Chapter 44

ps: (In Chapter 43, it should have been the tie-break rule; the trash author remembered it wrong.)

(The Golden Pair match entered a tie-break; Kikumaru Eiji lost to Hyotei due to physical exhaustion.)

(The final score was 7:6!)

(Therefore, Kikumaru Eiji made up his mind to train his stamina properly.)

(That's all!)

Back to the present.

At this time, Akutagawa Jiro was being pointed at by Echizen Ryoma's racket.

Echizen Ryoma said,

"You'll only know after we compete!"

Seeing this, Akutagawa Jiro smiled,

"Good momentum, it seems you shouldn't be weak either!"

"Then let's start!"

Saying this, he walked toward the middle of the net.

Seeing this, Echizen Ryoma also walked over.

Both sides shook hands.

While shaking hands, Echizen Ryoma asked again,

"Why isn't Kamishiro Aki in this match?"

Seeing this, Akutagawa Jiro scratched his head,

"I don't know either, the coach arranged it."

Although Akutagawa Jiro was simple, he wasn't stupid.

He wouldn't fall for such an obvious fishing for information.

Seeing this, Echizen Ryoma had no choice but to return to the baseline.

At this time, the umpire said,

"The Singles 3 match officially begins!"

"The first serve is by Seishun Academy's Echizen Ryoma!"

Hearing this, Echizen Ryoma pinched his cap.

He said to Akutagawa Jiro,

"You better be careful."

Akutagawa Jiro just got into position and didn't speak.

Because he felt that a first-year shouldn't be able to hit any good balls.

In previous matches, Seigaku always finished playing first and then came to watch.

So Akutagawa Jiro had no chance to see Echizen Ryoma's match at all.

Therefore, he didn't know Echizen Ryoma's strength.

Besides, even if he really went to watch the match, this guy Akutagawa Jiro would probably be sleeping anyway.

Subsequently, Echizen Ryoma took the tennis ball thrown by the staff.

He played with the tennis ball a little before tossing it into the air.

Immediately after, he jumped up and swung his racket rapidly!

"Boom!"

At this time, Kamishiro Aki noticed that this serve was a very ordinary serve.

Because Echizen Ryoma was left-handed.

If he used his full strength, he should be holding the racket with his left hand.

But Echizen Ryoma was holding the racket with his right hand now.

Either he was testing Akutagawa Jiro's strength,

or he was looking down on Akutagawa Jiro.

However, Kamishiro Aki felt it should be the latter.

A guy like Echizen Ryoma, who liked to show off, couldn't help but look down on his opponent and be arrogant at the beginning.

Akutagawa Jiro returned this kind of ordinary serve very easily.

But Echizen Ryoma didn't receive this ball.

His body didn't move at all.

When the tennis ball flew out, he tightened his cap again.

"Not bad!"

The speed of Akutagawa Jiro's return was very fast.

Even if Echizen Ryoma really went to receive it, he might not have been able to.

So, he simply didn't receive it.

And this game was a probing game.

So he thought it was fine to lose one or two points.

The umpire called the score,

"15:0!"

For the next three balls, Echizen Ryoma used ordinary serves.

Akutagawa Jiro hurriedly went to receive them.

But as they played, he also lost interest a bit.

He thought Echizen Ryoma was too weak.

"Boom!"

As the tennis ball landed, the umpire hurriedly called the score.

"1:0!"

"Akutagawa Jiro scores first!"

"Change sides."

Four balls.

All taken by Akutagawa Jiro's fast counter-attack.

Kamishiro Aki didn't think Echizen Ryoma couldn't receive them.

He just deliberately didn't receive them.

Sure enough, the early-stage Echizen Ryoma was still too conceited.

What a pity.

It just happened not to be Singles 3.

Otherwise, Kamishiro Aki would have taught him a lesson.

The second game began, and it was Akutagawa Jiro's serve.

His balls were all ordinary serves.

Echizen Ryoma was still holding the racket with his right hand at this moment.

It looked like he still wanted to test the power of his right hand.

But Akutagawa Jiro wasn't that easy to deal with.

If the current Echizen Ryoma didn't use his left hand, he definitely couldn't play.

"Boom!"

The tennis ball landed, and Echizen Ryoma hurriedly chased after the ball.

When the ball speed was fast, he was just a little bit away from catching up.

At this time, the umpire called the score,

"2:0!"

"Akutagawa Jiro scores!"

Seeing this, Kikumaru Eiji said anxiously,

"What is the little guy doing?"

"Why isn't he using his left hand?"

Hearing this, they couldn't help but look at Tezuka Kunimitsu.

Seeing this, Tezuka Kunimitsu crossed his arms and said faintly,

"Don't look at me, focus on the match."

Subsequently, Fuji Syusuke asked,

"I just want to ask, what are you left-handers thinking?"

"Do you all have to wait until the end to use your left hand?"

Seeing Fuji Syusuke ask, Tezuka Kunimitsu looked at Akutagawa Jiro, who was almost falling asleep.

Then he said,

"I don't know what Echizen is thinking."

"But if it were me, I would use my right hand to probe in the first game."

"In the second game, I would use my right hand to defend or attack with full strength."

"If I could win both games, I would still use my right hand in the third game."

"Because for such an opponent, using the right hand is completely enough."

"Only in critical games would I use my left hand."

"Not only can it catch the opponent off guard, but it can also unleash my true strength."

Hearing these words, everyone was stunned for a moment.

It was rare to hear Tezuka Kunimitsu say so much at once!

But they also understood.

It looked like Echizen Ryoma was probably thinking the same thing.

But now Akutagawa Jiro still looked like he hadn't woken up.

He really couldn't raise any interest in the current Echizen Ryoma.

The third game began, and Akutagawa Jiro yawned and walked to the baseline.

He decided to take a nap.

Anyway, there were two more people behind.

It didn't matter if he lost this match.

At this time, Echizen Ryoma moved his racket to his left hand!

Seeing this, Kamishiro Aki shouted at Akutagawa Jiro,

"Jiro! Wake up!"

"The opponent is about to serve!"

As soon as he heard Kamishiro Aki's voice, Akutagawa Jiro woke up immediately.

And at this time, Echizen Ryoma served!

He tossed the tennis ball into the air and jumped up.

Immediately after, he shouted,

"Twist Serve!"

Sure enough!

Echizen Ryoma was going to hit a Twist Serve!

If Akutagawa Jiro was still in this sleepy state,

he would definitely be hit in the face by the tennis ball.

But Kamishiro Aki didn't shout again.

Because the umpire had already started paying attention to this side.

If he shouted again, he would be given a yellow card warning.

The rest was up to Akutagawa Jiro himself.

Subsequently, the tennis ball crossed the net rapidly.

Akutagawa Jiro, who was already a bit awake, hurriedly went to receive the ball.

"Boom!"

The tennis ball landed heavily!

Akutagawa Jiro hurriedly swung his racket.

But the bounce angle of the tennis ball was different from an ordinary serve!

The tennis ball flew straight toward Akutagawa Jiro's face.

At this time, Akutagawa Jiro woke up immediately.

His body instinctively leaned back.

The tennis ball flew high.

Seeing this, Akutagawa Jiro woke up completely.

He let out a breath.

"That was close!"

After saying that, he suddenly looked excited!

Subsequently, he ran to Kamishiro Aki and said,

"Kamishiro! Kamishiro! Did you see that just now?"

"That person is so strong!"

"To think he could hit that kind of ball!"

Seeing Akutagawa Jiro like this, Kamishiro Aki couldn't help but sigh.

"Jiro-senpai, play seriously."