There was no virtual tennis for years and then AO International Tennis, Tennis World Tour, Full Ace Tennis Simulator and others suddenly came out, until recently even the old master Top Spin 2K25 returned to finally celebrate the return of the big series these days. So I wouldn't blame anyone if the question slowly comes up: Why do you actually need this tiebreak: Official Game of the ATP and WTA?
Well, of course there is the highly official license, thanks to which you stand – or will stand – on the courts of the WTA and ATP tours with more than 100 true professionals. Tiebreak is currently still in Early Access on Steam with a version with limited content and will only be completed with additional players, tournaments, as well as a career and other game variants in the coming months, before it will also be available on PS5, PS4 and Xbox One before the end of the year , Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch should be released.
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And in case you're wondering: The four Grand Slams are their own thing and are not legally part of the WTA and ATP championships. But license isn't everything anyway and it's all the better that Tiebreak also follows a different playful idea than the current Top Spin. In contrast to its larger-than-life color, it remains visually more down-to-earth and sticks more to a real tennis broadcast than its big competitor, even during matches.
For example, you take part in the coin toss and when you win you decide whether you want to serve first or accept the ball. The professionals are much more cautious about winning points and you can decide for yourself after each rally whether they should do that at all or be annoyed about it.
Apart from that, I really like that the referees sometimes ask for silence and that the players sit on the bench for a moment during the break or change the racket while music is played during the break. Sometimes you can also see them asking the ball kids for balls. I really like the new Top Spin! In a way, I actually feel a bit more comfortable here.
Although this remark has to be enjoyed with reservations. As stylish as Tiebreak presents tennis, you can still feel the technical limitations with which it is done. At least some of the licensed faces are easy to recognize, but others are difficult to recognize without looking at the overlays. And what doesn't work at all is the incorrect pronunciation of some top athletes by the referees. Or do you know a certain Shivan… or something like that, current world number one?
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Maybe Big Ant Studios will change something about that. And that's right: This is the studio that also produced AO Tennis and the second Tennis World Tour – all titles that I couldn't warm up to at all. It was characterized by too many automatisms, an uncomfortable sluggishness and inconvenient controls. So I was more than skeptical when I started this tiebreak.
And be careful: there is hardly anything left of the old weaknesses! On the one hand, this is due to the fact that Big Ant has finally decided not to let the virtual professionals automatically run to the ball – of course only if you decide to set it that way in the options. There is also an element that reminds me of the strong Full Ace Tennis Simulator: If you hold down the left or right shoulder button before hitting, the alter ego prepares to hit with that side.
This is even mandatory in Full Ace, which is as great as it is complex. It's easier here because all you have to do is press the desired button for top spin, slice or straight shot. Pulling the right shoulder button just makes it easier to reach dangerous balls and return them more accurately. In contrast to Top Spin 2K25, there is also a particularly fast manual sprint. So you have more control over the player here.
By the way, timing plays a minor role. The only thing you should know is that the longer you hold down a key, the more powerful the blow. You just shouldn't overdo it, because if you charge the force for too long, you'll thresh the felt far beyond the baseline or side line.
In addition, the longer you aim in the corresponding direction using the analog stick, the further the ball flies into a corner. You can't exaggerate this – on the contrary, it is often very important to aim as far as possible towards the opposing side, as balls played too short are very likely to end up in the net. And this also includes those that you have to hit mid-run.
I haven't seen the importance of depth being transferred to the controls in this way from other simulations, and I really like it. Because of course it is difficult to push a ball to the opposite baseline if you reach it late.
But even tiebreaks are far from perfect tennis. The AI hits too many balls longline instead of cross and many rallies follow too much of the same pattern. All of this is not extremely far from reality, especially since you can work out winners here, among other things, through clever shot selection. When it comes to tactical depth, Top Spin 2K25 is clearly ahead.
Which is why, at the end of the day, I don't see a winner between the two competitors. I like the matter-of-fact way in which Tiebreak reminds me of tennis on TV. And the rallies also feel good for the most part. They just lack an idea of tactical variety, while the presentation lacks the recognition value of many professionals.
And by the way, it is not yet clear what exactly the career will look like. Publisher Nacon recently announced that in the Novak Djokovic Slam Challenge you can replay highlights from the Joker's career, which he probably even chose himself. Last but not least, it is known that there will also be an online championship and ranking list here.
That's why I'll keep an eye on Tiebreak: Official Game of the ATP and WTA. Because as inconspicuous as it may seem, it could be valuable as a really good alternative to everything that is currently flickering across the monitors when it comes to felt balls.