Does Sakuragi really hate Rukawa?
In the first place we think he only envies him. Rukawa is actually the person who he wants to become: great ace player, adored by loads of females and the person Haruko is in love with. Rukawa has done nothing that offended Sakuragi that much. And since they are both freshmen and because Mr. Tensai doesn’t want to lose to anyone, he sees Rukawa as his biggest rival. I think Sakuragi knows that Rukawa is a good guy, just very cool, a bit arrogant, careless and totally popular with the girls. He also knows that Rukawa is a very good player, whom he can learn a lot from, but he just won’t ever admit that…
