"Shishido, your backhand isn't decisive enough. Doubles limits some of your ability, sure, but you need to make full use of your physical advantages to create the best possible openings for your partner."
"Yes!"
Shishido nodded and silently committed Coach Sakaki's criticisms to memory.
"Mukahi! Your excellent jumping ability lets you reach balls that would otherwise be out of reach, but the height and angle of your jumps waste a lot of energy. Stamina is key to keeping your doubles game running smoothly."
Mukahi lowered his head. He knew all too well the drawbacks of constantly running back and forth.
Lately, he'd been working on his stamina to make sure he could last through a high-intensity match and reach a decisive tiebreak.
"All right! You two can head off."
Coach Sakaki pointed toward the stands.
In his eyes, this doubles pair still wasn't good enough.
A truly outstanding doubles pair understood what their partner was thinking. They didn't need signals; they could act instantly on instinct. That was what a proper doubles team should be able to do.
"Minami, Higashikata, you did very well. Hyotei this year is no ordinary team, after all."
Old Man Ban said with a stooped back and a genial smile.
He'd thought Hyotei had only one or two singles players worth mentioning. Now, it seemed the entire team had undergone a complete transformation.
It would be hard to beat Hyotei if they lost in doubles.
"I'll take it from here, Old Man Ban!"
Kitayama Ya, the captain, stepped forward.
"We won't let you down."
Inagaki Daiki stood up as well.
They were Yamabuki Junior High's first doubles pair, and their skill was on a national level.
"So that's Hyotei's Coach Sakaki!"
Ban watched Sakaki Taro get up from the coaches' seat and leave. "He looks