EPISODE SUMMARIES
Episode 11: Echizen Vs. Momoshiro
Sakuno & Tomoka looking for Ryoma to cheer him for the upcoming preliminaries, but both of them are unsuccessful. So they decided to grab a snack on a local burger chain where they found their beloved Ryoma. Momoshiro entered the burger chain too & saw Ryoma who's at the counter waiting to be served. They greeted each other when suddenly a mysterious girl appeared & talked to them. She appeared to be very knowledgeable about tennis clubs around the area & at the same time Seigaku's Tennis Club, & she was wondering if who would be Seigaku's Singles 3 when both Tezuka & Fuji are Singles 1 & Singles 2 respectively. After that, she left them because her order was called & left the question hanging between the two tennis players.That question about who will be playing Singles 3 fired the two Seigaku regulars & both ordered & order more than the other. At last, they were able to order & take their foods onto their table. They were now racing each other on who will finish their foods first. This childish behavior went on until both Sakuno & Tomoka noticed it & commented their eating. Surprisingly, they both stayed on their seats & did not bother either Ryoma or Momoshiro. After eating, that was already nighttime, they were both so tired from eating & already full.
They were on a bridge talking on who will be chosen as the player for Singles 3. Since 4 of them who are not yet given positions in the game including Kaidoh & Kawamura as well as Momo & Ryoma. But Ryoma told Momoshiro that Coach Ryuzaki will decide. Suddenly, they stood up & decided that they need to play somewhere to ease their tension. So they go & find a tennis court where they can play & not to be interrupted. They find a street tennis court where anyone is allowed to play. The problem is, there seems to be many players who used the court & it is play only for doubles. Suddenly, two guys approached them & explained the rules. To be able to continue playing on the court, they must defeat other doubles player who will challenge them & if they lose they would be out of the court & can't play longer. Of course, Ryoma & Momo accept the challenge. Ryoma's Twist Serve & good returns easily defeated the 1st two doubles-pair challengers. And now, the 2 guys who explained to them about rules of the court, challenges them, namely: Fukawa & Izumi. In the end, Ryoma & Momo lose the game & they were out in the court. Both of them agreed that they would not be playing for Singles 3 & decided instead to play doubles, telling each other in the same time "Real Men Play Doubles".
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Episode 12: The Two AH-UN boys
At last the day of the District Preliminaries has arrived. Seigaku is going to have their first match against Gyokurin Jr. High where Izumi & Fukawa are among the regulars who will play Doubles 1. It was sort of a rematch since their opponent's were none other than Momo and Ryoma who volunteered to play on Doubles since they wanted to beat opponents on where they are good at. At the start of the match, the Gyokurin doubles pair thought that it would be easy to defeat the two since they only started playing doubles two days ago. But to everyone's surprise, Momo and Ryoma developed a unique strategy to overcome their weakness (at the center line). They developed the AH-UN strategy wherein it signals a co-player on who will hit the ball in order to avoid bumping. It was a good start though for our Seigaku boys until Gyokurin has slowly discovered many of their weaknesses and soon gained the first set. As for Ryoma and Momo, they are beginning to fight...and as Horio thinks that Ryoma could figure out something in order to win, Fuji and the others saw a book on "Doubles For Beginners" on Ryoma's bag.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Episode 13: Real Men Play Doubles
Ryoma and Momoshiro finally came up on an idea to divide their court in TWO.. meaning they drew a dividing line on their sides so instead of playing doubles. .its as if they were playing singles.. then when Gyokurin aimed the ball at the center line, they used AH-UN strategy. This combination made Ryoma and Momo win the game against Gyokurin.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Episode 14: The Swallow Return
Seigaku is now preparing for their next match. Everybody expected that its going to end up with Kakinokizaki Vs. Seigaku in the finals.. but to everybody's surprise.. Kakinokizaki was defeated by Fudoumine.. the same Fudoumine who withdrawed in a match 6 months ago. As the doubles begun between Fudoumine's Sakurai/Ishida and Seigaku's Fuji/Kawamura, Inoue had a brief interview with Tachibana Kippei, captain of Fudoumine. It was said that the new Fudoumine's strength has something to do with what happened in their school 6 months ago. (Flashback: The freshmen had confronted their coach about becoming regulars since it was a deal that if they beat their sempais in a match they get to play tennis, but their coach and sempai negated this agreement and the freshmen ended up as ball pickers and court cleaners.. until a 2nd year transfer student, Kippei Tachibana, entered the scene and defended the freshmen and ends up making a mutiny against their coach and sempai. Tachibana had hit their coach and making it a controversy. Later on, it ends up.. that Tachibana and the freshmen had built a new Tennis Club and their coach and sempais leave the school for good.) Back to the Doubles 1 game, Fudoumine seems to gain the advantage until Fuji, the so-called Tennis Genius, had released one of his techniques called the Swallow Return or Tsubame Gaeshi.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Episode 15: Their respective fights
With Fuji's Swallow Return, Seigaku has gained back the advantage. But Fudoumine does not give up the fight that easy, Ishida has some plan to seal Fuji's swallow return using his Hadoukyu. With this, a tremendous counter attack might have injured Fuji but Taka-san returned the ball back to Ishida saving Fuji. But Taka's wrist got injured due to the great impact of the return, so Fuji decided to forfeit the game even if Taka insists that they continue. The game ends with a first loss to Seigaku. After their game, Taka was brought to the doctor. Now Doubles 2 begins with the greater advantage on Seigaku's Golden Pair.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
016. Boomerang Snake
It's raining during the game with Seigaku's Golden Pair against Fudomine's Uchimura-Mori pair and it's still on. Kikumaru slipped on the rain, but eventually returned the ball, which surprised Uchimura because he thought that Kikumaru would fall. Coach Ryuzaki commented that Oishi and Kikumaru's teamwork is the "Ah-Un" synchronization, and looked at Ryoma and Momo and asked if they were listening. Seigaku's Golden Pair wins the match. The Fudomine pair hung their heads as they walked to Tachibana and apologized, but were interrupted by Tachibana because he explained that they did great and they would win the next game.
Ryoma tells Kaidoh that it's his turn to play, and Kaidoh replies with a grunt and looks at Ryoma. Kikumaru predicted that the game will be postponed and Coach Ryuzaki tells them that when the weather is in good, they will continue the singles match. Ryoma comments that what they call "Skinning the snake alive" is happening that moment and receives a glare from Kaidoh. From Fudomine's side, Kamio comments that the rain won't stop. Tachibana tells him not to lose his concentration because it's unsure if they're going to continue the game and Kamio just grins at him and tells him that he understands.
The freshmen trio (Kachirou, Horio & Katsuo) notices that Ryoma has suddenly disappeared so they all decided to look for him with Sakuno. They all found Ryoma sitting and they call out his name. Horio demands why he is so calm when his match is going to start after Kaidoh, but Ryoma just ignored his question. The weather has finally cleared and Oishi asked Momo where Kaidoh had gone off too, and Momo replied that he is probably doing an image training. Kaidoh has finally returned and bent down to get his racket from his bag. Ryoma tells him that he is late, also that he should try his best and Kaidoh glared at him and growled at him that he doesn't need his advice. Tezuka told him that Ryoma's not his opponent.
It is now the 3rd singles match with Kaidoh (Seigaku) and Kamio (Fudomine). Kamio asked Kaidoh if his nickname is "Viper" and added that it definitely suited him. Kaidoh got mad at this and tried to hit Kamio. Oishi told him to stop, on timing Kamio dodged it and commented that he has a nice swing. Tezuka apologized to Tachibana about Kaidoh but Tachibana said that Kamio provoked him first so he is sorry about it. Kamio serves and runs to the net, but Kaidoh returns it. Kamio says that he is feeling the rhythm, and Kaidoh snarled that he doesn't like it when he does it and also that he should hurry up and serve. Kamio serves and Kaidoh returns it with a "Snake", but Kamio returns it back to him.
Kaidoh hit a shot around the post and everyone was shocked about that attack. Everyone was calling it a Boomerang Snake and he comments that it doesn't sound bad. -----------------------------------------------------------------
017. The small winning pose
The crowd was awed by the unexpected Boomerang Snake from Kaidoh. Shiba even asked Inoue if that shot was legal and Inoue said that it is, although, there are few around-the-pole shots ever and this was the greatest shot of that kind he's ever seen. Kamio was star struck although he just commented that he'll just raise his rhythm. He hit a no-touch ace serve on Kaidoh's expense, making it a 1-0 game to Kamio.
Kaidoh however, was star struck on his own shot. It was a lucky shot on his part and he tried it over and over again in middle of his match with Kamio although his shots were missed shots or "out", he just couldn't get the knack of his "Boomerang Snake". He thought that if only he could master that shot, he would be able to defeat Kamio. It was then a 4-2 game to Kamio this dismayed Coach Ryuzaki, saying that Kaidoh's not that weak to only rely on a lucky shot. Kaidoh finally realizes after quite some time that the style of tennis he's playing isn't his.
Meanwhile, Sakuno ventured out to the washroom and got lost again, for the 9th time. This time, as she was finding her way back to Seigaku's court, she accidentally stepped on someone's shoes and that someone belonged to a very obnoxious guy who insists that she pay Y30, 000 for the cleaning of his now dirtied new shoes.
Back to the game, Kaidoh's now very persistent making Fudomine's Kamio very tired. They went from 4-3 to 5-4 games to Kamio's lead. Finally, the inevitable happened, it was now matchpoint for Kamio. Only another point and he would win this match. This time, it's his turn to serve and he's used his Quick Serve hoping that Kaidoh wouldn't be able to return it, but he was mistaken. Kaidoh hit another Snake towards him and Kamio failed to return.
Momoshiro, seeing that it's now Kaidoh's time to make a comeback, decided that he would be fetching Kawamura from the hospital. Meanwhile, Sakuno's having a hard time with the guy who's obsessed with his own shoes. She was grateful to the girl she saw so many times before come to her aid and mouth off to the guy saying that his stupidity might be contagious. This angered the guy and he hit the mysterious girl who came to Sakuno's aid.
Shifting back to Kaidoh and Kamio's game. Their match now turned into an endurance match. Due to Kaidoh's persistence, Kamio's match point went away and came tons of deuces and advantages from the receiver which is Kaidoh. Both Seigaku and Fudomine's members wondered how Kaidoh got that amazing endurance. Kamio's already panting and sweating profusely while Kaidoh's not even got a pant on his breath. Inui then spoke up and told everyone the menu practice Kaidoh does every time. It was then they learned that Kaidoh's running 10km before practice, after practice and at night and he does 150 sit-ups everyday, along with other numerous exhilarating things. Suddenly all of their attention went back to Kamio and Kaidoh's match, miraculously, Kaidoh won the match: 7-5.
Kamio sat on the Fudomine's bench saying that he doesn't feel bad since he gave everything he could on that match and that Kaidoh's persistence really got him in the end. It was now time of Singles 2. Shinji stood up from the bench and turned to look at Seigaku's Singles 2, Ryoma Echizen.
Luckily, when the guy hit the mysterious girl who came to Sakuno's aid, Momoshiro saw everything and told the guy that hitting a girl isn't just right. The mysterious girl told Momo what happened and about the guy's shoes. Momoshiro just turned towards the guy and told him that he should learn how to clean his shoes and shoes are meant to be dirtied anyway. Momoshiro asked the guy if he should dirty his shoes some more and this prompted the guy to flee. Now, the mysterious girl introduced herself as the younger sister of Fudomine's captain. Her name is An Tachibana.
It's now Ryoma's debut in Singles. His opponent is Fudomine's Ibu Shinji.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
018. Love Letter
As Ryoma continues his match with Fudoumine's Shinji Ibu and showed off some great tennis skills like Nitoryuu and twist serve, he gained many adorations from the audiences. Coach Ryuzaki, on the other hand, recollects the memories she had with Ryoma's former PRO father, Nanjirou, back when he was still in middle school. Coach Ryuzaki narrates that Nanjirou is one player who comes in the Tennis World "once in a century". He was a player who knows nothing other than to attack. One time when coach Ryuzaki is training him with his backhand skills, young Nanjirou developed a strategy of returning the ball with two forehands and he called it "Nitoryuu". After witnessing how young Nanjirou used his ambidextrous skill, she gave him an envelope with a letter inside. Nanjirou mistakenly thought that it was a love letter but as he read it, he laughed. Back in the current times, Nanjirou was also narrating the same event to Nanako who found some of his "younger days" pictures as she was cleaning. Then she saw an an envelope clipped in one of the albums. It was the same one that Coach Ryuzaki gave. There was a letter in it along with a newsclip of a 15 year old tennis player who became a champion in the world tournament. The letter, on the other hand, says "Echizen, aim for the world!". At the courts, Ryoma is still showing advantage until Shinji slowly showed that he cannot be simply underestimated just because he came from an unknown school with unsupportive coach and sempais.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
019. Ryoma is Injured
Ibu continuously alternates his topspins and slice shots as he attacks Ryoma. Making Ryoma's hands to temporarily became numb. Due to this technique, Ryoma tried to counterattack by turning his body around as he hits the ball but his racket slipped off his hands hitting one of the net poles and the broken piece of it hit Ryoma's left eye causing it to bleed. Sakuno rushed inside the court and offered her uniform ribbon but Ryoma refused and insists that she leaves the court right away. Also the umpire reprimands her but Sakuno insisted. She reasoned out that Ryoma is not anymore a player but an injured person then she quickly grabs Ryoma's arm as she drags him out when her grandmother stopped her. Sakuno hastily left the court. Ryoma is then taken to the bench and treated with initial aid. They were about to forfeit the game but Ryoma insisted to continue. The umpire said he can continue if the bleeding stops, so Ryoma rubbed his eye making the blood scatter to his shirt and so Coach Ryuzaki puts him an eye band. He was then allowed to play but with a condition that he can play for only ten minutes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
020. Time Limit
Ryoma plays with an injured eye but his injury made some hesitations on his attacks and with Shinji's SPOT, Fudoumine is still taking the lead. But Ryoma discovered his technique and uses his Nitoryuu along with his split step to seal off Shinji's SPOT. With this, Shinji could not do his technique on Ryoma. So Seigaku gains back the lead and Ryoma defeated Ibu within 9 mins and 58 seconds and Seigaku wins the match. Seigaku became the District Tournament Champion with Fudoumine as a Runner-up. This makes both teams qualify for the Prefecturals. After the awarding, Seigaku proceeds to Kawamura Sushi, a sushi bar owned by Taka-san's father. There they ate a bounty meal of sushi's. Mr. Inoue and Ms. Shiba were also there. They celebrated their victory joyously but Coach Ryuzaki, Tezuka, and Oishi left earlier since they have to do some important things back in school. Ms. Shiba invites Ryoma for a pic with her with some *ahem!-watch the episode to know* and Sakuno who is beside Ryoma watches them. Eiji and Momo were at their back fighting over a plate of Anago sushi. When Kajirou clicked the camera, Eiji's greediness for sushi pushed Momo over while Momo pushes Ms. Shiba out of the picture so it was Sakuno & Ryoma who were photographed instead.
