There are plenty of apps to enjoy the game of tennis on your phone.
Wimbledon, perhaps the most important tennis tournament of them all, gets under way on 27 June. For two weeks, the best in men’s and women’s tennis will slug it out on the lawns of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, UK, to get their hands on the trophies that for many represent the holy grail of the sport. And, of course, as in every aspect of digital life these days, there are apps to enjoy the game on your phone. So if you are looking for a slice—or a top spin forehand—of tennis to be served up on your phone in the coming days, we suggest these apps.
Wimbledon
iOS, Android
Free
IBM has been making the official app for Wimbledon for a while now and, as always, this year too the app delivers the official line in an efficient yet colourful manner. While it does come with official news and player profiles, video and audio clips and the like that you would expect from an “official” app, its highlight is without doubt the ability to get up to speed on different courts even on relatively slow Internet connections. You can also choose players to follow and get updates and notifications about them.
ATP/WTA Live
iOS, Android
Free
This is the app for those who are interested mainly in the numbers on the scoreboard. The ATP/WTA app is dedicated to getting you live score updates from tennis tournaments around the world, be they Grand Slams or minor challenger events. Do not go looking for bells and whistles here—this is an app that focuses on the statistics of the game, and it will give you the scores and match facts and figures with unerring accuracy.
MyATP
iOS, Android
Free
In the era of social networks, it is hardly surprising that the official association of men’s tennis has its own social network, called the “social centre court”. This is a hub of activity, with players and fans interacting—mostly fans, given the busy schedules of the players. You can find out which player and event is trending, check out fan clubs, even look up fashion trends. And yes, you can also post your own comments and pictures and respond to comments.
BBC Sport
iOS, Android
Free
This is not a classic “tennis only” app, encompassing as it does pretty much every sport around the world. But in terms of sheer quality of content and speedy updates, it is hard to see anyone beating the good old Beeb, and it does put in an extra effort for Wimbledon, which is held in its own backyard. The app comes with news and feature stories, profiles and score updates, as well as arguably some of the best sports audio commentary you will hear anywhere in the world. You can even have your own personal sports page dedicated to a particular sport—just create one for tennis if you want to tune out everything else.
Stick Tennis Tour
iOS, Android
Free
The Stick Tennis Tour is the best tennis game for those wanting nothing more than to hit a few balls. The game is quite simple: Swipe in the direction of the shot you want to play and the better you time your shot, the more power you get. Yet it is challenging because it punishes casual and inaccurate swipes. The graphics are basic rather than cutting-edge, and this is a game that is meant for casual gamers.
Virtua Tennis Challenge
iOS, Android
Rs.300
If you are looking for a tennis game with excellent graphics and good gameplay, then Sega’s classic title is the one to play. You can design your own player and send him/her on a tour of the world, taking decisions on issues such as sponsorships, and also get him/her to win on court against some formidable opposition. Gameplay can work through swipes as well as on-screen buttons, and you can even attach a (compatible) gamepad to your device and have a go if you wish. The players and venues look gorgeous, and though the victory celebrations seem a bit odd, this is pretty much the game to play for tennis fanatics.
