One Nil to You (A Prince of Tennis Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Five Months Earlier — June 25, 2012

Romanovros Private Jetplane — Evening

Artur, Misuzu, Yuki and Aki were fast asleep ever since they left the airport at exactly nine o'clock. But Juri was wide awake in her seat, earphones plugged to her laptop in order not to wake her parents and the twins as she was watching a replay of the Optus Nottinghill International's Finals Championship last year in the middle of January:

"It's been exactly half an hour and almost at the end of the championship final, newcomer Juri Romanovros continues to dominate the game, while defending champion Danielle Spencer has not stolen a single game up until now," the sportscaster announced.

Her ponytailed blonde hair now disheveled and beads of sweat dripping from her forehead to the green court, eighteen year-old Danielle was panting while trying to catch her breath and maintain her stance while gripping onto her racket handle tighter.

At the other side of the court, fourteen year-old Juri dribbled the tennis ball three times before throwing it high up into the air, higher than anyone in the arena had seen. The ball had taken over the core of the sun and shining brightly from the rays. Holding out her racket, Juri switched it to its reverse side. Danielle's eyes widened as she saw Juri turning her racket in a counter-clockwise circle.

When the ball descended and Juri finally struck it, the next thing the audience saw were beams of red, orange, blue, green and violet and the ball that was in Juri's right palm.

Jaws dropped open and an awed silence fell in the entire arena. Danielle remained frozen in her position and for a moment the camera focused on her face that was submerged in shock other than sweat.

"Umpire!" Juri called when the official didn't announce the score. "Aren't you going to call that?"

"Well... I..." the umpire was undecided as he was not able to follow the ball.

"Monitor!" one of the officials called to the camera men.

The closest camera man pressed rewind. At slow motion, he saw everything clearly: the ball had been transported by evaporating at one point and assembling at another, until it hit one of the lines and traveled back into Juri's direction and landed on her palm.

"It's in!" the camera man announced.

"Game, set, match, Romanovros, three sets to love, six-love, six-two, six-love!" the umpire announced.

"And there you have it everyone!" the sportscaster's voice boomed along with the cheers of the crowd. "Tennis Phoenix Juri Romanovros is now the champion of the Optus Nottinghill International! And that my friends was her famous Cosmic Teleportation Serve! The perfect technique to achieve victory beautifully! Now earning her fifth championship title in the tennis world, Juri Romanovros remains unstoppable!"

"Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix!" the crowds erupted into loud cheers, as Juri held her trophy high up to the sun and her phoenix pendant gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.

Pressing the stop button, Juri closed her laptop and slouched back onto her seat. Five more hours until they reach Japan and land in the airport, she had thought watching something from the internet would make her fall asleep or at least lift her from the plight she had been enveloped two weeks ago.

***

June 18, 2012

Romanovros Manor — Juri's 15th Birthday Celebration

Morning