3) Go in for the score 2) If possible, take a shot 1) Observe
2) Go in for the score 1) If possible, take a shot
I'll use the two-phase method
I learned in Florida to go for the win from the baseline when possible.
I'll win points by increasing the risk of those shots
to the utmost limit by changing the pace.
I'll increase my ball speed overall,
but when I hit a slower ball, I'll control it with pinpoint accuracy as best I can.
This is close to the ultimate tennis that I strive for.
Since I'm not scoring aces during my service games now,
I have to change something or I won't be able to hold serve.
I expected to make more mistakes in this game.
But for me to take this set,
I have to attack boldly!
I got it to the corner, but it came right back at me!
Now I'll just barely keep it straight, and...
add spin!
Love-15.
Recklessness and Surprise
Nabae Yu Maruo Eiichiro
It's not just my flat shots.
He's trying to score on my spin shots, too?!
He aims for tight areas without hesitation,
just like when I faced him last year.
But his technique's improved remarkably.
Does this mean he'll try to score on all my shots that aren't slices?
No, that's too risky even for Nabae-kun.
He only went after it because he didn't want to lose the set,
and he was prepared to miss.
This may be the first time I've known Nabae-kun to take such a risk.
He's playing his strongest cards first, regardless of the risk.
Which means even if I take risks too, I probably can't beat him.
Then...
For example, you know...
I'm the challenger.
All or nothing!
15-all.
A quick serve?
Huh? What was that?
The ball was slow, but the timing was quick.
That kind of trick move is possible?
Wow, I didn't expect him to try the serve he just learned last night.
He's really giving it his all.
I-I did it. It went in!
And I got the ace!
It wasn't an incredible serve,
but it worked because Nabae-kun doesn't have any data on my quick serves.
Because I did something I normally wouldn't!
This unpredictable element may be a strength of Maruo-kun's, as well.
But I won't fall for that one again.
Next, I'll take advantage of that slow serve.
Even if that means lowering my desired 70% likelihood of getting the first serve in,
I'll drastically increase the speed to make up for it.
I need my best flat serve right now!
What?!
15-30.
A-Amazing!
What the hell was that?!
He stepped up ahead of that super-fast flat serve and shot it back!
H-He's on another level!
No way.
He predicted my pattern?
Even if he did, this hasn't happened since Ike-kun.
He's that strong?
Yeah, he is.
Nabae-kun plays smart tennis, changing styles with each opponent,
so I just didn't realize how good he really was.
He continues to reign as Japan's best player.
This is the true ability of Japan's best.
I have to defeat him.
No, that's exactly why I want to beat him!
So for now, I'm going to do everything I can!
What can I do against Japan's best player,
who takes such risks to come after me?
I'm only three points away from taking back the first set.
If it's just three points, it won't be easy, but I have a chance!
To do that, I have to surpass his expectations, like that quick serve earlier.
For example, I could forget about my serve accuracy
and go for a serve at max speed that just barely stays in.
Center area Wide area
I'd use a flat serve with as little spin as possible
to aim for either wide or center.
In other words, I'd be aiming for just about a ball's height above the net,
either there... or there.
Put all my body's strength into the delivery!
He's really pushing hard for an ace.
I have to get the next one in.
But that's exactly why...
I'll use something I normally wouldn't...
30-all.
What was that?!
That was insanely fast!
It's good that it went in, but that was the second serve!
I-It went in!
He's being way too reckless.
I think I was able to turn the pressure into power on that second serve.
But I can't do reckless things like that too many times.
Next point!
The speed dropped, but the placement is good.
Now give this one all I've got!
While my serve gives me the upper hand,
I'll try a power battle I don't do often.
I won't change the pace much, but quicken the tempo with fast shots.
Don't think about dividing up the court,
but just aim toward open court!
It's gonna come back!
40-30.
Yes!
He pushed for it and scored!
Seriously?!
Maruo's finally got set point!
You're amazing, Bro!
After all this, he's going for a preemptive attack I have no data on.
But this isn't how Maruo-kun truly plays.
Maruo Eiichiro
Mental Fortitude Decision Making Strategic Sense
This strategy abandons his style.
It's more reckless than it is unpredictable.
I'll go in for the score here.
It would be next to impossible to break Nabae-kun's serve now.
So I can't let this opportunity slip away.
This first serve is absolutely crucial!
Consider the speed, placement, and probability equally!
I'll go for a spin that bounces outwards.
Give it an angle and go deep!
He's back to changing the pace again?
Now a rising shot, even if I have to force it.
A rising shot, and he's moving up?
This shot isn't that easy.
And drop!
Was it too high?
And now this?
Even if he gets to it, it just needs to break his balance.
If I can get close now, it'll be a volley battle!
The one thing I'm confident I can beat Nabae-kun in!
Crosscourt!
No! It's down the line?!
Out.
First set winner: Maruo. Score: 6-4.
Seriously?
Maruo stayed on top!
Nabae's down a set for the first time in this tournament!
I won the set!
I took the first set from Nabae-kun!
But he completely saw through that last play.
This isn't the time to be celebrating.
A surprise attack just happened to work.
I can't continue using this strategy.
This is the first time I've ever seen Nabae down a set.
Me, too. I can't wait to see where this goes.
That punk really did it.
A kid who's played tennis for only three years
was able to take a set from Nabae-kun.
It must be a result of your coaching, Aoi-kun.
Oh, Miyamoto-san.
Nope, that's all him.
If that's true, he might really be something special.
Maybe this means there's a chance for Maruo-kun, too.
It's hard to say anything yet.
But Nabae-kun has a degree of composure that seems unreal for a junior athlete,
so I was hoping to put pressure on him as early in the match as possible.
If I'm not mistaken, Nabae-kun got this strong
after he learned to keep that composure in any situation.
I'd say there aren't even many professional athletes who
can keep their emotions controlled as well as he can.
Takuma-san did mention before
that when he was younger, he lost his temper more than Araya.
That's right. I never expected Nabae-kun to mature this much.
Hey, that's Nabae, right?
He's a lot stronger than he looks.
No, that's what flawlessly efficient tennis is supposed to look like.
His stability is unparalleled.
But he won't be able to win today.
He's so strong.
Even though he started years after I did...
Ike Soji Nabae Yu
He defies all logic.
Game, set, and match.
Winner: Ike. Score: 6-1, 6-0.
Yes!
You were so affected that you damaged your precious racket?
No one can completely suppress their emotions.
No matter how strong your will may be,
there are times when you can't keep it in.
You should accept that and come up with a way to deal with it.
There has to be a way to minimize the opportunity for emotions
to make their way onto the court.
He really got me on those last three points.
When I made Maruo-kun choose strategies
he normally wouldn't, like the reckless second serve and the power battle,
the match was moving in my favor, even though he won the points.
But with that drop shot he used at the end to take it into a volley battle, his specialty,
I should've played it safe and aimed for his feet so I could gain the advantage,
and gone for the winning hit afterwards.
And yet...
The moment I remembered losing last year's volley battle with him,
I wanted to win so badly that I lost control of my emotions.
Time.
That's right.
Calmly analyze yourself.
First of all, stop trying to process emotions you can't deal with.
If you were alone, you wouldn't be swayed by emotions.
Since the emotions you have are caused by your opponent,
shouldn't you make use of your opponent?
Imagine it as best you can during a point.
Put all of the strong emotions
that your opponent causes into the ball.
Put all of the strong emotions that your opponent causes into the ball,
and send it back to the center of your opponent's court.
The ball went toward the center.
Is this...
Your opponent will undoubtedly try to hit that ball with all his might.
The ball that holds all your emotions
will disappear from the court,
in exchange for sacrificing a point.
Love-15.
This sensation...
It happened last year, too.
After that, Nabae-kun gave me a show of his true strength.
This is probably the method Nabae-kun uses to switch gears.
Araya-kun had one, too.
Now that I'm aware of it, I won't let it work for him.
All right.
15-all.
Amazing...
What a sharp slice serve.
I can't let him have the upper hand during his serve.
Time for a deep, heavy stroke.
And he finishes with a shot that easily targets the edges of my defense.
He can play like this because he has such minute data on me.
Nabae-kun's method allows him
to efficiently alter his play depending on the opponent.
Against a ten, he goes for eleven. Against an eleven, he goes for twelve.
It's a play style that minimizes risk.
This can be done because he comprehends and calculates everything about me.
It's flawless tennis that combines decisiveness and stability.
Game: Nabae. 1-0.
Second set.
How will Nabae-kun come at me in my service game?
There's no recovering if he takes a set.
I want to avoid the pressure of having a close match.
That being said,
it's likely that he would take the risk and go for a winner right off the bat.
This is the critical moment.
I somehow got through the first set by maneuvering around,
but that kind of tactic won't work forever.
But this is also my time to take risks, since I'm ahead by a set.
I'll use my 1/81 control to set up my change-of-pace strategy.
I'll make use of all the data I've collected,
and meet him head-on to keep my lead!
I knew it. He really is going for it.
Love-15.
He's aiming for my flat and spin shots, so I can't allow any weak hits.
That being said, I can't depend on indecisive slices.
The pace changes each time, so if it turns into a ground stroke battle,
I'll have to limit my target.
But as of now, there isn't much variation in change.
I'll take my chances here, too!
15-all.
Yes!
If I push it this far, I can still win points!
15-30.
This is why you're forced into unreasonable shots.
It's clear after playing to this point.
Because you're a lot like me.
15-40.
So Maruo-kun should understand
that I have to give it my all here.
Game: Nabae. 2-0.
Second set.
Nabae broke serve!
Are you kidding? He's overpowering him just as the second set's getting started!
Nabae Yu Maruo Eiichiro
Bro's starting to struggle.
Looks like Nabae switched gears into winning mode.
He's got his composure back in full.
Now there's no opportunity to take advantage of.
I was finally able to hold serve for one game.
But Nabae-kun hasn't done anything risky to corner me yet.
If I can just hold serve again, I can take this set.
So that one game was the real Nabae-kun.
But I can't envision myself beating him right now.
My change-of-pace isn't a strategy that can go toe-to-toe with that.
But does that mean I can't win this match?
Something... There has to be something.
Think... Think of something!
There is!
There's just one way: getting in the zone.
If I'm close to being in the zone the way I was in the first set,
do I have a chance?
Anxiety Exhaustion Ability Pressure Adversity
In the sports world, athletes at the highest level are said to have
the ability to create that state of mind at will.
Aoi-san said there are those who can "create that state of mind at will."
Nabae Yu Maruo Eiichiro
I've won a set, so the current score makes it easy to focus on the now.
I can still take some reckless actions,
in order to get from where I am now to being close to the zone.
Is there any useful data for that?
There have been only four times I've been close to being in the zone.
The second half of my match with Alex.
The match with Araya-kun, after becoming exhausted.
The final moments in my match with Ide-kun.
And the beginning of this match.
I know that being in the zone means you can focus only on the here and now.
But other than that, what do those four situations have in common?
Was it that all the opponents were strong, and I felt it was a challenge?
That can't be the only thing.
Time.
What's certain is that
gathering enough data made me feel less doubt about what to do,
and my instincts took priority.
I have Nabae-kun's data from today in my notes and in my head.
Just trust that my instincts will know the best course of action...
There!
No! I was consciously thinking just now!
15-love.
All right.
I won the point, so it's not that bad.
But this is just being able to play with all my strength.
It's not the zone.
It's not the light feeling I had earlier, when my feet seemed to move on their own.
Game: Maruo. 4-2.
Nabae leads. Second set.
But, somehow, I'm able to hold serve.
Nabae-kun isn't pushing for the break right now,
so the problem is what comes next.
If I don't break at some point, I'll lose the set.
Game: Nabae. 5-2.
Second set.
But I can't break!
If he takes another game, I'll lose the set.
If we go into the final set like this,
it'll unfold just like the last time.
Is there anything that can help me hold out?
Anything that can bring me closer to the zone?
There's one more!
Another commonality of the times I was in the zone!
All four times, I didn't get into the zone by trying to.
It happened subconsciously!
Is that a factor for getting into the zone?
So do athletes that can willingly get themselves there
have the ability to consciously control an unconscious condition?
Consciously unconscious...
What does that even mean?
Time.
I wanted a little more time.
Should I stop thinking about the zone for now?
No, then I'd just be right where I've been all this time.
I'll just have to do something about it while playing.
I was able to hold serve, so I'll look for a way during this game.
I'll prioritize my instincts,
but hold serve while trying to find a path to the zone!
Love-15.
It's no good.
I can't rely on my instincts if I'm thinking so much.
Just focus on holding serve here.
His aggressiveness vanished from his play.
Love-30.
His movements are hesitant.
The pace is completely one-sided. It's not like Maruo.
That's what happens when you're on the defensive.
Bro... Please do something about this!
15-30.
15-40.
Damn, isn't there something?!
Here we go, set point!
Nabae, hit a winner and take it all home!
Something!
Out.
Second set winner: Nabae.
Score: 6-2.
There it is! Nabae's got this!
Maruo, you're just getting started!
Naïve... I was too naïve.
I don't even really understand the zone yet.
The fact that I thought I could win if it worked is naïve!
I'm fighting right now to determine
whether I can go pro... whether I can really make a living playing tennis.
What good is it if I don't fight with everything I've learned so far?
It's time to fight.
Next is the final set.
Nabae Yu Maruo Eiichiro
Next Time
I can't avoid more mistakes.
But I have to fight with everything I've learned so far.
His aggressiveness is back.
Something unexpected is bound to happen from this turn of events.
I studied in Florida,
fortified my serve, trained my muscles...
I'm hitting this shot with nothing but changing the pace on my mind.
Next time on Baby Steps,
Final Set
"Final Set."
End