Leo woke up at 4:47 AM, the same time he'd woken before every big match for the past ten years. His knee was stiff. His shoulder was tight. His mind was already on the court.
He sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Kai was in the next bed, still asleep, his arm draped over his face. The hotel room was dark except for the glow of the alarm clock. 4:48.
Leo swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. His knee crunched. He bent it slowly, testing the range of motion. The stiffness was normal. The pain was manageable. The fear was constant.
He walked to the window and looked out at the city. Indianapolis was still dark, the streetlights casting orange pools on the empty sidewalks. Somewhere in this city, their opponent was waking up too. The top seed. The undefeated tea
