Yuki’s First Tournament
Yuki is playing in her first tennis tournament against a much better opponent.
Yuki had practised for months. Today was her first tennis tournament. As she stepped onto the court, her hands were sweaty and her heart was thumping. Across the net stood Ruby, the club champion.
‘Just play your game,’ said her coach, Tara the turtle. ‘Enjoy it.’ Yuki nodded. She bounced the ball three times, tossed it high, and served. THWACK! It flew over the net.
Ruby was fast and strong. Point after point went to Ruby. Yuki lost the first set, 7-5. She wanted to cry. But in the second set, she took a deep breath and tried a new plan.
She ran for every ball. She won three points in a row! The crowd cheered. Though Ruby won the match in the end, Yuki had played her best tennis ever.
At the net, Ruby shook her hand. ‘That was a great match,’ said Ruby. ‘You’ll be champion one day.’ Yuki grinned. ‘I’ll see you next year!’
The little lesson
Courage and effort matter more than the score.
Let’s talk about it
- How did Yuki feel before the match?
- What did Ruby do at the end?
Finish stories to collect Yuki as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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