The Prince of Tennis Episode 17 Recap
> The Prince of Tennis Recap
Lu Xia faced Yajiu Xin, who arrogantly believed he could easily defeat him. However, Lu Xia showed no regard for Yajiu Xin, immediately hitting the ball towards his face to avenge his teammates, specifically He Xinglong for a water-splashing incident and another grievance referred to as Jiao Huangjing's revenge, aiming to curb Yajiu Xin's arrogance. Yajiu Xin, in turn, began to take the match seriously.
The match between Lu Xia and Yajiu Xin became a stalemate, with both players proving to be formidable opponents. Yajiu Xin's exceptional talent quickly became evident, as he easily blocked Lu Xia's right-handed outer spin serve with a moving volley, drawing awe from spectators. Coach Tian even expressed gratitude to Qiao Na, acknowledging that Lu Xia's appearance had significantly changed Yajiu Xin.
Lu Xia struggled under Yajiu Xin's pressure, especially as Yajiu Xin constantly changed his shot direction, leaving Lu Xia scrambling. Yajiu Xin often taunted Lu Xia after missed shots, but He Xinglong's cheers only seemed to irritate Yajiu Xin. Lu Xia attempted to use his single-foot quick steps to increase his receiving speed, but Yajiu Xin's strong adaptability allowed him to change direction at will, preventing Lu Xia from scoring a point initially.
During one serve, Lu Xia deliberately delayed his response. Once the ball flew over, he hit it back to Yajiu Xin's side and swiftly dashed to the center of the court. Yajiu Xin attempted a smash, but Lu Xia surprisingly returned the ball, catching Yajiu Xin off guard and scoring a point.
Recalling Mu Siyang's words, Lu Xia clarified his goal in playing tennis, which helped him identify obstacles and counter effectively, suddenly allowing him to find a way to deal with Yajiu Xin's ever-changing ball trajectory. Lu Xia's potential began to unleash, with his ball speed increasing, consistently catching Yajiu Xin off guard just when he thought he could return the shot.
Earlier in the match, Yajiu Xin had hit a powerful smash that appeared to knock Lu Xia out, but it was a feigned injury, a risky move that nonetheless gained him a point. During a break, Coach Tian advised Yajiu Xin that tennis wasn't just about constant attack and suggested he try hitting slower balls, but Yajiu Xin, who typically regarded others' opinions as insults, initially dismissed the advice.
As Lu Xia's advantage became more evident, Yajiu Xin, desperate to win, begrudgingly listened to Coach Tian's suggestion, incorporating a mix of fast and slow attacks, which temporarily shifted the advantage back to him. The match entered a crucial phase, testing the players' endurance. Lu Xia drew renewed fighting spirit by remembering those Yajiu Xin had bullied. He remained energized, even creating a new mid-air smash. Yajiu Xin, succumbing to dual physical and psychological pressure, finally collapsed.
In the decisive final game, Lu Xia declared their unfinished business and unleashed a series of unpredictable and overwhelming moves, securing victory in the singles match and avenging He Xinglong and others. Upon his loss, Yajiu Xin immediately left the court, declaring he would never play tennis again, calling it boring. Coach Tian attempted to persuade him otherwise, but Yajiu Xin remained resolute.
He Xinglong, seeing Yajiu Xin's bitter defeat, pursued him, trying to convince him not to give up tennis. However, Yajiu Xin harshly rebuked He Xinglong, criticizing his cooking and tennis skills, asserting He Xinglong had no right to advise him, and nearly threw a punch.
After Yajiu Xin left, Tan Yitai also rushed to persuade him, but Yajiu Xin told Tan Yitai that aiming to be like him would ruin his life, urging him instead to make Lu Xia his goal.
Yajiu Xin's harsh words deeply affected He Xinglong, causing him to consider quitting the team to focus on his family business, feeling he should at least do one thing well, a sentiment echoed by his father who implied He Xinglong should help at the store only if he wasn't playing matches. Yuqing Middle School clinched the city tennis championship.
Other schools qualifying for the provincial competition included City No. 3 Middle School, Yingcai Middle School, Yufeng Middle School, and Xingyao Middle School. The mention of Xingyao Middle School immediately brought up Song Ci, who had defeated Zhuo Yu in just fifteen minutes. In school, Lu Xia's fluent English, a result of his time in America, surprised his teacher during an English conversation class, though his unconventional answers somewhat displeased the teacher.
Meanwhile, due to Yuqing Team's continuous victories, Peng Xiang's cheerleading squad saw a surge in new members. Peng Xiang and Mu Siyang initially faced ridicule when recruiting, but soon, a large number of eager students flocked to sign up, delighting them. The Yuqing Team, under the strict guidance of Yan Zhiming, continued their rigorous training, with no room for complacency. Elsewhere, Zhang Baiyang was seen frequently feeding a stray cat, developing an attachment to it.
Tang Jiale and Chi Dayong were surprised to witness his gentle side and approached him, but Zhang Baiyang immediately reverted to his usual unfriendly demeanor. Soon after, the cat's owner found it, leaving Zhang Baiyang deeply disappointed. Qiao Chen, flipping through a magazine, discovered someone who could eat hamburgers faster than him, which immediately fueled his desire to challenge the record, prompting him to go try a hamburger-eating contest himself.