Benbolly kept his eyes on the two Japan Team players across the court.
As Spain's third-year vice-captain and its publicly acknowledged No. 2 player, Benbolly was not only experienced but also a remarkably aggressive yet steady competitor.
His playing style and technique were aggressive; his personality and confidence were steady.
These seemingly contradictory traits gave him a unique charm.
They also meant that in matches, especially the most crucial ones, he could always turn danger into opportunity.
With his partner Frio's exceptional Insight, he never revealed all his strength at the start of a match.
Instead, he used his distinctive, playful shots to test his opponents. Once Frio found their weaknesses, they would devise a targeted strategy.
It was this confidence and tactical skill on the court that had allowed Benbolly and Frio to defeat many formidable opponents at their level.
It was also what gave them the confidence to take down Germany's strongest professional doubles pair.
However, Germany had fallen in the semifinals, so he wouldn't get to face a professional pair this time.
Still, his instincts told him that the two players from Japan were no ordinary opponents.
Though Irie and Yukimura had shown little of their strength in the exhibition and group-stage matches,
their presence alone had put Benbolly on guard. He wanted to learn what the two opponents could do and test them out.
With that in mind, Benbolly opened the match with a very ordinary diagonal serve.
Thwack!
The ball was certainly not slow, but it wasn't especially fast, either.
He hadn't put much power behind it, either. It was truly plain and unremarkable.
The only thing worth mentioning was its placement: it landed precisely in the corner.
Watching this lackluster shot, the players in Japan's section furrowed their brows.
Given Benbolly's standing on the