Matchpoint – Tennis Championships from Kalypso Media is the newest tennis video game to release. Tennis games have had an up-and-down history with some of the more memorable ones being unrealistic (like Mario Tennis). However, Matchpoint is about a more realistic version of tennis that is both fun and challenging. Matchpoint also includes a career mode so that you can work your way to becoming the next Roger Federer or Serena Williams.

Below, you will find complete controls for Matchpoint – Tennis Championships across consoles. Gameplay tips will follow, focused on beginners to tennis or tennis games.

Note that the left and right sticks are denoted as L and R, respectively, for PlayStation and Xbox. For Nintendo, the left and right sticks are denoted as LS and RS, though the right stick is not utilized in the default setting for Matchpoint – Tennis Championships.

Below, you will find tips for beginners to tennis and Matchpoint – Tennis Championships. However, with the challenge of the game, the tips should prove useful to veterans of tennis and tennis video games.

The Tutorial is a step-by-step primer on how to play Matchpoint. It will provide you with all of the basics of playing the video game, but any advanced tactics and strategies will be left to you to uncover elsewhere. Still, understanding the basics of the game will help when you embark on your journey in your own career, exhibition matches, or online. You’ll also pop a trophy or achievement for completing the Tutorial.

Remember that in tennis, points are won and awarded with a score of 15, 30, or 40. Conceivably, you can win a game with four points. However, if both players hit 40, you enter deuce and the winner must win two consecutive points to take the game. Six games must be won to win a set, but if both players reach five games apiece, then the “win by two” rule applies. If both reach five sets apiece during the final set, then a tiebreak will occur. Most competitions will be best-of-three sets, but some will be one and others five sets.

There are two different ways to improve your skills in Matchpoint aside from the Tutorial. In Practice mode (pictured), you’ll train against a ball machine that will shoot the ball out to different areas of the court, including lobs and drop shots. While the origin of the balls is the same point, it will help you with your reaction time as the balls shoot out at random intervals.

Training mode is more focused. In Training, you can choose from one of the seven areas shown above. You’ll go through different exercises for each module. This is where you can learn some more advanced tactics to help you, particularly as you embark on your career. The beauty is that you can select whichever area you feel needs the most work – or none if you’re that confident in your skills. The other benefit of these modules is you’ll become familiar with the very same tactics that the CPU and other players will probably employ against you.

When playing tennis in real life or in video games, it’s best to have a variety of different shots and placements on the court to keep your opponent off-balance. If you keep hitting the same type of shot in the same area, you’ll just be in a seemingly endless volley with your opponent until they decide to outsmart you. Go between the flat, top spin, and slice shots, hitting to the opposite side with each swing to cause your opponent to run back-and-forth.

When your opponent nears the net and decides to pressure you, you have two options. First, you can send a lob shot over their head, hopefully with enough power that they’re not able to react in time. Second, you can send a powerful strike aimed toward the back of the court which, with enough power, will zoom past them.

If the opponent is playing back along the baseline, hit the drop shot modifier (R2 + X, Square, or Circle or the equivalent on Switch and Xbox) and do your best to drop it in just beyond the net. If done well, the ball will bounce twice before they reach it, awarding you the point. At times, it’s not just about power.

For the best success in your career, don’t rush and don’t skip events when possible. You’ll see what you have scheduled, sometimes more than one thing, which will force you to choose one. You’ll also see what types of rewards you may win should you emerge victorious in matches. Training doesn’t have rewards, but you’ll improve your meager skills, which start in the 20s. Early, it may be best to skip exhibition matches and focus on training your skills so you can make the most of actual tournaments, where the rewards should be better.

With that said, even if you win some matches and tournaments early on, don’t push your luck by entering tournaments with players ranked much higher than you. Particularly against those in the top 50, you’ll likely find it incredibly difficult to defeat them easily, likely needing every set for a victory, but just as likely to lose in straight sets. Try to enter tournaments you can win, targeting those with about a 30-rank disparity between you and the top (or bottom) of those entered. Once you near the top 100, make sure your attributes are vastly improved before entering these tournaments.

With the complete controls and gameplay tips for Matchpoint – Tennis Championships, you can now turn yourself into a tennis star. Make sure to to train enough that you’re confident in your skills before playing your career or online. Now go serve up some aces!