The Prince of Tennis Episode 37 Recap
> The Prince of Tennis Recap
Mu Siyang's departure left the Yu Qing team disheartened, though they hoped for his swift recovery and return. Yan Zhiming diligently gathered intelligence on Hai Guang Middle School, a formidable two-time national champion team, anticipating them as Yu Qing's main rival. Despite the pressure, Yan Zhiming felt a strange sense of anticipation, meticulously researching Hai Guang's players and their equally skilled friend, Liu Lian.
Concerned about the team's low morale without Mu Siyang, Chi Dayong realized their current state was unsustainable. Lu Xia even worried about the team losing to Hai Guang, fearing their captain might attribute the defeat to his absence. To avoid such a scenario, everyone trained hard. Unexpectedly, Ji Jingwu of Star Glory Middle School arrived with his team, mocking Yu Qing's poor condition and challenging them to a rematch.
The Yu Qing players immediately accepted, and though the results were mixed, Star Glory eventually left. Soon after, a few eccentric players from Talent School also appeared, but Zhang Baiyang quickly chased them off. The team found these frequent challenges perplexing until their coach revealed Mu Siyang had orchestrated them all. Starting from then, different school teams would come daily to practice with Yu Qing, helping them maintain peak performance.
Zhang Baiyang and Qiao Chen were deeply moved, realizing that even though Mu Siyang was gone, his heart remained with them. Meanwhile, Mu Siyang called Ji Jingwu, asking about Yu Qing's recent situation. Ji Jingwu sighed, admitting the team wasn't doing well, prompting a sigh from Mu Siyang as well. Yu Qing began a grueling series of continuous matches, exhausting but crucial for the upcoming National Competition. News soon arrived of Yu Feng's crushing defeat to Hai Guang, losing badly.
Yu Qing's next opponent was this formidable Hai Guang team, yet the Yu Qing players remained unafraid. Yu Feng agreed to practice with Yu Qing, arriving late, and their captain Xu Ziping and Xingzi were absent. Yu Feng played seriously but lost again to Yu Qing, though they accepted the defeat gracefully. Still, their recent loss to Hai Guang weighed heavily on their minds. Yan Zhiming quickly adjusted the training plan, specifically tailoring it to counter Hai Guang.
Everyone was curious about what exactly had happened between Yu Feng and Hai Guang to leave the usually unyielding Yu Feng so dejected. Regardless of the challenges ahead, they were determined to face Hai Guang. For now, they focused on finding joy in their struggles, training hard, and adjusting their mindset. That evening, while watching TV during dinner, they saw a report on Hai Guang Middle School.
They learned that Hai Guang's captain also couldn't participate due to illness, which somewhat balanced their spirits. The report also mentioned Hai Guang trained with other schools every weekend. The Yu Qing players expressed interest in observing, believing that 'knowing your enemy' was key to victory. Yan Zhiming agreed. The next day, the players donned sunglasses and set off to scout Hai Guang. However, Tang Jiale and Qiao Chen were called back by the coach for training.
A few hours later, Yan Zhiming returned, and the eager duo immediately questioned him about Hai Guang's strength. Yan Zhiming showed them the information he had gathered. Indeed, Hai Guang's players each possessed unique and formidable skills, and their desire to win was incredibly strong, indicating a fierce resolve for the championship. Mu Siyang's departure had left the Yu Qing team feeling utterly dejected, a state that concerned everyone.
Yan Zhiming, after analyzing all the data, concluded that Yu Qing had a slim chance of winning against Hai Guang, which further diminished the team's confidence and affected their training. Following Mu Siyang's instructions, Ji Jingwu brought his Star Glory team to Yu Qing's court, provoking and challenging everyone to a friendly match. Ji Jingwu's words infuriated Lu Xia and the others, eager to play against Star Glory, and he watched as the court erupted into a vigorous game.
Before a victor could be decided, Ji Jingwu ended the match, stating that Yu Qing was not yet strong enough and they would resume the game once Yu Qing had grown sufficiently powerful. After Ji Jingwu left, Guan Yue arrived to provoke the Yu Qing players, questioning Zhuo Zhi's title as a genius and explaining that their challenges were meant to ignite their fighting spirit for an upcoming friendly match, making it more exciting.
The next day, Zhang Baiyang and the team encountered players from Talent School on the court and angrily drove them out of Yu Qing. Qi Na then explained to all the players that from that day forward, Yu Qing would engage in friendly matches with tennis teams from various middle schools, revealing it was Mu Siyang's arrangement before he went abroad. She urged them not to betray Mu Siyang's good intentions.
During his break, Mu Siyang called Ji Jingwu to inquire about Yu Qing's situation. Ji Jingwu, in turn, constantly asked about Mu Siyang's adjustment abroad and the progress of his injury. As various middle schools came to play friendly matches with Yu Qing, including Ya Juxin and "Sixth Master" who came to cheer them on, the Yu Qing players grew exhausted from the constant battles, yet their desire to win was powerfully ignited.
News arrived that Yu Feng had suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat against Hai Guang. Xu Ziping, Yu Feng's captain, was injured during his match with Yuan Chi and was unable to come to Yu Qing for their friendly match. Qiao Chen, underestimating Hai Guang's strength and thinking little of losing to them, couldn't help but taunt Yu Feng when they arrived, looking dejected after their severe defeat.
After Yu Feng left, Yan Zhiming analyzed the situation for Qiao Chen, explaining that Yu Feng, a dark horse team, had been severely beaten by Hai Guang, which was a significant blow to their pride, hence their despondent state. The other players were very curious about the Hai Guang-Yu Feng match, as they had never seen Hai Guang play and didn't know the extent of Yu Feng's defeat.
Qiao Chen remained unconcerned about Hai Guang's strength, still believing that losing was no big deal. After hearing some of Yan Zhiming's insights, he naively declared that Yu Qing would definitely win, making Qi Na laugh, though she also felt it was fine for Qiao Chen to maintain a winning spirit on the court, as everyone was equal in a match.
Yan Zhiming treated the players to a big meal at He Xinglong's shop and then offered them his "Yan Juice" to cut through the richness. Tang Jiale immediately pulled out Vitamin C, stating he didn't need the "Yan Juice." After dinner, Yan Zhiming suggested scouting Hai Guang to gather information. Qiao Chen and the others agreed and set off in plain clothes, but they were unexpectedly called back by Qi Na just as they reached the entrance.
Yan Zhiming had managed to collect some information, which he shared with Qiao Chen and the others, informing them of the formidable strength of Hai Guang's "Big Three" and every other player, emphasizing that they were not to be underestimated. Meanwhile, Chi Dayong spent a long time at the container, pondering whether to re-form the "Golden Pair." This reflection brought back many memories with Tang Jiale, strengthening his resolve to rebuild their partnership, and he immediately called Tang Jiale.
