Tennis, anyone?

[bananas_an]

Prefecturals are over. We placed third, which means we move on to Kantou. Quite an improvement over the team from last year. Better yet, I took all my games! Every single one! Bad news is Ayasegawa-senpai wants to put me into Singles 1. No way. Singles 1 hardly ever gets a chance to play.

So, do I be a team player and warm the bench for almost every

Comments

[hex_you_up]

Hurrah, congratulations love! Next time you need to remind me when you have games so I can come watch.

[bananas_an]

You'll want to come to Kantou. Akaya will be playing, too. That's not until the third week of July. But you can come watch me at the JTA Tournament! I get to play people from all over and all ages. It's really cool.

Plus I'm trying to convince either Akira or Akaya to play mixed doubles with me at the JTA. I'm not sure who'll yell most. ^_~

[hex_you_up]

Ooh, definitely, then!

That ought to be interesting. Do either of them seem interested?

[bananas_an]

His team's really good, mine not so much (though better than last year).

I haven't talked to Akira about it yet. I mentioned it to Akaya last time I saw him online. He's worried about the JTA interfering with the school tournaments.

It's too bad we don't get to do mixed doubles through the schools.

[hex_you_up]

Eh, you're good enough to make up for it. ^_~

I thought you said it was between school tournaments? Are yours and his in the same ones?

[bananas_an]

Thanks, but everyone needs to be good when you play as a team.

This particular tourney is, but there are lots of them throughout the entire year. The nice thing is you can pick and choose what you enter. You just have to sign up in time and pay the entrance fee.

Fudomine is in the Tokyo Prefecture while Rikkai is in Kanagawa. If you place well enough in your prefectural tournament, then the school plays in the regional (Kantou). That's the first time in an official tournament that a Tokyo school will play against a Kanagawa school.

[hex_you_up]

Oh, believe me, I know.

Ohhh. So then it shouldn't make much of a difference when the school tournaments are, right?

[bananas_an]

That's right! You do! Tennis as a team sport's a little weird. Only schools do that.

Well, that's what I say, but he's still worried. Probably afraid he might get beat by some 40-year-old fat guy (except you don't see fat tennis players). ^_^

[hex_you_up]

I must admit I don't entirely understand how it's a team sport.

HA. Well, he's always been rather silly.

[bananas_an]

It's pretty strange when you think about it. Basically you have five slots: Doubles 1 and 2, and three singles slots. For your team to win, you have to take three out of the five.

Seriously, he's really focused on his team and I know he wants to make Yukimura-san happy.

[hex_you_up]

So then why wouldn't you get to play?

He does try very hard.

[bananas_an]

Oh! Because generally you don't finish out your games once one team has one three. So that means that the more skilled your position, the less chance you'll play. It's not set in stone, but generally your best player is in Singles 1 and your best doubles team is Doubles 1.

It's why he's good.

[hex_you_up]

So... each of the doubles teams, or each of the singles players, does five games?

[bananas_an]

I probably should call it a match. Terminology is weird.

In normal play (like what you see at Wimbledon) you play so many sets to win your match. Each set is composed of 6 games (but you have to win by two games to take the set). The pros play either best two out of three sets or best three out of five.

Our school play is only one set for each slot. Each slot plays their six games (set). For the team to win, they have to win three out of the five sets played (for example, Doubles 2, Singles 3 and Singles 2).

[hex_you_up]

Ohhh. So if you were Singles 1, and all three of the doubles teams went before you, and they all won, you wouldn't get to play. I get it.

[bananas_an]

Exactly! Nationals makes the teams play all five matches, but even though you're playing, it doesn't feel the same if you know your team has already lost or won. Usually.

Unless you're really competitive, which we all know I'm not. >>