Page "Kunimitsu Tezuka" Paragraph 2

Parts of Tezuka's history are revealed throughout several flashbacks in the story.

Three years prior, when he was still a relatively unknown tennis player, Tezuka easily defeated the Junior Tennis Tournament's runner-up, Genichiro Sanada, and played evenly against the champion, Seiichi Yukimura.

Upon his entrance into Seishun Academy nearly a year later, Tezuka was already a better tennis player than most of his upperclassmen.

However, when his teammates found out that he is left-handed even though he played against them with his right, they viewed him as arrogant, leading a jealous teammate to injure his left arm.

Despite having made a promise to Shuichiro Oishi that he would lead Seigaku to the Nationals, Tezuka decided to quit the tennis club because he did not want to be on the same team with people who used their racquets to hurt others.

Still, because of his skills, he was recognized by then-captain Yūdai Yamato, who wanted Tezuka to become Seigaku's " pillar of support ," and entrusted him with the dream of going to the Nationals, which convinced Tezuka to stay.