The Prince of Tennis Episode 2 Recap
> The Prince of Tennis Recap
Qi Ying found herself growing fond of Lu Xia, secretly practicing tennis. Lu Xia, noticing her, coolly offered a few pointers, though Qi Ying initially struggled to understand his advice, especially regarding her long hair. Later, Lu Xia had a chance encounter with Zhang Baiyang, a senior from the tennis team. Meanwhile, the coach was addressing the school team members.
Qi Ying, with her friend Xiao Peng, excitedly rushed in, announcing their formation of a cheerleading squad to support the team, despite it only being the two of them. Qi Na, an authoritative figure, saw Qi Ying’s true intention was to cheer for Lu Xia but approved the idea, as a cheerleading squad was also trending. Separately, Lu Xia met Xiao Sha, a reporter interested in interviewing the school tennis team.
Qi Ying was astonished by Lu Xia's precision in practice, where every ball landed in the same spot. Lu Xia had little time to talk, as he was heading to school for a ranking match against Zhang Baiyang, a renowned senior. Although Zhang Baiyang, with his towering height, initially seemed to overwhelm Lu Xia, Lu Xia remained composed.
After a few rallies, Zhang Baiyang recognized Lu Xia's formidable strength and resorted to his signature move, the "snake ball," a technique known to severely drain an opponent's stamina. Given Lu Xia's younger age, it was expected he wouldn't last long. However, Lu Xia was unfazed; he managed to hold his own, even winning a game. As the match progressed, both players' stamina began to wane, risking a double loss.
Coach Qi (or Qi Na) watched from outside the court, where she met the reporter Xiao Sha, who intended to report on the young players' stories, particularly Lu Xia's. In a flash of inspiration, Lu Xia unexpectedly employed Zhang Baiyang's own winning technique, the "snake ball," which utterly defeated Zhang Baiyang, shocking everyone present. Despite his victory, Lu Xia didn't seem pleased.
Mu Siyang later remarked that Lu Xia would undoubtedly become a great player, but Lu Xia dismissed the idea, stating he fought so desperately only to get revenge on someone. This mysterious "he" remained unknown to all. Lu Xia's exceptional performance garnered the admiration of Mu Siyang and the approval of Coach Qi. Qi Ying, overjoyed for Lu Xia, eagerly sought him out. On the other hand, other tennis team members grew anxious.
Zhang Baiyang and Qiao Chen, who had both previously lost to Lu Xia, trained relentlessly, fearing another defeat. That evening, Qi Ying found Lu Xia on his way to school and clumsily engaged him in conversation, cautioning him not to let his guard down in the next match. Lu Xia remained aloof. Qi Ying then asked why he chose to play tennis. Lu Xia explained he had a goal: to defeat "him" fair and square.
Zhang Baiyang, upset by his loss, was even annoyed by the street vendor selling tiramisu. Yet, despite his tough exterior, he showed a softer side by taking a piece of cake to feed a stray cat, vowing silently never to lose again. The next day, Lu Xia faced Yan Zhiming, another formidable senior known for his obsessive passion for numbers. Yan Zhiming had meticulously analyzed Lu Xia's past performance and playing style, predicting his moves with uncanny accuracy.
In the first set, Lu Xia indeed struggled and suffered a significant loss. Yan Zhiming continued to utilize his precise algorithms in the second set, anticipating Lu Xia's every shot. Under such pressure, Lu Xia was forced to deploy his pre-trained footwork, specifically the basic shuffle steps, even audibly announcing his intention, which served as a subtle disruption to Yan Zhiming. Lu Xia’s reactions began to catch up to Yan Zhiming’s calculations.
Though Yan Zhiming could still predict the ball's landing point, he could no longer return them effectively, rendering his algorithms useless. Lu Xia also used unexpected moves like a high lob and even switched to serving with his right hand, hitting an external spin serve, which Yan Zhiming simply couldn't handle. Ultimately, Lu Xia won the match.
Following a series of intense matches, Lu Xia secured a spot as a main player on the school tennis team, now poised to compete in the city-level tournament. After school, Mu Siyang personally visited the classroom to deliver the main players' uniforms. Lu Xia had already left, so Xiao Peng took his uniform, promising to hand it to him.
Mu Siyang also took time to console Yan Zhiming, urging him not to be disheartened by his losses but instead to leverage his unique analytical skills to assist the other main players.
