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Summary[]
The chapter picks up where the last one left off, showing a "replay" of France switching hands and scoring with the smash. Apparently they only used the same dominant hands during the matches so far, so Japan had no data on them being ambidextrous.
France breaks to even out the score, then holds their own service game to take a 6-5 lead. Akaya panics in the gallery and in response Tohno hits him on the head.
Shirashi serves next. France still has trouble predicting him, so he manages to hold, taking the set to a tiebreak. Kenya, Gin and Zaizen seem shocked by how composed Shirashi is, wondering if he put his focus on mental strength. Tanegashima says that with all the high schoolers sweating, Shirashi's now the coolest guy on the court. He commends Shirashi for pacing himself so well in that heated back-and-forth.
As the tiebreak is about to start, Tristan notices Timothée's father sitting the audience. There's a short (two page) flashback about Timothée's father. The father is a painter. Since he has to sell his paintings on the street, his wife and daughter left him, however, Timothée chose to stay because he loves his father's paintings. Timothée wants to become a professional to support his father.
Timothée declares that today will be the first exhibition he'll prepare for his father and Tristan concludes that they mustn't lose. The tiebreak starts. Thanks to his increased resolve, Tristan's serve becomes even stronger and Shirashi's return only finds the net.
Camus notices that before they knew it, they'd forgotten all about their posing battle. The editor's note follows up on Camus' comment: "I want neither the spotlight nor the cheers of the audience. I only want victory!"