As the announcement echoed through the air, spectators near the sports park began to gather.
Soon after, the teams from Hyotei and Seigaku, led by their coaches, Sakaki Taro and Ryuzaki, entered the court.
At the net, the team captains exchanged pre-match greetings.
"Tezuka," Atobe said, looking at the calm and composed figure before him. "Sorry, but this year, Seigaku still won't have a chance to win the Metropolitan Tournament."
"Atobe," Tezuka replied, unfazed by the provocation. His tone remained steady. "Since we've made it to the finals, we won't back down. The same goes for you, Hyotei. Don't hold back."
"Good," Atobe said, seeing that Tezuka wasn't rattled by his words. He nodded. "I'll be waiting for you in Singles 1."
"Agreed," Tezuka responded with a nod.
After a brief moment of eye contact, both captains retreated to their respective sides of the court.
"Are these the two top players in Tokyo?" Outside the court, Shishido, holding a camera, looked at the photo she had just taken of the two captains shaking hands. "Both Atobe and Tezuka have such a strong presence!"
"Yeah," Inui, standing beside her, agreed.
Both Tezuka and Atobe were nationally recognized as top-tier players. They were irreplaceable pillars of their teams, and even on a national level, they were among the most notable team captains.
Of course, aside from the captains, Hyotei's rising star, Ishikawa Shin, was also a major focus of attention. Especially after his match earlier that day, where he defeated the unpredictable genius, Akutsu, showcasing his exceptional skills and formidable strength.
Before the match, there had been much speculation about how Seigaku and Hyotei would arrange their lineups. One theory was that if Tezuka wasn't confident in defeating Atobe, Seigaku might follow Fudomine's strategy and focus their strongest players on the doubles and Singles 3 matches to secure three wins early.
At the time, Inui had thought this theory made sense. But now, after witnessing the exchange between Atobe and Tezuka, he was certain that both captains would be positioned in Singles 1.
"I hope the match goes to 2-2," Inui thought to himself. "That way, we'll get to see an epic showdown between these two captains!"
"Next up, the Doubles 2 match will begin," the announcer's voice rang out.
"Hyotei Gakuen's Shishido Ryoh and Ootori Chotaro pair versus Seishun Gakuen's Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidoh Kaoru pair. Please prepare for the match."
As the announcement concluded, players from both teams stepped onto the court.
On Hyotei's side were Shishido and Ootori, who had previously defeated the nationally-ranked doubles pair from Yamabuki earlier that day. Their performance in the morning had been strong, and Coach Sakaki had decided to keep them in the Doubles 2 position.
Seeing this, Inui nodded thoughtfully. "It seems Hyotei has settled on Shishido and Ootori as their fixed doubles pair."
"They're a good match," Shishido added.
Ootori had a shy, boy-next-door vibe, while Shishido exuded a strong, masculine energy. Together, they made a compelling duo, especially appealing to female fans like herself.
On the other side, Seigaku's representatives were Momoshiro and Kaidoh, who had previously played together in the quarterfinals against St. Rudolph.
However, unlike Hyotei's cohesive pair, Momoshiro and Kaidoh stood apart, each facing opposite directions. Their body language made it clear that they were far from being on good terms.
"These two?" Inui was visibly surprised. "Well, aside from Oishi and Kikumaru, Seigaku doesn't have a more stable or stronger doubles pair."
This pairing could be seen as a bold move by Coach Ryuzaki, but it also highlighted Seigaku's limited options.
"But," Shishido blinked in confusion, "didn't Momoshiro and Kaidoh win their match against St. Rudolph?"
She felt Inui's assessment was a bit unfair. Both pairs were relatively new to doubles. Why were Shishido and Ootori considered a strategic move by Coach Sakaki, while Momoshiro and Kaidoh were seen as a last resort for Coach Ryuzaki?
"It's simple," Inui explained with a smile. "Yamabuki's Shinomiya and Kitamura are on a completely different level compared to St. Rudolph's Yanagisawa and Koganei."
"Also," he added, glancing at Momoshiro and Kaidoh, who were still keeping their distance from each other, "doubles relies heavily on teamwork and默契. Do Momoshiro and Kaidoh look like they have that?"
"Good point," Shishido conceded.
From what she knew, Momoshiro and Kaidoh were arguably the most antagonistic pair in Seigaku. They rarely interacted, and when they did, it was usually to provoke each other.
Given this, it seemed Coach Ryuzaki had already written off the first doubles match.
But that raised another question: Why didn't she position the Golden Pair, Oishi and Kikumaru, in Doubles 2? That would have almost guaranteed a win.
"Hmph," Coach Ryuzaki chuckled softly as she overheard the discussions around her.
Others only saw the friction between Momoshiro and Kaidoh, but they didn't understand the deeper connection these two shared.
"If their unique traits are activated," Ryuzaki thought to herself, "they might just have a chance to defeat Hyotei's doubles pair."
And if they could secure this win, followed by another victory in Doubles 1, Seigaku would have a strong advantage with two wins under their belt.
For the singles matches, Ryuzaki had positioned Seigaku's three strongest players. With their talent, securing at least one win was almost certain.
This was Ryuzaki's bold strategy against the formidable Hyotei.
"Match begins," the referee announced. "Seigaku's Momoshiro to serve. One game, final set!"
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
At the baseline, Momoshiro lightly bounced the tennis ball, getting a feel for it while keeping his eyes on Ootori across the net. "Inui-senpai said the real threat in Hyotei's doubles pair is Shishido. In that case, I'll start with you."
*Boom!*
He slammed the ball across the court.
"It's here!" The Seigaku cheering squad exclaimed as they watched the ball rocket toward the other side. "Momoshiro-senpai's Bullet Serve!"
"Not a bad serve," Ootori admitted as he prepared to receive. "Fast and aimed at the outer corner. Momoshiro really is one of Seigaku's top second-years."
*Step!*
Ootori moved quickly, intercepting the ball just as it bounced.
*Boom!*
A heavy impact reverberated through his racket.
"Impressive power," Ootori thought. If it weren't for the grip strength training Ishikawa had been guiding him through, returning this serve would have been much more difficult.
*Whoosh!*
With a flick of his wrist, Ootori sent the ball back.
At the net, Kaidoh intercepted the return. He glanced at Shishido nearby before focusing on Ootori. With a swift motion, he sliced the ball, sending it in a sharp arc toward the baseline.
"Going around Shishido?"
As Kaidoh made his move, Shishido from Hyotei quickly noticed something unusual. "Looks like Seigaku's target is actually Chotaro!" he observed.
This wasn't uncommon.
In doubles matches, it's a legitimate strategy to focus on one player. Early in the game, both players team up to take down one opponent, then use the numerical advantage to control the rest of the match.
"Is this Coach Ryuzaki's strategy?" wondered Sakaki Taro, glancing at the woman beside him. Compared to Coach Banji, Ryuzaki didn't seem like the type to pull off such a surprising tactic.
"No," Ishikawa, standing nearby, shook his head. "If I'm not mistaken, the mastermind behind this strategy is Seigaku's training advisor, Inui Sadaharu. He's likely shared detailed information about Shishido and Otori with the Seigaku team."
"Inui, huh?" Sakaki glanced over at the Seigaku camp, where a boy with opaque white glasses and a notebook in hand stood. He nodded slightly.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
On the court, Otori was indeed being targeted by Kaidoh and Momoshiro, just as Shishido had predicted.
"These guys!" Shishido muttered under his breath, watching as the ball kept being directed toward Otori. He couldn't help but feel anxious for his partner. Unlike him, Otori didn't have the same level of stamina or adaptability. Facing a relentless attack like this, he might not hold up for long.
Sure enough, it didn't take long for Otori's movements to slow down. Even though the shots aimed at him weren't particularly sharp or deep, the constant barrage was wearing him out. Plus, since they hadn't been partners for long, Ishikawa hadn't had the chance to train them for situations like this.
"This can't go on," Shishido thought, realizing Otori was on the verge of breaking. When Kaidoh returned the ball again, Shishido broke formation and rushed to intercept it.
*Thud!*
With a sharp volley, Shishido managed to save Otori from the immediate threat.
"Now's our chance!" Momoshiro shouted, suddenly speeding up and delivering a quick counter-shot.
*Smack!*
The ball landed in the area Shishido had just vacated. By trying to cover for Otori, Shishido had inadvertently left himself exposed.
"15-0!" the referee called.
Shishido's expression darkened.
"Is this Seigaku's strategy?" Sakaki mused from the coach's seat. "Inui Sadaharu is quite impressive."
"Isn't this Yamabuki's targeting strategy?" Shishido asked. "Last year, during the regional tournament, Yamabuki's doubles pair, Minami and Higashikata, used this tactic against Seigaku."
"Exactly," Sakaki nodded. "To be precise, it's Coach Banji's strategy. He's refined it over more than a decade of coaching."
This was one of the reasons Sakaki respected Banji so much. The man never stayed with one team for too long, always moving on to new challenges and starting from scratch. Along the way, he developed some truly effective tactics and routines.
"Still, while the strategy is solid, the execution and the person teaching it are equally important," Sakaki added, glancing at Inui again. "As Ishikawa said, Inui must have done a thorough analysis of Shishido and Otori."
From this perspective, Seigaku's actual strength might have been underestimated.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
On the court, Momoshiro and Kaidoh were executing Inui's strategy flawlessly. Though their partnership wasn't the most harmonious, and there was some tension between them, they both understood that against a powerhouse like Hyotei, they had to work together to stand a chance.
As a result, Hyotei began losing points rapidly. In less than two minutes, they had dropped the first game.
"Game! Seigaku Momoshiro and Kaidoh, 1-0. Change sides."
However, after switching sides, Otori, fueled by frustration, unleashed his signature "Neo Scud Serve" to claw back a game.
"1-1. The match is back to square one," commented Shibasaki. "Seigaku's efforts to win a game seem so taxing. Hyotei seems almost unbeatable here."
"It's definitely tough, but it's not that simple," Inui countered. "In doubles, serves rotate among all four players. That means Hyotei only gets Otori's serve once every four games. If Seigaku can win the other three, they can still secure an easy victory."
As if to prove his point, Seigaku dominated the next three games. Momoshiro unleashed his "Dunk Smash," while Kaidoh countered with his "Snake Shot." Momoshiro delivered a sharp volley, and Kaidoh responded with a high, curving lob. The two were in fierce competition, treating every point as a matter of personal pride.
*Thud!*
"Game! Seigaku Momoshiro and Kaidoh, 2-1!"
*Thud!*
"Game! Seigaku Momoshiro and Kaidoh, 3-1!"
*Thud!*
"Game! Seigaku Momoshiro and Kaidoh, 4-1!"
In the blink of an eye, Seigaku had won three games in a row. Hyotei managed to pull one back in the sixth game, thanks to Otori's Neo Scud Serve, but they were still trailing badly at 4-2.
Seeing this, the Seigaku trio and their cheering squad breathed a sigh of relief and grew more excited.
"We've got this in the bag!" Horio declared confidently.
"Can it really be this easy?" Inui wondered, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. The match was going exactly as planned—both the targeting strategy and the competition between Momoshiro and Kaidoh were playing out perfectly. But Inui couldn't shake a sense of unease. He knew better than to underestimate Hyotei's training advisor, the man who had redefined his approach to data tennis—X, Ishikawa Shin!
(End of Chapter)