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Synopsis

Ryouma Echizen is among fifty middle school players invited to a previously high-school-only Japan U-17 tennis training camp that prepares participants for the U-17 World Cup. The arrival of younger players provokes resentment from the high school attendees, but the middle schoolers quickly demonstrate superior play until camp coaches intervene. Camp structure places players into sixteen courts ranked by ability, with daily "shuffle matches" determining movement between courts. Middle schoolers expecting doubles partners are instead matched against one another in tiebreak-style contests where winners continue training and losers are dismissed. The program forces competitors to weigh their commitment to tennis against friendships and team bonds, as rivalries between middle and high school players intensify and the consequences of competition extend beyond mere match results.