✨ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɢᴀᴍᴇ✨ // Coming Out on Top

01 | Lacey // Winner

Sunday, May 22nd, 2025

Bluefin Tennis Club Stadiums
Blue Daisy Avenue
Miami, Florida

✨

"And that concludes this year's Miami Open Juniors Edition!! Give it up for our fourth time champion.... Lacey Watanabe!"

The roars of the crowd's cheering and clapping made adrenaline rush through my body as I savored this moment.

I had won.

The very famous, very well-known Miami Open Juniors Edition which took place every year in Miami in May.

It was incredible. The first three times had been very easy wins, but this one was incredibly close. I was playing a girl named Annika Kaminsiki, who was tough and a very aggressive baseline player. 

The first set had been 7-5, her.

Then I came back with a 6-6, tiebreak at 9-7.

And the third set had been 5-4, forty all.

I had won the next point with a perfect ace- my signature shot, which had earned me the nickname, 'The Ace' (My coach always says, "I'm playing my best card tonight.")- and I had won the advantage point with a deep volley, another one of my well-known moves.

The bright lights made me feel like I was glowing- I was over the moon. I mean, it wasn't that big of a deal, though. I had won it four times in a row- each time, the relief sort of decreased because I kind of expected myself to win.

I mean, I was ranked number one in the category of U16 for almost a full year now- every tournament I was entered in, I was usually first or second. I often played tournaments regionally, and only about twice a month I played in a national tournament with players from around the world- like the Miami Open. 

But this Open? It was a much bigger deal

A much, much, much bigger deal- especially for brooding young tennis players like me and Kaminsiki- who was really good, by the way- famous players were eyeing talent across the world. Those like Monera Eriksson, the number one ranked player, Akigawa Tatsu, and Patricia Pleiner.

Why?

Well, because whomever they see is an incredible person who they think can become an amazing player, they send in an 'offer' for a highly selective program known as Operation Elite.

And what is Operation Elite?

Well, short summary- Operation Elite is a year-round program for young athletes. Every summer, they take a selection of athletic fifteen year old teens, who compete in their programs where they are trained and prepped in the different departments. It didn't even cost money- they just took a small cut of your future prize money, once you become an amazing player.

Their quote, 'Raising the future'. Cheesy, I know.

"Watanabe! Do you mind if we do a quick interview?" My train of thoughts were interrupted by a cameraman and a thirty-something blonde woman. 

I blushed. "Uh, yeah, sure." I wasn't used to doing interviews, because they mostly did big ones at national tournaments- I almost forgot this was getting broadcasted on live television.

"My name is Judith Kleen, and this is my cameraman Jake." she introduced herself. 

"Hi, Mrs. Kleen! I'm Lacey."

She chuckled. "Oh, Lacey, or Ms. Watanabe, we all know who you are! How does it feel winning this tournament for the fourth year in a row?"

"Well, I mean, honestly, it's kind of amazing." I admitted. "They're so many good players out there... and I was kind of worried, too."