The sisters practice with the Yamanashi Gakuin University Womens National Championship team. The YGU Womens team was the recent National Athletics Champions and the All-Japan Collegiate Championships Finalists just two months earlier. They are coached by Isao Miyoshi, older brother to their hitting partner, Ryo Miyoshi, who arranged for them to join a regular practice session of the Championship squad, which is one of the top Universities that they have been considering to play for in the future.

The sisters played under threat of disciplinary action for their pre-game/post-game 'Tebowing'What is Tebowing?
(vb) to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different. (see Kofu JHS Sectionals below). They responded by adding the 'Sign of the Cross' and 'Pointing to the Heavens' à la Robert Griffin III of the NFL Washington Redskins to emphasize it as a prayer. With a lot of attention placed on them, they faced different tactics from each school to counter their 'I Formation', but they remained poised and dignified throughout their title run.

NOTE: The Shinjin Tournament is restricted to underclassmen and many are beginners with less than a year in tennis. Angelyna Tatsuko did not play last year due of the level of the players, however, the Yamanashi Tennis Association denied her from representing the state (prefecture) in a Kanto regional camp because she skipped junior high school events (even though she qualified as the #2 ranked 14U player). In other words, this is an unofficial mandatory event in this state (prefecture) for association sponsorship considerations.

The sisters play exclusively in the 'I Formation' and refused doubles faults, allowing their opponents' to re-serve as a friendly gesture to beginners. They dominate the event, where they beat the next doubles #1 pair from their own team in the Finals. Ironically, after winning the tournament, a tournament official said that someone had claimed their pre-game/end-game posturing (Tebowing)What is Tebowing?
(vb) to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different. appeared unsportsmanlike to their opponents. When Angelyna Tatsuko stated that it was only a brief prayer, they were told not to do it under an implied threat of disciplinary action. However, they knew it was not a rule violation and offered to explain to anyone that complained that it was only a prayer. The teacher was angered by their lack of obedience, but while distressed that there may be future repercussions, they remained resolute in their public commitment to their faith.

NOTE: The Shinjin Tournament is restricted to underclassmen and many are beginners with less than a year in tennis. Angelyna Tatsuko did not play last year due of the level of the players, however, the Yamanashi Tennis Association denied her from representing the state (prefecture) in a Kanto regional camp because she skipped junior high school events (even though she qualified as the #2 ranked 14U player). In other words, this is an unofficial mandatory event in this state (prefecture) for association sponsorship considerations.

As the 2013 Championship team advanced each round by a 3-2 score, rumors started that the team was vulnerable because the 'unbeatable' Jonan girls (senior) were not playing now. Angelyna Tatsuko responds with a 'golden set' and the sisters lose very few points overall to sweep all their singles opponents. The team loses only one match the entire event (the round that Christyna Seiko, the lone freshman, was asked not to play), repeating in an even more dominant performance as 2014 Champions. The Jonan JHS Boys Team had their best finish in seven years and also advance to the Kanto Regional Team Championships.

NOTE: The Shinjin Tournament is restricted to underclassmen and many are beginners with less than a year in tennis. Angelyna Tatsuko did not play last year due of the level of the players, however, the Yamanashi Tennis Association denied her from representing the state (prefecture) in a Kanto regional camp because she skipped junior high school events (even though she qualified as the #2 ranked 14U player). In other words, this is an unofficial mandatory event in this state (prefecture) for association sponsorship considerations.

Angelyna Tatsuko out-rallies the #3 seed for a 5-1 lead and was poised to serve out the match until her back pain returns (from her previously broken back). In the eighth game (2:15 mark of video) she begins losing feeling in her left arm (nerve damage) and struggles to close out the match. Unable to hit her two-handed backhand without pain, she switches to her slice backhand and the change of pace throws off her older opponent enough to secure a stunning 6-4 upset in the Quarterfinals. She credits practicing with her new hitting partners, Ryo Miyoshi, Hiroaki Ishihara, Hideki Oka, and Akihito Miyashita, in helping her handle groundstrokes against a bigger and stronger opponent. Although she suffers another physical setback, she felt capable of reaching the Finals.

Christyna Seiko opens against the #2 seed, who replaced her in the top 8 (12U) and went on to the nationals during this injury filled season. In the 102° F (39° C) heat with high winds, both girls struggle early, and missed chances result in dropping a first set tie-break. However, once finding her return, Christyna Seiko runs off 7 of the next 8 games before a 34-minute scoring dispute allows her opponent recover. She drops 3 of the next 4 in anger, before she rediscovers her composure to sweep the last 4 games to complete a comeback victory, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 in the 3.5 hour match. A sweep through the 2nd round is followed by another marathon, where she trailed 1-3 in the third before a 46-shot match point completes a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 comeback over the #7 seed in over 2 hours. Immediately after her singles QF, she plays her doubles SF and Finals back-to-back. A first-time pairing with another two-handed friend finds great results, as they take the opening set and appear in control. However, they make an unwarranted tactical change in the second set, and the #1 seeds (including the singles #1 seed and winner) are let back into the match. Ultimately, they fall 6-2, 1-6, 4-10 in a Final they could have won. The disappointment extends to her singles SF, where she never finds her form in gusty conditions.

NOTE: Christyna Seiko was commuting by car 8-hours a day, playing 3-set singles matches up to 3.5 hours, followed by doubles after only 30-minutes for lunch, in temperatures up to 102° F (39° C), AND still reaching the singles SF and doubles Finals playing UP in the 14U division of a major open event. All this without doing any running in practice for the last 18 months due to issues with her legs! Aside from her toughness, the alternative training methods, restrictive diet, and breathing techniques she's learned have proven to be extremely effective.

With the top 5 Kanto ranked junior high school team players at one school, Jonan JHS steamrolls their way to the State (Prefecture) Team title to advance to the Kanto Regional Championships. As the #1 seed in the individual doubles, the sisters challenge themselves by playing first serves exclusively from the 'I Formation'. They get more dominant at the net as they roll through senior pairs before facing the freshmen #2 seed in the finals, where they play their best match of the tournament. Junior high coaches and local high school scouts are impressed with their 'I Formation' play as they easily take the State (Prefecture) doubles title.

The sisters pass on the singles competition to allow all their school's singles slots to be used by seniors (this tournament does not carry any Kanto ranking points). In the end, the top three places in singles are all teammates. Christyna Seiko successfully uses a new slice serve on only two days of practice, while Angelyna Tatsuko is flattered by her former school, who nicknamed her 'goddess' and ask for her autograph before their semi-final match. She overcomes her nerves as they easily win the title and advance to the Yamanashi State Summer Championships next month.

Continuing to use her old, flat serve as her joint still feels loose from her recent separated shoulder, Christyna Seiko cruises into the semi-finals. However, in the following week with the clay courts flooded, she has the additional challenge of waiting hours to play in the rain while being sick with a fever of 102° F (39° C). She asserts herself quickly and shows glimpses of her old self in the SF, but harder rain and further delays only cause her to lose energy and feel worse waiting in the car as the hours pass to play the final.

Angelyna Tatsuko faces a seeded player in the second round and both struggle on a terrible clay court, but the match is competitive through the first seven games. However, her opponent gets confused on the game count after a 14-minute eighth game, bringing out the tournament referee. During the lengthy debate, a man enters the court behind Angelyna Tatsuko and startles her when he begins screaming about the confusion. When play resumes, (8:34 mark) her opponent is broken and in tears, but rather than serve and attack her, she is completely distracted by the girl's father who is swearing and pacing the far end of the court. Her opponent takes extended time to cry right in front of the roving umpire, who does not give a warning for a time violation. In disgust, the opponent's father slams his bag to the ground and begins shouting as he stalks behind the adjacent shed. Angelyna Tatsuko is so distracted and literally afraid of the father entering the court again that she double faults the game away and blows the match.

A bad draw based more on their young age over their rank causes both sisters to get bounced in the QF by the two girls who ultimately compete in the finals. In the doubles, Christyna Seiko continues to nurse her shoulder by serving underhand, but Angelyna Tatsuko is up to the challenge by dominating the net and unleashing her developing forehand as they live up to their #2 seed and reach the finals. Unfortunately, a loss in the finals keeps them from qualifying in the Kanto Junior High School Regional Championships as only one pair represents Yamanashi in the 32 team draw even though they outrank several others duos in the event. However, the runner-up finish boosts Christyna Seiko as the #1 ranked 12U doubles player in all of Kanto!

NOTE: A processing error omits the Yamanashi New Year tournament results, keeping Christyna Seiko from appearing #1 in the online rankings.

Broken strings derail Angelyna Tatsuko's singles match, but in doubles, she was highly motivated facing a pair of girls who had recently rebuffed her, one as a partner in the Junior 14U Championships a month ago and the other as a schoolmate on her tennis team in the upcoming Junior High School Championships. Ironically, she moves on to the Regional Championships in both doubles events with weaker partners while her opponents do not. Teamed with an equally strong partner, they easily beat the pair that scorned her twice (once in the qualifier and again as 'Lucky Losers'), won a point after recovering from a missed overhead (2:00 mark of video), and made an impressive run to the finals.

Still nursing a separated shoulder and serving underhand, Christyna Seiko only plays doubles as practice. However, teaming with her partner in South Korea from two years ago rekindles their success and they finish as runner-ups.

Christyna Seiko suffers a type III separated shoulder ten days earlier and was actually advised by her doctor not to play. She also enters with no physical practice since this injury, and just a few weeks of practice since her ruptured hip flexor back in November. She faces a familiar opponent who she had always beaten before, but where her own skills have regressed due to her cascading injuries over the last 17 months, her opponent has become one of the best players in Kanto 12U. Her opponent comes out on fire, but as she began to miss more first serves, Christyna Seiko rediscovered her return and began to look like her former self. However, relying on her old flat serve, she had no power or control over placement and settled for splitting the first two sets 5-7, 7-5. As fatigue set in the third set, her hip flexor tightened and an attempt to change directions caused her to tear scar tissue (7:30 mark of video). The pain and reduced mobility was too great of a handicap and she could not close out the contest.

Christyna Seiko suffers a type III separated shoulder just two days before the start of the state championships and was actually advised not to play for a minimum of two weeks (and more likely four weeks) because of the extent of her shoulder displacement. Fortunately, in doubles, the top two girls form a dominate pair and even serving underhanded, they win the title losing only one game the entire event.

Christyna Seiko also serves underhand to the last day of the singles event, and playing both the semi-final and final on the same day gives her an even greater disadvantage in the finals where she faced her doubles partner, the best conditioned athlete under 12. Once the final began, the challenges continued to mount against her. Toweling off between points and pacing herself brought the referee to the court with a stopwatch, even though her opponent had never called for the referee during the self-judged match. The referee informed Christyna Seiko that he felt she was taking too much time and would remain to time her between points and games. However, rather than become distracted or quicken her pace and avoid toweling off, she defiantly continued her routine and maintained her concentration, constantly pushing the time limit but never getting an official warning for a time violation (coach time her constantly pushing 20 seconds between points!). Her past experience in confrontations with opponents and referees only angers her and focuses her resolve even more, securing a familiar result of continuing to win the set.

In the second set, she tears scar tissue in her hip flexor (which she completely tore and only just returned from three weeks ago after being out 14 weeks), which causes her extreme pain and limits her speed and mobility. She drops the set 3-6 and the outlook does not look good. Still, rather than retire and avoid risking further injury to hinder her chances in the Regional Championships next week, she refuses to quit.

The third set is a seesaw of shifting momentum. Christyna Seiko becomes more conservative, playing into the hands of her athletic and defensively skilled opponent, with many rallies averaging around 30 shots each. She wins two games to take a 5-4 lead, but physically hits the wall and is unable to close out the epic 3 hours and 18 minute match.

Although injured in the shoulder and hip, this was the most devastating loss that she ever experienced. When the referee appeared in the first set, she looked up to notice that Hiroki Ishii, owner of the Ishii Tennis Academy that both girls belong to, was sitting near her opponent's parents. The feeling was the same that Jim Courier felt when Nick Bollettieri sat in Andre Agassi's box at the 1989 French Open. His subsequent blog post about her opponent's revenge victory as champion without recognizing her own injuries, nor ever making any blog posts of Christyna Seiko ever winning titles before, adds to her crushed feelings. Although she still qualifies for the All-Kanto Junior Regional Championships in singles and doubles, missing the entire winter season and losing the singles final costs her a seed in both regional tournaments, which ultimately hinders her chances of reaching the nationals this year.

Angelyna Tatsuko, the #1 ranked doubles player in the state, hits 35 winners in an exciting 3-set semi-final against the upcoming Junior High School doubles #4 seed. However, she is unable to hit her two-hand backhand because of a sprained left arm, which is too much of a handicap in the doubles final as well as the singles semi-final. Her backhand slice is good enough though to secure third place to qualify for the All-Kanto Junior Regional Championships in singles and doubles.

Playing as a tune-up for the upcoming Yamanashi Junior Championships, Angelyna Tatsuko and Christyna Seiko face off for the title. Although injured and unable to use her left arm, Angelyna Tatsuko relies on an effective backhand slice to advance to the finals. However, Christyna Seiko is familiar with her older sister's low slice, so Angelyna Tatsuko unleashes her developing forehand to take advantage of the mobility issues of the younger sister.

Playing as a tune-up for the upcoming Yamanashi Junior Championships, Christyna Seiko and partner make their first appearance together in a tournament and become the surprise winners at the adult event! Their opening match pits them against the upcoming Junior High School doubles #4 seed, who they have little trouble against before playing tentative against adult opponents. But their confidence rises with each game and they play better as they advance to the stronger opponents, ultimately making an 8-5 comeback victory in the finals.

The worst snowstorm in over 100 years delays the tournament for a month, giving Christyna Seiko more time to heal her severely (Grade 3) ruptured hip flexor, but also extends her time off the court. On only a few days of practice and having not played any singles in 3 1/2 months, she is naturally rusty, but still manages to repeat as Champion and advances to the All-Kanto Regional Championships. Unable to practice outdoors because of the snow, Angelyna Tatsuko finishes third behind two girls who could practice indoors without interruption. As only the top two could advance, she fails to qualify for the Kanto Regionals.

Angelyna Tatsuko gets off to a slow start but is in control before the nerve damage in her neck/shoulder becomes bad enough that it hinders her backhand and service toss, causing many inopportune double faults. She goes on to squander three match points in the second set, forcing a painful third set. Her fortunate opponent, two years her senior, benefits from five net-cord points and 17 double faults as Angelyna Tatsuko is barely able to toss the ball to serve by the end of the three hour match that she drops 6-4, 6-7(7), 4-6.

Christyna Seiko returns to the court after six weeks out with a severely ruptured hip flexor, but the return is premature as she has not recovered yet and is still unable to run. While the duo was able to hide her inabilities with Angelyna Tatsuko able to cover for her through the semi-finals, the top team in the state was able to take advantage and neutralize the older sister.

Christyna Seiko has the confidence to debut a new slice serve on only 10 days of practice, but while losing placement control, she hits no double faults enroute to a 6-2, 4-0 lead before feeling a 'pop' in her hip. She is denied a medical timeout until the changeover, where the tournament director observes her coach giving her treatment and she is unable to lift her leg when reclining. She loses the next three games before closing out the match. Her second round match is against a player she has always easily beaten before, but after struggling, she is denied a medical timeout at a changeover when a new roving umpire feels she is only playing bad and not really injured. Confused as to what to do, she simply retires. Her opponent advances until just losing in the third set of the final, while also finishing the year ranked #2 All-Japan in place of Christyna Seiko.

NOTE: An MRI later reveals that she had suffered a severely (Grade 3) ruptured hip flexor and will be out for three months!