A Match Without a Winner
The game continued, and as time went on, the sun became increasingly scorching.
The two players on the court were drenched in sweat, but even so, they didn't let any opportunity to return the ball slip by.
"This match has become a war of attrition. No matter how good Sengoku's stamina is, I don't think his Bobby of winning are very high compared to Poppy, who eats bananas every time the game changes."
"Furthermore, he has played sports like basketball and rugby, where every second counts, so his focus in crucial moments should not be underestimated."
Watching the game on the field, Coach Sakaki and Coach Hanamura on the sidelines also felt that Sengoku's chances of winning were slim.
Bang...
Bobby Marx scores, making the score 5-3.
With a loud shout, Bobby won another round.
"Good job."
Coach Baker applauded Bobby's performance from the sidelines. After thanking him, Bobby returned to the backcourt to prepare for the next game.
"No way, if we don't have an advantage, then there's really no hope."
"No, it's still early. The real show is just beginning."
Bobby has reached match point, and Oshitari has given up hope of the current situation, but Ryoma feels that it's not over yet.
The ninth inning, under the blazing sun.
Sengoku rallied his spirits and used the time difference to engage in a fierce battle with Bobby.
Finally, with Bobby returning a lob, Sengoku jumped and hit a backcourt shot in mid-air to win the game.
When the referee announced the score as 4-5, Bobby, who had just won another game, was extremely frustrated.
"Speaking of which, that Bobby's athleticism is truly perfect; his agility makes it hard to believe he weighs over 100 kilograms."
"I think Sengoku is more noteworthy than Coach Hanamura."
That Bobby's athletic ability is indeed amazing, but that's due to his innate physique, a privileged environment, and the results of time-consuming training.
In comparison, although Sengoku also possesses naturally superior dynamic vision, the fact that he was able to train his body to such a high level of explosive power and focus in the days leading up to the end of the training camp after his defeat in the Kanto Tournament is truly remarkable. I think his perseverance and dedication are more worthy of our attention.
"As long as he continues to hold onto this dedication, he has the potential to become even more outstanding."
Coach Hanamura, who has always valued players' physical talent, spoke highly of Bobby's performance, but Coach Sakaki appreciated Sengoku's mental strength even more.
"That guy is stronger than I thought, but he won't last much longer. Use your strength to make him submit completely."
Seeing Bobby still replenishing his energy with bananas, Coach Baker gave another instruction.
On the other side, Horio handed Sengoku a bottle of water and then said nothing more.
After the break, the tenth game began.
Instead of taking advantage of the time difference, Sengoku engaged in a war of attrition with Bobby.
"That's good. No matter how strong your recovery is, after so many replenishments, your stamina will eventually run out. As someone who has undergone boxing training, your willpower is definitely stronger than your opponent's."
But... will mental willpower prevail, or will physical resilience win?
Seeing that Sengoku had changed his timing strategy, Horio realized that Sengoku wanted to Bobby terms of stamina.
Bang...
"Sengoku Kiyosumi scores, score 5-5"
Bobby swung his racket with force, sending the powerful tennis ball flying straight out of bounds.
At this point, Sengoku scored two more points, tying the score once again.
Seeing that the referee had called the ball out of bounds, Bobby once again stormed towards the referee in a fit of rage.
This time, Coach Baker didn't sit on the Coach; he ran over and hugged Bobby, who was rushing towards the referee.
"Calm down, Bobby. Do you want to do what you did back then again?"
Upon hearing Coach Baker's words, Bobby immediately calmed down.
Looking back, it was because he lost control of his emotions during the match and hit his opponent that the entire team was suspended.
Remembering her teammates' scolding, Bobby immediately realized what had happened.
"Sengoku Kiyosumi's advantage."
"A draw."
"Sengoku Kiyosumi's advantage."
"A draw."
Once she realized what was Bobby, Poppy once again engaged in a protracted battle with Sengoku, with the score constantly shifting between being tied and leading.
The spectators outside the stadium were sweating profusely from the scorching sun, while the two players on the field had to keep running.
"Bobby Marx scores, score 6-5"
After several rounds, Sengoku made a mistake on his return, losing the crucial game.
"Damn it, what a troublesome guy."
Seeing Sengoku practically slumped in his chair on the other side, Bobby didn't even eat a banana before going onto the field.
It's clear that Bobby isn't planning to drag this out any longer with Sengoku; she's going to end the match in this round.
At the start of the twelfth game, Bobby served, and Bobby ran towards the net after serving.
Having secured the net position, Bobby launched a relentless attack.
Facing Bobby's attack, Sengoku was like a wall, constantly blocking the incoming tennis balls.
But even the strongest wall can collapse eventually.
Having reached his physical limit, Sengoku's legs buckled as he ran, and he returned a Lob Shot.
Seeing the opportunity, Bobby jumped without hesitation and smashed the ball.
Having exhausted his strength to catch the ball again, Sengoku could only watch it fly past him, the sound of the tennis ball bouncing off the ground fading away.
The referee didn't award the victory to Bobby. Looking up, Sengoku saw that Bobby's racket had actually touched the net after the smash.
"I told you Lady Luck was on my side today."
Because of Bobby's crucial mistake, Sengoku had a short break.
Having already used most of her Bobby on the crucial play, Poppy was no longer able to suppress Sengoku, and another prolonged battle ensued between the two.
Both players gritted their teeth and returned the ball, their physical strength already at its limit.
But in order to win the competition, they are all pushing their limits.
Bang...
"Sengoku Kiyosumi scores, score 6-6"
I don't know how many times the tennis ball flew back and forth, but Bobby's stamina was completely insufficient to support him in returning Sengoku's ball.
The score was tied again, Sengoku successfully forced the match into a tiebreaker.
"Well, Sengoku's stamina is a notch above his opponent's."
"In this way, not only will the score be tied, but the opponent will also have to give up the game due to exhaustion."
"That means we won this game!"
The Seigaku saw that Sengoku had successfully worn down Bobby, and they all saw hope for victory.
At this moment, Horio, sitting on the Coach's bench, saw the tennis ball finally stop and shook his head.
"It's over, there's no more fighting."
As soon as Horio finished speaking, Sengoku on the court lost his grip on his racket and it fell to the ground.
Sengoku himself, exhausted, collapsed to the ground like Bobby on the other side.
The spectators outside the stadium were completely taken aback by the outcome when they saw the two players fall to the ground.