn't do it.
But this match reminded me
how I felt when I first started playing tennis.
Playing you, not Takuma, in this final round
made me remember that.
In the end, I'm not doing this for someone,
or for honor, or anything like that.
I just hate to lose!
Full Force Toward Adversity
Araya Maruo
If you take this set, you win it all, Araya-san!
15-love.
Yes!
Araya's been getting more aces.
That proves he's getting into the swing now.
This next one's a wide slice!
If I get it, hit it flat and deep!
I did it!
Once I have the advantage,
I'll hit a shallow slice crosscourt!
If he moves up, then...
Lob it!
How's that?!
30-love.
Yes!
He lost his balance, but made it in time to counter!
It's incredible! Araya's going full throttle!
It's bad enough that his power and speed are on another level.
Now even his reaction time is getting faster!
Araya-kun is on his game, which is dangerous for me.
Right now, I have to calm down, think, and give myself more options.
To learn to trust my instincts more,
I'll trust my reason for now.
Ei-chan looks like he's having fun, huh?
You may be right, Nat-chan.
He has a habit of trying too hard sometimes, you know?
Even during middle school ball sports meets and stuff.
Okay, we've decided all of our positions.
I think that'll do it.
Yeah, so starting today, let's practice after school together!
Huh?
Sorry, but I'll pass!
I've got my club.
I'm busy, too.
Oh, then whoever can stay...
It's just a ball sports meet. It's not worth all that effort.
You take everything too seriously.
That's what's great about Ei-chan, though.
Let's have a little more fun with it.
It's soccer, so if we don't do it as a team, there's no point!
Right, Kageyama?
I guess it's like...
He's on a different wavelength than other people.
Which is exactly why I think he's truly having fun right now.
There's someone answering Ei-chan's best efforts with his own best efforts.
And as he gets stronger, he'll find more of those.
Through tennis, he's discovered the fun of
really going all-out against someone.
Araya Maruo
After playing against you for this long, I can tell...
You want to go pro, don't you?
All the more reason I can't let you win.
No matter when you change your pace,
no matter where you control your shots...
In the end, my speed will catch up to you!
40-30.
Yes!
I have to find more ways to attack...
But don't panic.
Just concentrate and...
Game: Maruo. 4-all.
That's amazing. Neither of them is backing down.
It'll come down to whoever wins two games in a row first.
Araya-san! You've gotta hold serve now!
Bring it home, unseeded kid!
Araya Maruo
There's no tie-breaker, even though it's 6-all?
In this tournament, for the final set,
they play until there's a two-game defecit.
So does that mean if they both continue to hold,
they can go up to 6-all, 7-all, and so forth?
Yes.
So it ends up being a test of endurance?
Doesn't that put Ei-chan at a clear disadvantage?
Out!
Game: Araya. 5-4.
Final set.
Yeah!
All right, Araya-san! Take the next game and finish this!
It's still a tie!
Make sure you hold, Maruo!
Oh... It's time to change ends.
Why am I zoning out?!
If he breaks next, I'm going to lose.
I'm getting enough sugar from the sports drinks, so it's not that.
I need to focus my energy and think harder!
No, calm down.
There's another issue I need to deal with...
Exhaustion.
It's been over two hours since the match started.
Since I have to come up with new attack options after all his shots,
I'm using my brain far more than usual.
So my mind's getting tired before my body.
Take Down Araya File 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.
But if I don't break in the final set, we'll go into overtime.
Araya Maruo
I wish I could play without relying on my brain now...
But I'm still trying to find attack options through trial and error.
I can't just play without thinking.
Still, I made it this far against Araya-kun...
I don't want to concede and lose because I got tired.
I'd rather die!
Time!
At any rate, my opponent is Araya-kun, whose weapon is his physical stamina.
I'll be at a disadvantage in overtime.
I have no choice but to use the shortest, fastest method.
He's running up after serving!
I need to break up Araya-kun's tempo
and use shots that'll win points as quickly as possible!
He lobbed on a return?!
As if I'd miss that!
If you're close to your limit, I don't need to rush the match!
It's deep...
But if I want a quick, decisive win, it's gotta be in this shot!
Yes!
Wow, he controlled it even though it was that deep!
But if that lob were about 30 centimeters deeper, it would've been over.
I can't believe Araya-kun would return immediately with a lob.
Did he figure out that I want to win points as quickly as possible?
Fault!
So close!
An ace would be the best way to score quickly.
But it's not something you can just pull off so easily.
I'll go deep and accurate for my second serve.
It's now a ground stroke battle!
During my serve game, I'll take my time, as always,
and keep looking for new attack options.
30-love.
Yes!
I'll use as much time as I can between points to rest my mind.
After all this, he's playing defensively now.
He must realize I'm trying to win points as soon as possible.
30-15.
30-all.
And when he sees an opportunity, he goes right for it!
But that makes it easier for me.
40-30.
I'll direct all my energy into going in for the attack!
Game: Maruo. 5-all.
Final set.
Yes! He got it!
Ei-chan, nice hold!
I finally got it.
Next, I have to break, no matter what.
Araya Maruo
If I break here, it'll be 6-5.
Then if I hold the next game, it'll be 7-5.
Regardless, I have to finish this while I still have the chance!
I won't change my style again.
I'll raise the stakes and be as risky as I can.
Prepare myself...
Center!
I got it!
Love-15.
Yes!
That's amazing!
He saw the ball's course and went for it!
That's pretty bold for Maruo.
Was he going for the winner?
To be accurate, he probably has to go for it at this point.
Going for an ace right from his first serve...
There's no mistaking it.
You're trying to rush the match.
There are infinite options for changing the pace.
I was honestly getting irritated at your nondescript style of tennis.
But adding to that a need to rush the match
severely decreases your options!
15-all.
30-15.
40-15.
40-30.
Game: Araya. 6-5.
Araya Maruo
Final set.
Damn... I failed to break.
He sees right through me.
If you're coming after me by rushing the pace,
it's obvious that I'll fight back defensively.
6-all.
7-6.
7-all.
Game: Araya. 8-7.
Araya Maruo
Final set.
This has turned into an intense match.
How long is this going to go on for?
Ei-chan...
Crap... If I concentrate on one point for too long, my eyes get blurry.
But I can't do anything if Araya-kun keeps playing defensively like this.
Is it worth taking even bigger risks right now?
Time!
Oh... It's already time.
Fault!
Double fault!
Love-15.
The risk was too high!
It's not like you to miss at a time like this, Bro.
You feel pressured because you have to continue hitting quickly and powerfully.
In other words, the difference between our physiques
is the difference between our ability!
Love-30.
Love-30...
If he takes this next one, it'll be love-40.
He'll have triple match point.
Damn... What do I do?
In the moment I have to think the most,
my brain won't focus.
He'll lower his risk here.
15-30.
Huh?
Wasn't that really fast just now?
Yeah.
I see...
I can hit serves without thinking.
30-all.
Again! This time he hit a winner after an amazing serve!
He just won two points in a row just from his serve!
It's a big deal that he caught up without getting to match point.
Maruo still has that much strength left?
No way. That can't be.
It's working.
I was suddenly able to hit the way I wanted.
Is that because I was forced into using my instincts after my mind became tired?
He ran up after serving!
40-30.
Hey, it happened again.
Has Maruo actually recovered?
If he keeps going like this, he can totally break next!
No, it's most likely that he's too fatigued to use his reason,
so he has no choice left but to trust his instincts.
Instinct
The extreme fatigue plus his anxiety
is miraculously balancing the scales between his reason and instincts.
If that's so, this situation won't last very long.
He changed his method from breaking up the tempo
to taking riskier, simpler shots.
I've seen countless players get a second wind once they resolved to lose.
That last bit of resistance isn't something to take lightly.
This is it.
This is when we decide who wins!
It's shallow!
Out!
Yeah!
Deuce!
Whoa! Now Araya got him back!
Damn...
I can't return that crosscourt forehand on instinct alone.
What do I do?
Given how tired I am, my only option is to force him into hitting backhands.
He forced his way into the shot!
Crap! Hit the left-handed forehand a beat faster than normal and...
Stop!
Advantage: Araya!
Yeah!
This is it! Match point!
What was that?
My body suddenly felt really heavy.
His instincts stopped him, huh?
They prioritized resting his body over continuing to battle.
Just because it got heavy doesn't mean my body won't move.
I can still do this.
End it here, Araya!
Hang in there, Ei-chan!
Fault?!
He ran around it!
The left forehand is going to my backhand!
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Araya. Score: 6-3, 3-6, 9-7.
Yes!
Huh? Is it over already?
Hey, Maruo!
Are you okay?
Yeah... S-Sorry.
Seems like you're no longer a no-name player.
Take a look around you.
That was so moving!
That was an incredible match!
You're the best, Araya!
No, Maruo's the hero today!
You both better go national!
Ei-chan, you did great!
Araya, you finally did it!
Araya-san, congratulations!
Yeah... It's really over.
Well done!
Okay...
I think you did the right thing by changing up the pace
to deal with a strong arm like that.
It's normally not something that can be learned so quickly.
You were great.
In terms of Kanto, a loss hurts,
but establishing a clear goal is a real achievement.
Right...
Listen, Maruo-kun.
I watched you and Araya-kun face each other six months ago.
It's astounding how much you closed the vast gap between you two.
You didn't win,
but there's no doubt that you've improved the most in all of Kanagawa.
That's right!
You were able to get a nationally ranked player on the ropes! That's amazing!
That means you can compete on a national level, Ei-chan.
Do you have a second?
What... Huh?
Iwasa-kun?
It's the prefectural finals, and I thought it might be nice to sketch outside.
I was planning on going home after taking some reference photos,
but after watching you, I wanted to revise what I said to you in the past.
Six months ago, after our match,
I said to you
that just having fun wouldn't be enough to beat Araya.
But I was wrong.
I realized myself, after I decided to pursue my own art,
that if you're going to dedicate your life to something,
nothing propels you more than the sensation of having fun while doing it.
Every single time you hit a wall,
you gave it your all to find ways to overcome it.
The way you continued to get back up looked as though
you were enjoying the match more than anyone else.
Perhaps the reason you were able to put up such a fight against Araya
is because you were enjoying tennis more than anyone.
Thank you.
But I still lost.
No matter how much I enjoyed it...
Or how much stronger I got...
That's not good enough.
Unless I can win...
We will now commence the Kanagawa Junior Tennis Tournament awards ceremony.
All winners, please meet at Court 1.
All right, stop crying! It's time for the awards ceremony!
You should be proud of yourself today.
R-Right.
Kanagawa Junior Tennis Tournament winner: Araya Hiroshi.
Kanagawa Junior Tennis Tournament Results U-18 Girls U-18 Boys Winner: Takasaki Natsu Winner: Araya Hiroshi Runner-up: Sakurai Rei Runner-up: Maruo Eiichiro Top 4: Kosaka Akiko (STC) Top 4: Mogami Norihiko (Shonan Technical Academy) Hasegawa Mako (Miyagawa T.A.) Inoue Kiichi (Minamikawa TC)
Runner-up: Maruo Eiichiro.
Next Time
We're going to start practical training today?
Hey.
What? Iwasa-kun?
Miyagawa-kun and Mogami-kun, too?
And even Araya-kun!
What? Why?
It looks like we're going to train together more often.
I'm here because they agreed to allow me to sketch during my downtime.
This is amazing.
If we do this frequently,
it means we can play a lot of matches!
Next time on Baby Steps,
Gathering of Rivals
"Gathering of Rivals."
End