Tezuka encourages the series protagonist, Ryoma Echizen, to develop his own style of tennis, leading the latter to consider him as both a mentor and rival.

Throughout the series, Tezuka continues to struggle with consistent pain in his left arm, which was inflicted on him two years prior to the main storyline by an upperclassman.

Despite having made a promise to Shuichiro Oishi that he would lead Seigaku to the Nationals, Tezuka decided to quit the tennis club because he did not want to be on the same team with people who used their racquets to hurt others.

[14] Despite not being at full strength due to his injury leading to chronic problems,[10] and his sealing of a powerful technique that required the use of his left arm,[15] Tezuka eventually became known as a National-level tennis player.

[16] He would often make the entire team run laps when they break the rules and one of his trademark phrases is ("Yudan sezu ni ikō").

[22] In the manga series, Tezuka smiles for the first time after his team becomes the National champions, though he instantly reverts when Fuji points out the fact.

[23] In the anime series, he also smiles when Oishi's uncle tells him his elbow was fully healed, and when he sees Momoshiro's potential during a match.

His seriousness is compounded by having picked up some character traits from his similarly stern grandfather; ironically, Tezuka looks older than his actual age and is often mistaken as his teammates' teacher.

[24] In the anime, his unyielding attitude even prevents him from showing any reaction when he accidentally drinks Sadaharu Inui's vegetable juice, resulting in others believing he is immune to the dreaded concoction.

Pinnacle of Hard Work), into his left arm, preventing the loss of stamina, and giving him the ability to return balls with twice the strength, or spin, that they were hit with.

[16][35] Despite being known as Seigaku's "strongest man",[30] he initially remains on the sidelines during tournaments as another teammate sometimes plays his position or their opponent is defeated too early.

[31][41] Before his match against Rikkai Junior High's Genichiro Sanada, Tezuka tells Oishi that this will be his last tournament in Japan since he plans to go to Germany in order to become a professional tennis player.

[9][44] Though he lost, Ryoma's win against Rikkai's captain results in Tezuka finally achieving his goal of turning Seigaku into the National champions.

[23] Several months later, Tezuka becomes one of fifty middle school students invited to an elite training camp for the Japanese Under-17 tennis team.

After defeating Seigaku's former captain, Yūdai Yamato, in a ranking match, during which he's shown to have completely mastered Muga no Kyochi, he realizes that he has achieved everything he has set out to do and resolves to leave for Germany.

[45] In addition, there are original events included in the anime, like Tezuka attending the Junior Senbatsu tennis training camp as a coach,[46] and him winning an Interschool Ranking match against Fuji.

[53] In The Prince of Tennis live action film, the story follows the events that lead to Seigaku playing against Hyotei, and Tezuka is portrayed by Yuu Shirota.

During another one of Konomi's manga segments, in which fans were to send postcards in order to have their name listed as one of Tezuka's classmates, the replies were so overwhelming that the results had to be postponed for another volume.

[61] However, Chris also comments that since Tezuka takes his duties seriously, he is a good captain and is able to motivate the main character, Ryoma, in the right direction.