The Sphinx
Watches. Then strikes.
The Sphinx says nothing for the entire match. No celebration when she wins a point, no complaint when she loses one. At the end you have no idea whether she enjoyed it, and that is precisely the feeling she meant to leave you with.
How they play
Silent and surgical. She watches far more than she hits, and through the opening games she looks almost uninterested — then, without warning, she starts putting the ball exactly where it hurts. She never telegraphs: the same preparation produces a drop shot, a down-the-line or a lob, and you find out only once the ball has gone.
Strengths
The absence of signals. Opponents have nothing to hold on to: not body language, not emotional reactions, not a recognisable pattern. Against The Sphinx you never know whether she's suffering, and that uncertainty alone is worth several points a match.
The weak side
Her partner. The silence that disorients opponents disorients whoever is playing with her too, and a partner who needs reassurance can feel alone out there. The Sphinx finds it hard to ask for help or call a pattern, and sometimes drops routine points purely because neither of them said "mine".
The ideal partner
Works best with The Catalyst. He's the only one who draws her out without forcing it: one talks for two, the other hits for two, and oddly enough the balance holds.
(says nothing, and that's exactly right)
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