Hm Its 9:56
Seigaku signs in at 10:00
SITE OF THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN MATCHES (MENS TEAMS)
The lineup has been announced. Therell be no change in the order.
Number one, Yoshinaga; number two, Yamada; number three Kanno
The Metros Everyones raring to go.
I wish we could record this atmosphere.
Inoue! Just leave it to me!
Huh?
Take a look at this, a video camera!
I bought it for today!
Oh Youre going all out, arent you, Shiba?
Its a 3CCD, a great camera!
Ill be able to record Ryomas and everyones faces.
Listen, this is a tennis tournament.
Whats the point of shooting faces?
Oh! Hi!
Oh Good morning!
Oh, youre Ill out-cheer anybody!
Fight-o! Fight-o! Ryoma!
Lovely R-Y-O! Please, this is embarrassing.
What do you mean?
I couldnt be there for the District Matches, so I have to go all out today.
Fight-o! Fight-o! Ryoma!
Lovely R-Y-O By the way, where is the Seigaku team?
Ryoma! L-O-V-E Theyre probably signing in about now.
lovely Ryoma! Lets go and see.
Love, love Ryoma!
Oh! Ohh Hey, wait!
Tezuka and Fuji I know about,
but that 7th grader Echizen needs watching you say, Mizuki?
Yeah. Youll be sorry if you dont take him seriously.
Look, Mizuki Its Yuta.
Yuta, whats wrong?
Whats with that face? Are you trembling with excitement?
Ive come this far in order to defeat him.
Were in the process of simulating Seigakus order
so that youll be able to face Shusuke Fuji.
Thanks.
Whatever happens, Seigaku will never beat our St. Rudolph Academy team.
Hes late! Whats Ryoma doing?!
If all eight of us dont sign in by 10:00, well be disqualified.
That would be bad
Oh, man
What about Oishi? Did he get in touch with Echizen?
Not yet, I guess
Whyd he have to pick today to be late?
Yeah
Whats going on? A strategy meeting?
If you dont hurry up and sign in youll be disqualified.
Oh, Mr. Inoue You see, Ryoma isnt here yet.
What?!
Thats Ryoma for you!
To be late on the day of a competition. Hes got nerves of steel!
Tomoka, this is no laughing matter.
Hey!
I got word from Echizen!
He says he had to help a woman having a baby.
He was at the hospital.
Huh?
Thats a lie.
Yeah.
Thats a complete lie.
If hes headed here, he should make it in time.
Ill save the lecture for later.
Anyway
We have to sign in.
Huh?
Uh
Huh?
Kaido! Lend him your jersey.
Wha--?!
Say, whos Osawa Intermediate playing against?
Uh Who was it now?
Neither the team nor their supporters are here.
They probably got scared when they heard our name.
Who got scared?
Sorry to be late.
Number 128, Seigaku eight members signing in.
TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS
Let me review this
The first round, you will play all five matches.
Then, whoever wins three matches will be the winner.
Yes, sir.
The top five schools will qualify for the Kanto Matches.
The top four will win automatic entry.
The four schools that lose in the quarterfinals
will compete in a consolation round for the fifth spot.
Do you understand?
Yes, sir.
All right, then. Oh You have a 7th grader too?
Yikes
Is anything wrong?
Y-Youve still got a ways to go.
How promising
Well, good luck.
You must be pretty confident to be late on the first day.
Echizen of Seigaku.
Whore you?
Hmm Youre really something.
Only 7th grade, and youre a regular already.
Youre hitting with your left today, arent you, Echizen?
Youre in your uniform Going home already?
Youve still got a ways to go.
Humph How cocky!
But that stubbornness makes it easier for me to manipulate the match.
I wonder if Ryoma is here yet.
Well? Do I look good in this?
So, Ive finally become a regular on the Seigaku team.
Of course, with my abilities, Ill be able to become one soon.
There you go again. Youre lucky you werent found out.
But Im a little jealous of that Seigaku regulars jersey.
Yeah, well, it belongs to Kaido, so its a little big
Look. Its the Seigaku regulars.
Wow They must be really strong.
Look at that player.
What an awful serve!
Its nothing compared to my twist serve.
Hey, kid!
Huh?
I hear you use a twist serve?
Well, yeah
I hate braggarts like you.
Im not lying!
Then how about playing against me.
Huh?!
Theres an open practice court. Come on.
Uhh.
Ohh
Shiba Dont only shoot Seigaku. You have to cover each school.
Okay. Okay.
Oh. Here comes last years winning school.
Huh?
Its Hyotei Academy.
Seigaku lost to them in the finals last year.
So theyre the enemy?
Maybe I should beat them up, first.
Now, now
Uh, hello
Hey, Atobe. Hows everything?
I dont think well be losing, no matter who we play.
Right, Kabachi?
Yeah.
Such confidence.
The Seigaku team is much stronger than last year.
Well nail them down.
Just wait and see.
Whats with him?! Hes so full of himself!
The confidence of the champion, I guess.
Dont take it easy just because its the first round!
Yes, maam!
Its Yamabuki Middle School.
Huh?
Theyll probably climb the ranks too.
Huh?
So, Banji You came, after all.
Something wrong?
No. But isnt Ryoma here yet?
This isnt good
All because Ryoma was late.
Its Horios fault for getting carried away.
What should we do?
Whats the matter. Hit a twist, will you?!
Huh?
This is the end
Oh! Echizen!
Huh?
Huh? Seigaku regular, Echizen!
Hurry up and serve the ball!
Yes. Right away!
Youre late, you! Hurry up and take my place, will you?
I got stuck having to play him.
Hang in there, Echizen.
Huh?! Hey, Echizen!
Wait, please!
Youre Echizen, arent you?
Oh, well, I guess it cant be helped.
One weeks worth of juice should do it.
Make that three days worth.
After all, its all your fault for being late.
A months worth will work.
You cant do that, Ryoma.
Huh?
You were late, after all. Please help Horio.
Ohh
Oh, heck
Hey, dumbo! What are you stalling for?!
Hold your horses!
Yikes
And soinstead of Echizen,
Horio, 2nd-year tennis player will hit the ball.
Oh, Echizen!
Youre late. What were you doing?
I was warming up.
That kid really did hit a twist.
Seigaku has a bunch of those kids hanging around?
What do you mean, warming up?
When we get back, youll have to do 40 laps.
Ouch, Momo.
Save the lecture for later. Get ready for the matches!
Okay.
Go, Ryoma. Were aiming for straight wins.
Do it!
Im grateful he saved my neck,
but I was wondering why he was sliding around so much.
He dirtied my jersey on purpose!
What am I going to do? I borrowed it from Kaido!
Yay, Ryoma!
Youre wonderful, Ryoma! Ryoma!
Huh?
I think thats
St. Rudolphs.
Game and match to Echizen of Seigaku!
Ohh Did Ryomas match end?
It was a perfect game.
Darn And I brought my new video camera.
Were just in time.
Do a good job, now.
Youve never seen it before, have you?
Huh? Seen what?
Hurray! We can see our first formal match.
Th-Thats right.
Im getting excited.
So, what is it?
The last Seigaku player, #1 singles, Kunimitsu Tezuka...
Its Tezuka.
So, hes finally come out. This should be interesting.
One set match. Tezuka of Seigakuto serve.
Damn Ill take him on.
He may be a top player nationally,
but hes still in middle school, like me.
KAMATA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Huh?
Th-That was amazing!
He started with an ace!
And that speed!
Fifteen - love!
Hes seriously good.
He definitely rules Seigaku.
No way!
Theres not much space in the center, but he pinpointed it.
Yes! Great serves!
A-Amazing speed and control
Thats not all.
It looks like hes giving his flat serves a bit of a slice spin.
Usually, if you can set a ball right in the corner after a left-hand serve,
its impossible to get it.
Wow He hasnt allowed his opponent to touch a single ball.
So this is Captain Tezukas true ability?
Not by a long shot.
Huh?
The Captains ability is much more than this.
What we saw was just warming-up.
There arent many opponents that Tezuka would use his full abilities on.
Now, I wont let my guard down.
Thats Seigaku, all right
Theyve won every set by 6-0.
Oh, man Were playing against Seigaku next.
I guess what Kuki of Kakinoki said about Tezuka being injured wasnt true.
Yeah
The Seigaku team this year has no weaknesses.
If they have one, I wish someone would tell me.
Oh, man Theres no way we can win.
Stupid! Wheres your confidence?
Sorry to interrupt you
Youre from Akiyama Middle #3, arent you? Whos the captain?
Whos Seigaku playing next?
Akiyama Middle #3
Oh, poor things! Akiyama Middle #3 doesnt stand a chance against them.
I wonder
AKIYAMA #3 SEIGAKU
Fifteen all!
Oh!
FujiKawamura
Huh?
You won 6-0, but the match was long, wasnt it?
Yeah It wasnt easy.
They kept poking at my weak spots.
Game and match to Seigaku. Six games to one.
We won, we won!
Its so hot. I need something to drink.
Good job! Were now 2-0.
Just leave it to the Golden Pair!
But you two seemed to be having a lot of trouble.
I noticed a lot of mistakes.
They were doing a lot of stuff I dont like.
Same here.
Again
Huh?
So theyve been picking at our weak points
That team came up the ranks in the District Matches.
I guess they did a lot of research.
Boy, its hot today.
Okay. Its your turn, kid.
Yeah
One set match. Seigakus Echizen to serve.
Did you collect any good data?
Yes, I did, Inui.
If Im not mistaken,
youre the new manager at St. Rudolf, arent you?
You know youre not mistaken.
Youve been marking me all this time.
Hmm
My name is Mizuki.
Its an honor that you know about me.
Dont you need to go and watch your own team play?
Well Theyre probably winning.
#2 doubles 6-0. #1 doubles 6-2. #3 singles 6-2.
Amazing! You can pinpoint your predictions on your data alone?
Having you say that builds my self-confidence.
Depending on how you use your data, it can have a big impact.
Of course
Of course?
At times, it can be used as a weapon.
What are you talking about?
Hurry!
Okay!
You used Akiyama Middle #3 as your attack dog.
Before the match,
you probably taught them the Seigaku players weak points.
They knew what to look for,
so although we won, we had a tougher time.
We were outwitted.
You were collecting data
on how our players would overcome attacks on their weak points.
Isnt that right?
Thats so unlike you, Inui.
Thanks to me, Akiyama could play against Seigaku on a more even field.
Shouldnt they be satisfied?
Game and match to Echizen of Seigaku, six games to love.
Ryoma won! He won!
Weve got to use anything we can.
Im looking forward to playing you. So long.
Whats wrong, Inui?
Tezuka Weve got to look out for St. Rudolph.
Huh?
What do you mean?
They dont care how they win.
Yo! Sorry to keep you waiting. This is Momo, everyones idol.
By the way, the Metropolitan Matches are really revving up, arent they?
Is it my turn soon? And, uh
Hey, old lady! Whats with this order?
Im playing doubles again?
And, with this guy?!
Next on The Prince of Tennis: Momo and Viper
I have no choice but to do it. No choice at all.