The Prince of Tennis: From Data-Driven Tennis to the Pinnacle of His Career

Ten days later, at the Yamabuki Tennis Club.

The early summer sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling the court.

As the Tokyo regional qualifiers approach, a tense atmosphere of preparation permeates the air.

The physically demanding training has stopped, and it has been replaced by intra-team matches.

Playing on three courts simultaneously, each shot sounded like a pre-match drumbeat.

Doubles Court 1: Tani Yoshiki Shin, Ishimaru Kanto VS Minami Kentaro, Higashikata Masami.

Singles Court 1: Kagura Ichijin vs. Shinto Miyazaki Inayoshi.

Singles Court 2: Kiyosumi Sengoku vs. Jin Akutsu.

……

Singles Court 1.

"Niitsumi-kun, you look very nervous."

Kagura Ichijin stood in front of the net, his gaze calm as he looked at Shintobe Inakichi, who was sweating profusely, with a slight frown.

"...A little."

Shintobe Inakichi scratched the two leaves on his head with a wry smile.

Still haunted by his defeat to Kagura Ichijin in the last school selection competition, he still lacks confidence when facing this formidable opponent, despite his daily rigorous training.

"Don't be nervous, the outcome won't change anyway."

Kagura Ichijin said calmly, his tone neither consoling nor stating a fact.

"..."

Shintobe Inagi's lips twitched.

Kagura Ichijin's way of comforting people is truly... refreshing and unconventional.

However, after being told that, he actually relaxed.

Losing to Kagura Ichijin is the norm anyway. As long as we can get even one point from Kagura Ichijin, that's a victory!

"No need for the coin toss, just serve."

Kagura Ichijin turned and walked towards the baseline with steady steps.

He needs to finish this "warm-up" as soon as possible and then observe the other two more valuable matches.

"Bang!"

Nitobe Inakichi served a standard high-speed ball, then quickly lowered his center of gravity and assumed a defensive stance.

"Bang!"

With a casual flick of his wrist, Kagura Ichijin sent the tennis ball to Shinto Miyazaki's backhand baseline.

Nitobe Inakichi seemed to have been prepared, and strode towards the ball's landing point.

"There has been progress."

Kagura Ichijin thought to himself.

Previously, Inakichi Shintobe couldn't react at all to this kind of ball, but now at least he's moving his body.

Unfortunately, we were still a step too late.

"0-15!"

The next few goals were exactly the same.

"0-30!"

……

"0-40!"

……

"Game, Nitobe Inakichi, 0-1!"

Kagura Ijin's serve was a foregone conclusion.

"boom!"

Toss the ball, jump, and swing the racket with all your might!

"15-0!"

……

"30-0!"

……

"40-0!"

……

"Game, Nitobe Inakichi, 0-2!"

After successfully holding his serve, Kagura Ichijin silently recited the system's commands.

Shintobe Inakichi (Grade 1 Junior High)

Speed: 2.5

Power: 2

Stamina: 2

Spirit: 1.5

Technology: 2

Total: 10

"The sum of the five dimensions has exceeded 10."

Seeing that Shintobe Inakichi's speed and stamina had each increased by 0.5, Kagura Ichijin nodded secretly.

Although Nitobe Inakichi is still not strong enough, the training over the past twenty days has indeed been effective.

As the game continued, the score quickly widened.

"Game, Nitobe Inakichi, 0-3!"

……

"Game, Nitobe Inakichi, 0-4!"

……

"Game, Nitobe Inakichi, 0-5!"

……

In the final game, it was Kagura Ijin's serve.

"15-0!"

……

"30-0!"

……

"40-0!"

With the match point approaching, Kagura Ijin served again.

Nitobe Inakichi sprinted desperately toward the ball's landing point. Just as the ball was about to fly out of bounds, he gritted his teeth and made a diving save!

"Go back...!"

The racket barely reached the ball, and although the posture was awkward, the desire to win that burst forth at that moment gave the ball a strange spin.

The tennis ball flew high into the air, but instead of clearing the net, it flew straight upwards.

"..."

Kagura Ichijin shook his head and turned to leave.

However, at that moment, a sudden gust of wind swept across the field.

The tennis ball, which was originally going straight up and down, was blown by the wind and floated wobbly over the net before falling down.

"40-15!"

"..."

Kagura Ichijin stared blankly at the ball rolling in the middle of the field.

This extremely rare stroke of luck actually happened to him?

"Yay! I got a point! I got a point from Kagura!"

Seeing this, Nitobe Inakichi, who was lying on the ground, jumped up like a spring, shouting excitedly as if he had won the world championship.

"Niitsumi-kun, it seems Lady Luck is on your side today, but I won't give you a second chance."

Kagura Ichijin sighed helplessly.

"boom!"

The game-ending blow.

"Game, Nitobe Inakichi, 0-6!"

……

"Match ended, 6-0, Kagura Ikjin wins!"

Kagura Ichijin packed up his racket, ignoring Shinto Miyamoto Inakichi who was still grinning foolishly, and headed straight for the singles court number two next door.

……

At this moment, the battle on singles court number two is in full swing.

The scoreboard shows: Kiyosumi Sengoku 3-1 Jin Akutsu.

Despite the large score difference, the game was far from easy.

"Tiger Cannon!"

After tossing the ball high into the air, Kiyosumi Sengoku leaped into the air and then swung his racket with all his might.

"Game, Kiyosumi Sengoku, 4-1!"

"So close... so close!"

Akutsu Jin darted out like a cheetah. Although he was still a step slower, the smile on his lips became even more ferocious. He had completely adapted to Sengoku Kiyosumi's serve rhythm.

In the following games, Jin Akutsu displayed an astonishing learning ability and physical talent.

He started hitting unexpected returns frequently, and his unpredictable style of play kept Sengoku Kiyosumi constantly on the run.

"15-0!"

……

"15-15!"

……

"30-15!"

……

"30-30!"

……

"30-40!"

……

"Game, Kiyosumi Sengoku, 5-1!"

"We can't delay any longer."

Sengoku Kiyosumi wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes sharpening.

He never expected that this "volunteer," who had only recently joined the tennis club, could push him to this point.

"Tiger Cannon!"

Kiyosumi Sengoku leaped high and delivered a signature jump serve.

"Go back!"

This time, Jin Akutsu unleashed astonishing speed, volleying the ball the instant it bounced off the ground!

"0-15!"

"They actually... fought back?!"

Sengoku Kiyosumi, who had just landed, was filled with shock.

That's a serve that's close to 190 km/h!

"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and serve! Once I beat you, I can go challenge Kagura."

Akutsu Jin roared, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

"..."

Knowing that it was impossible to take any shortcuts, Sengoku Kiyosumi decisively gave up using the Tiger Cannon.

The two sides then became embroiled in a protracted tug-of-war.

"15-15!"

……

"15-30!"

……

"30-30!"

……

"30-40!"

……

"40-40!"

……

"40—AD!"

……

"40-40!"

……

"AD-40!"

Sengoku Kiyosumi's match point.

The two players engaged in a frantic rally at the baseline, with Jin Akutsu unleashing a powerful forehand smash straight into the corner.

Kiyosumi Sengoku barely managed to save the ball, which grazed the net, changed its trajectory, and landed lightly in Jin Akutsu's half of the court.

"Game, Kiyosumi Sengoku, 6-1!"

……

"Match ended, 6-1, Kiyosumi Sengoku wins!"

"..."

As he watched the rolling tennis ball, Akutsu Jin stood there dumbfounded, his eyes filled with resentment and astonishment.

"Phew... We finally won."

Sengoku Kiyosumi collapsed to the ground, staring up at the sky in a spread-eagle position.

This match was exhausting, not only physically but also mentally.