Tennis

Tennis is another sport that Rockstar has some expertise at having previously created Rockstar Tennis and all, so it is fair to expect a pretty good mini-game for it and that is what we got!

Game play is straight forward...

A = Base Swing

B = Topspin

X = Backspin

Y = Drop Shot

You use A to serve pressing it once to start the meter and then again to serve at the desired power level.

A single set can run as many as 6 games if you are even but get ahead and it ends early

The game is played in Sets with 6 matches in each set. That is significant for a couple of reasons... Mostly due to their being some Awards in the game that are for Tennis. Those are:

Ace -- Serve Aces in Tennis (x20)

Perfect your angle, spin and power to serve up some aces in Tennis.

Out Of Five -- Win a 5-set Tennis match

Endurance is required for this epic sporting battle. Win a 5 set Tennis match.

Straight Sets -- Win a Tennis match in straight sets

Don't give your opponent a chance to get in the game. Win a tennis match in straight sets.

Stroke Master -- Win Tennis (x25)

Serve and volley or rally from the baseline. Pick your style then win some Tennis matches.

The Dark Side of Tennis

If you have played GTAO for any length of time you have no doubt encountered the younger sort of player whose idea of fun is interfering with your game play, causing you grief, and otherwise seeing to their own urges and needs. Sadly this sort of player also will accept Tennis matches.

What tends to happen is they will play a standard single Set and, if you are winning, they will quit out before the game ends -- by doing this they prevent themselves from getting a loss on their character AND they prevent YOU from getting the RP/XP and money you should have gotten for winning.

This sort of unsportsmanlike behavior is sadly very common in the game - the only option you have in dealing with it is to refuse to play with them (if you remember their names). On the bright side when they quit out like that they get the Bad Player flag and, if they do it enough, they will no longer be able to play on servers with "Good" players - they will only get slotted into servers with other chronic bad players.

While that is not much comfort to you if you put in the energy and effort to win two or three games against them only to have them quit, it is nice to know that Karma applies... Eventually.