Diantha is definitely the jobber here
Sorry I don’t want Alain facing Steven here or Ash
I'm not against ash vs alain...but I feel it shouldn't be during the masters 8, since all people care about is Greninja vs Charizard, and I feel all of the pokemon in each battle should matter, reserves or not, to draw the battle in and make it more engaging, but I don't get or see that feeling with Ash vs Alain at least during this, or Iris since he's already defeated her.
I'm hoping that to make everyone happy, Alain ask's about Greninja, Ash brings up what's going on, and he and Diantha(i swear if she doesn't find out about the vines, or declines to go deal with them she is the laziest champion ever) offer to go check the vine problem out after the tournament and we get the 1 v 1 then.
Cause as long as Greninja "avenges" it's loss then to me it doesn't matter where or when it does, if that truly needs to happen.
Also, I know people don't want Ash to fight Lance or Steven because of his lack of contact with them, but it's because he's never battled them that I want to see him face one of them, because facing the unknown is a more exciting prospect, same with Cynthia, even Diantha since he's only fought her Gardevoir, and Leon only his Charizard.