Bang!
"Game! Kamikawa! One-zero!"
"Change sides!" the umpire announced, raising his hand.
In tennis, players switch sides when the sum of their games is an odd number. After swapping courts, they get a ninety-second break to catch their breath, strategize with their coaches, and so on. If a match goes into a tie-break at six-all, they switch sides immediately when the cumulative score reaches six points or a multiple of six (like six, twelve, eighteen points, and so forth). During a tie-break changeover, there's no rest period. For a best-of-three set match, there's a hundred-and-twenty-second break after each set.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
Sitting on the bench, Shishido was panting heavily. It might have seemed like a quick one-zero game, but in reality, from the second point onwards, Kamikawa had been relentlessly hitting returns close to the baseline. All that running around had drained Shishido, making him expend twice as much energy as usual. He had dropped a point or two in the Junior Rally tournament before, but this kind of utter defeat, being swept four points in a row without any real resistance, stung his pride quite a bit.
"Next, I need to hold my service game," Shishido thought. "He's been aiming for my weakest cross-court angle, completely controlling the match tempo."
"Looking at the power of his returns, this guy's strength isn't astounding."
"And, since I've got the service game, I have the advantage to make the first move."
[Source: 101kanshu.com - Hand-typed, no errors]
Shishido stood up, took a tennis ball from a nearby ball boy, and walked towards the service box. Lost in thought, he stood there, bouncing the tennis ball before suddenly gripping it and tossing it skyward. Bending his knees, his eyes fixed on the pale yellow ball, the moment it began its descent, he pushed off with his legs, swung forward with all his might, and leaned his body into the shot.
Boom!!
As the tennis ball rocketed forward, his feet followed, rushing towards the net. The spectators outside the court also noticed Shishido's move.
"Serve and volley!"
"That's right! Whenever it's his service turn, he can rush the net without hesitation, and nothing gets in his way."
The serve and volley, using the serve to create an opportunity to approach the net, is the favorite and most effective offensive strategy for net players. By using net volleys and overheads, they can limit their opponent's cautious baseline strokes or suddenly use drop shots for direct points.
"He's already at the net!"
Everyone's eyes followed Shishido as he reached the net. The ball hadn't even bounced yet, but he was already there. His serve had plenty of power, and his rush to the net was just as swift.
Bang!
The tennis ball landed inside Kamikawa's left service box. The control wasn't as terrifying as one might imagine, but it still aimed close to the center line. His figure had already reached the net, his serve was fast, and his movement speed was equally impressive.
The ball bounced. Kamikawa raised his racket. A flick. A lob shot sailed right over Shishido's head.
At that moment, Shishido leaped forward without hesitation, swinging his racket with all his might. The tennis ball shot down like a cannonball. Just as a smile touched Shishido's lips, Kamikawa returned the ball in a bizarre way.
Whoosh!
Before Shishido's feet even touched the ground, he saw a streak of glowing yellow light zip over his head.
Bang!
The tennis ball landed behind him, inside the court.
"Gulp..."
He seemed to realize something, swallowing hard instinctively as he turned to look at the tennis ball that had rolled to the side. Kamikawa was kneeling on the ground, arms outstretched, slowly rising to his feet.
"Zero-fifteen!"
The umpire was momentarily stunned. After a long pause, he finally called out the score. Could such a shot really be hit by an elementary schooler?! This shot!
At that moment, a flicker of surprise crossed the audience's minds. They had imagined many ways to return the ball, but never this one. This unique return actually made them feel a hint of frustration! How could an elementary schooler hit such a stunning shot?
Clap...
Someone suddenly started clapping, and soon, thunderous applause erupted from the spectators. Regardless of anything else, this shot alone was worth that roaring applause.
"What a magnificent display of tennis! Since that Golden Generation entered junior high, and are now in their third year, I haven't seen such astounding technique."
A middle-aged man, holding a camera, had a name tag on his chest that read "Inoue." He was the famous tennis reporter, Inoue. Most of Japan's well-known junior high and elementary school tennis players had been featured in his publications. And today's Junior Rally tournament was truly a feast for his eyes.
"This year's Junior Rally tournament has a lot of substance, doesn't it?"
"It's not just Court B2; even the two matches in Group A are incredibly high-quality."
"Is a new Golden Generation about to emerge?!"
Inoue took a deep breath, continuously snapping pictures of Kamikawa with his camera. He had already envisioned today's headline news.
"I've always wanted to try this," Kamikawa chuckled lightly as he stood up. "This move is definitely a perfect counter for smash shots."
It was Fuji's renowned special move, one of his three famous returns: Bear's Fangs Counter. Its principle relies on controlling the racket with centrifugal force, neutralizing the power of the smash, and converting the opponent's power into one's own for a counterattack. Returning the ball with your back to the net requires precise anticipation of the ball's landing spot and a certain level of control accuracy, a move only skilled players can execute.
Since most players, immediately after a smash, cannot react in time—just like Shishido a moment ago, who had just landed after his smash when the ball landed behind him.
"Kamikawa... Kamikawa Muzuki!"
After a moment to recover, Shishido looked up and asked, "What's that move called?!"
"This move?" Kamikawa paused, then smiled and said, "It's a simple move, I think it's called 'Bear's Fangs Counter'!"
Simple?!
Where was the simplicity in that?! Even he, who had faced so many skilled tennis players, had never seen such a move from someone his age—returning a smash with his back to the net. That's not something you can just do.
Shishido took a deep breath, regaining his confidence, and walked towards the left service box. It was still his service game, and he still had the chance to serve and volley. He just wouldn't hit any more smashes. If it's a return shot specifically for smashes, it should be easy to counter.
The match continued. The score difference steadily widened. Even when Shishido tried to serve and volley again, Kamikawa mercilessly returned the ball, and the speed of his returns kept increasing.
"Time to end this," Kamikawa said with a serene smile, his steps steady, facing the relentless return.
Bang!
The moment the tennis ball landed, it was perfectly hit with a forehand half-volley, sending it instantly into Shishido's defensive range, its speed still accelerating.
"So fast!" Shishido's forehead dripped with cold sweat. It was a nearly perfect half-volley.
This guy, he's perfected every aspect! Kamikawa Muzuki, why had he never heard that name before? Where did this monster come from?
Tap... tap-tap...
Shishido's reaction was still there. He stretched out his right arm and managed to connect with the incredibly fast half-volley. However, the moment the ball touched his racket, a strange force surged through it, sending the racket flying from his hand. The tennis ball, meanwhile, landed squarely within the court.
Shishido turned to look at his right palm, his pupils contracting.
"How could this be?!"
"Game! Kamikawa! Two-zero!"
"Change of service!" the umpire shouted, raising his hand high.