(Since no one seems to want to switch teams, I'll just stick with this one for now. Honestly, I wanted to write about the Swiss team because Germany is already overpowered, and Switzerland's tournament path would've been easier to arrange—group stage against Australia, Greece, and Japan, then knockout rounds against the U.S. and Spain, ending with Japan again.)
(But if you guys really want to see Germany, I've got a solid storyline for them too, guaranteed to be hype all the way through.)
---
"Alright."
Facing the challenge, Tezuka nodded in agreement.
After spending time together, he had come to recognize Fuji's astonishing talent and skill, so he wasn't opposed to a match.
But...
"Not today. You're in no condition to play right now."
Fuji blinked, momentarily confused by Tezuka's words.
Before he could ask for clarification, an announcement blared over the speakers:
"All members, assemble!"
The club members immediately dropped what they were doing and hurried to Court 1.
This was an unspoken rule of Seigaku's tennis club—absolute obedience to Yoru's orders.
The chain reaction of his overwhelming strength and reputation.
Once gathered, Yoru stood on the platform and announced:
"Here are the results of this year's regulars selection. Aside from me, QP, and Tezuka, the players who earned their spots are: Yamato Yuudai, Fuji Syusuke, Inui Sadaharu, Kikumaru Eiji, Oishi Shuichirou, and Kawamura Takashi!"
"Most of them are freshmen. Seniors, you'd better step up your game!"
"Starting tomorrow, the regulars challenge matches will be open. Each regular can be challenged up to three times a day. Lose, and you're out. Win, and you keep your spot."
"Even I can be challenged. Refusing without a valid reason means forfeiting your position."
Hearing the list, many of the older club members were stunned—but quickly composed themselves.
There was no resentment.
Under the club's meritocratic system, as long as they trained hard, they'd have a shot at becoming regulars. Even the third-years were pushing themselves relentlessly.
Who were they to slack off?
After the announcement, Yoru turned his gaze to the freshmen.
"Additionally, after discussions with the coach, the following matches will take place today:"
- Fuji Syusuke and Tezuka Kunimitsu vs. me.
- Inui Sadaharu and Kawamura Takashi vs. QP.
- Kikumaru Eiji and Oishi Shuichirou vs. Yamato Yuudai.
"These will be one-versus-two matches to test the new regulars' abilities."
"The first match—Yamato vs. Kikumaru and Oishi—starts in ten minutes."
Without waiting for a reaction, Yoru and QP walked off.
---
"We're up against Captain Yamato…?"
Kikumaru and Oishi exchanged nervous glances.
Sure, Yamato had been crushed 6-1 by Tezuka, but that didn't make him weak in their eyes.
With uneasy hearts, they warmed up and stepped onto the court.
Court 1 was packed—nearly the entire club had gathered to watch. The atmosphere was even more intense than during the final selection matches.
Noticing their tension, Yamato smiled.
"Don't worry. The captain said you two have real doubles potential. Since I'm a doubles player too, think of this as a friendly exchange."
"Yes!" they replied quickly.
The match began with Oishi's serve.
---
Ever since learning from Tezuka that Yoru saw them as a future doubles pair, the two had secretly practiced together—even hitting up local street courts on weekends to gain experience.
And just as Yoru had predicted, their synergy was undeniable.
Oishi was steady, with sharp court awareness and reliable fundamentals—a support genius who could cover for his partner.
In the original series, he even mastered the near-unstoppable Moon Volley, a technique that was almost never returned.
At his peak, Oishi could read the entire court, predict opponents' moves, and make split-second decisions to maximize his partner's strengths.
He'd sacrifice himself to deny the enemy points, then strike from the shadows with flawless technique.
As for Kikumaru—his explosive reflexes, elite athleticism, and freakish flexibility made him a front-court menace, like a less-polished version of Akutsu Jin.
His playful personality kept things lively, though his childishness could be a weakness.
But once he overcame his stamina issues and matured, he became a top-tier net player.
Together, they were arguably the most well-crafted doubles pair in Prince of Tennis—complementary personalities, seamless teamwork, and tactical harmony even the Ochi brothers couldn't match.
Given time, they could've dominated the world.
Sadly, Oishi later chose medical school over tennis, cutting their legendary partnership short.
---
At first, Yamato's superior stats gave him the edge.
But as the match progressed, Kikumaru and Oishi's chemistry kicked in. They deployed basic doubles tactics, even forcing Yamato into awkward positions and tying the score.
The crowd erupted in applause.
On the sidelines, Inui scribbled in his notebook, impressed.
"Now I see why the captain called them a natural doubles pair. This level of innate synergy is rare."
As a former doubles specialist himself (partnered with Yanagi Renji in elementary school), Inui knew forced coordination when he saw it.
He and Yanagi had relied on data to simulate perfect teamwork—exhaustive pre-match analysis, meticulous planning.
But what Kikumaru and Oishi had was raw, instinctive harmony.
That was something to envy.
---
After thirty minutes, the match neared its end.
Despite their brilliant coordination, the gap in raw power was too much.
Yamato stopped holding back, firing serves beyond their reach and using misdirection shots to break their rhythm.
Final score: 6-4, Yamato.
"You two were amazing. I'll be looking forward to your doubles performance at Nationals."
Yamato extended a hand at the net.
"Yes!" Grinning, they shook it eagerly.
Meanwhile, QP—already warmed up—stepped onto the court, waiting silently at the baseline.
Inui closed his notebook with a confident smirk.
"Let's go, Takashi. It's our turn now. Everything is within the calculations."
Kawamura hesitated. "Inui… can we really win?"
"Hmph. Have faith in the data…"