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It's amazing, just as interest in summer sports A reaches its annual nadir, tennis sims are served at a perplexing rate. Does Pro Tennis Simulator follow in the sneakers of British tennis greats like Buster Motram? (Or is it good?) The most instantly stunning feature is the 100-word synopsis explaining clearly the rules of tennis. This 'ace service' is followed by excellent graphics. The players are short and tubby but don't let that fool you - they can move around the court at great speed.

Control is easy on either joystick or keys, with a snappy response to even the quickest stab of the fire button to make your players hit the ball.

It's when serving that Pro Tennis falters, due to the subtlety of technique needed. Unless you're an experienced player you'll never win a service game, and you can't become and experienced player until...

Rallies, once they get going, are fun and furious in pace. Two-player games becoming especially intense as both guys scuttle around trying to reach the ball.

As a budget game, Pro Tennis is fun and frustrating. As a tennis sim, it's sadly lacking in the depth of features needed to make it an accurate and playable game. In the great tie break that is life, Pro Tennis appears to be facing match point.

Nice little game, not quite up to Wimbledon standards, though.

Learn to serve.

Green tennis looks fine.

Graphics 69%
P. Good player sprites.
P. Ball travel is deceiving.

Sonics 55%
P. Nothing special, nothing bad.

Grab Factor 33%
P. Rallies are fun.
N. Serving's a nightmare.

Staying Power 64%
P. Exciting in two-player.
N. Gets dull for one.

Overall 61%
Competent, but shallow sports sim.