The Prince of Tennis Episode 18 Recap

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> The Prince of Tennis Recap

After a strong performance in the city league, the Yuqing Middle School team was in excellent spirits. However, a significant concern loomed over captain Mu Siyang, whose left-hand injury, a chronic condition exacerbated by continuous training, had worsened. Despite this, Mu Siyang tried to reassure Coach Qi Na, claiming his injury was fully healed, even demonstrating his recovery by catching a ball from her.

Unbeknownst to Qi Na, Chi Dayong later received Mu Siyang's re-examination report, confirming the severity of the injury, and confronted Mu Siyang about continuing to train while concealing the truth. Meanwhile, team member Tang Jiale was constantly looking for shortcuts to avoid rigorous training. He was delighted when he thought Yan Zhiming wouldn't appear at the gym, only for Yan Zhiming to materialize and demand extra practice.

Jiale attempted to postpone, but Yan Zhiming threatened him with "Yan juice," forcing him to comply. Jiale even tried calling Chi Dayong for help, but Yan Zhiming answered the phone. Left with no choice, Jiale resorted to filming Zhang Baiyang's diligent training, specifically his feet, hoping to feign effort. However, Yan Zhiming, observing everything from the monitoring room, thwarted Jiale's attempts to slack off.

Jiale also wanted to learn Zhang Baiyang's "Snake Shot" technique and was meticulously recording Baiyang's every move. In an unexpected turn, Yuan Chi from Hai Guang Middle School accidentally found himself at Yuqing Middle School after falling asleep on the bus. Recognizing an opportunity, he decided to scout their rivals. Outside the tennis court, he encountered Xiao Sha taking photos and rudely accused her of being a paparazzi, leading to an unpleasant argument before she left.

Yuan Chi then boldly walked onto the court. Yan Zhiming and other team members immediately stopped him, questioning his identity. Yuan Chi defiantly declared himself a "spy." Before he could elaborate, Mu Siyang appeared, and Yuan Chi brazenly challenged him to a match. When Mu Siyang did not respond, Yuan Chi mocked his perceived cowardice. Enraged, Huang Jing hit a ball directly at Yuan Chi.

Yuan Chi returned the shot, knocking down A Mu and Huang Jing, who had just finished picking up balls. In the ensuing chaos, He Xinglong slipped on a loose ball and fell onto them, with the ball finally landing squarely on Zhang Baiyang's head. Incensed, Zhang Baiyang rose, ready to retaliate, causing Yuan Chi to flee in a hurry, even forgetting to return the ball until he encountered Lu Xia outside and handed it to him.

Later, during a resistance training session, Mu Siyang's arm flared up with pain again. He instinctively flinched but quickly composed himself, resuming his training when he noticed Qi Na observing him from a distance. However, Qi Na had already realized the extent of his injury. Taking decisive action, she assigned team affairs to Yan Zhiming and announced that Mu Siyang would temporarily leave the team for a detailed hospital examination.

Mu Siyang, concerned about the upcoming provincial competition, worried that his and the coach's departure would negatively impact the team. Qi Na, however, was unfazed and insisted on the check-up. Before leaving, Mu Siyang suggested that Zhuo Zhi and Zhang Baiyang partner up for doubles. Qi Na also specifically instructed Yan Zhiming to closely monitor the training results of Qiao Chen and Tang Jiale, making it a priority for her review upon her return. The team continued their training.

Zhang Baiyang and Zhuo Zhi began their new doubles partnership. Baiyang was incredibly dedicated, practicing from dawn till dusk, even during water breaks, which made Zhuo Zhi wonder if Mu Siyang had paired him with Baiyang for intensive training because of some dissatisfaction. Zhuo Zhi called Mu Siyang to ask, but before Mu Siyang could fully explain (only managing to say Zhuo Zhi wasn't "good enough"), Qi Na called him in for his examination.

Meanwhile, Qiao Chen and Tang Jiale continued to seek ways to slack off, while Chi Dayong trained diligently, hoping his efforts could compensate for Tang Jiale's physical shortcomings. Yan Zhiming, however, believed Chi Dayong's improvement required Tang Jiale's cooperation. Chi Dayong, learning about new training protocols from Yan Zhiming, called Tang Jiale, only to discover him still shirking his duties, prompting Dayong to go find him. Lu Xia noticed that He Xinglong's performance was significantly subpar.

He Xinglong confided in Lu Xia about his internal struggle, feeling torn between helping with his family's roasted goose business and pursuing tennis. He admitted he felt he was no longer suited for tennis, especially after consistently losing whenever he partnered with Zhuo Zhi, believing he was holding Zhuo Zhi back. He Xinglong later returned home to see his exhausted father, feeling a pang of guilt.

At the hospital, the doctor informed Mu Siyang that his injury was not yet critical, but it would worsen if he continued to use his left hand for training, potentially preventing him from even picking up balls in the future. Despite the imminent major competition, Mu Siyang desperately wanted to avoid leaving a regret. Understanding his resolve, the coach suggested he try practicing with his right hand. Qi Na, after much persuasion, also encouraged Mu Siyang to consider abandoning his left-handed play and offered to design a new right-handed training regimen for him.

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