The levels of technology and connectivity which are now available to us mean that tennis fans can keep up to date with match scores, review and improve their shots, find people to play with, or even play electronic versions of the game at any time. To enable us to make the most of these possibilities, a wide range of tennis apps is available for use with smartphone or tablet. Of course, we don’t want to clutter our devices with mediocre apps that we will never bother using, so in this article we will look at which apps are worth downloading.
We will talk about four popular apps which will enable you to follow tennis scores at almost any level of the game, four different types of apps aimed at game improvement and analysis, three which can help you to find partners and courts, and finally three apps which can offer hours of enjoyment playing tennis games.
Currently, the top tennis apps available are:
- To follow tennis scores: ATP, ITF, TNNS, and Resultina
- To improve your tennis game: APEAK, Swingvision, Head Tennis Sensor, and Hudl Technique
- To find partners and courts: TennisPal, Kourts, and TennisGroups
- For tennis games: Tennis Clash, Tennis Open 2021, and Australian Open Game
Best Apps To Follow Tennis Scores
The ATP app is the successor to the extremely popular ATP/WTA app which was withdrawn in early 2021. Incidentally, this means that there is currently (March 2021) no official app covering the main women’s professional circuit.
The ATP app provides live scores, results, and news from the main men’s tour, offering notifications when anything involving your favorite players is taking place. Early reviews are not promising, but there is some hostility to overcome as the previous app was so popular.
The ITF app allows you to check point-by-point progress in all of the matches taking place in the various ITF events around the globe. In addition to live scores, it offers a results service and detailed statistics. In principle, it also provides notifications relating to specific players or events, although some users have experienced difficulty with this function.
The TNNS app claims to have been developed ‘by the fans, for the fans’, and many consider it a worthy successor to the much-missed ATP/WTA app. As well as covering ATP and WTA events, it gives information from ITFs and Challengers. TNNS can give live scores, statistics, schedules of play, etc, and most users seem to like it. The small number of negative reviews suggest that it can be a little slow.
The Resultina app is in direct competition with TNNS, and is also fairly well-liked. Again, it offers ATP and WTA scores and statistics, plus rankings and notifications. It also covers ITF events, both at the senior and junior levels. Users praise the amount of information the app provides, although one or two have had issues when purchasing the paid version.
Best Apps To Improve Your Game
APEAK is a mental skill training app. After completing an initial assessment you will be given a training plan. You are then able to regularly review your progress, and learn how to develop your skills in your weaker areas. Regular reviews can be carried out, particularly after competing. The aim is for it to be ‘like a sport psychologist in your pocket’, and reviews are generally positive.
In contrast, Swingvision looks at your shots and match statistics. It appears to only be compatible with Apple devices, and is perhaps best used in conjunction with an Apple Watch. It offers real-time shot tracking and video analysis, enabling you to track shot type, spin type and speed. Users seem to be largely happy with it, although there have been issues with bugs.
The Head Tennis Sensor requires a physical sensor to be purchased for around $100 and attached to your racket. This produces detailed statistics about the shot types, spins and speed, as well as telling you how close a given shot was to the ‘sweetspot’. Connecting to the associated app lets you analyse the details on any bluetooth-enabled device. You can even use it to develop your technique by practicing specific skills and monitoring the feedback. The device seems to be well-liked, but is more costly than most.
Hudl Technique is a free app which enables you to review and develop your technique using video analysis. It is designed to allow you to view your shot alongside that of a professional or coach in slow motion in order to allow detailed comparison. It can also be used for other sports such as golf. You will need someone to video you, and it has few features, but it does its job well.
Best Apps To Find Partners And Courts
TennisPAL is a fairly simple app which connects you with practice partners or coaches, and can find an available tennis court. You can even submit videos for a coach to analyse. Some users have had difficulty with the functionality, but the developers seem keen to assist.
The Kourts app allows you to locate available courts and coaching groups, book and pay. It is well liked by users, although one or two have had issues with the accuracy of the live database.
TennisGroups (formerly RCTA) is designed to help you to run a tennis community, and allows you to post updates, organise events, etc. It seems to be popular with users.
Best Apps For Tennis Games
Tennis Clash offers a good basic tennis game, and it is free. However, several users have complained about the number of mismatches it sets up, and the methods it employs to encourage in-app purchases.
Tennis Open 2021 is another popular tennis game. Some users have observed that it can be finished within a week, and may not offer enough challenge for the longer term.
The Australian Open Game is the official game of the tournament. It is generally popular with users. You can play against any player from the real event, and either play the whole tournament or a quick match. If you find that you are winning too easily, turning on ‘manual movement’ may provide the challenge you need.
Final Thoughts
There are some great apps out there. Download a well-chosen selection of the apps listed here and you will not go far wrong.