Game: Top Spin 2 Type: FAQ/Strategy Guide (Xbox 360) Version: 0.2 Date: 4/11/06 Author: Gromzzz E-mail: gromzzz@gmail.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | | | Table of Contents | | | -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 1. Introduction 2. About The Author (Gromzzz) 3. Update History 4. Controls 5. Explanation 0f Each Shot 6. Career Mode (Walkthrough) A) Introduction B) Training Sessions (First Year Walkthrough) C) Coaches D) Sponsors E) What Exactly Does Each Attribute Do? 7. Player Rankings 8. Venue Details 9. Playing on Xbox Live 10. How to Easily Beat the Computer (Personal Strategy) 11. How to Easily Win Online/Against Your Friends (Personal Strategy) 12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 13. Achievement List 14. Credits 15. Legal Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 1. Introduction -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Welcome to the Top Spin 2 strategy guide exclusively designed to help everyone master the game of tennis on and off the court. Designed exclusively for the Xbox 360, Top Spin 2 is the latest and most innovative tennis game on the market. With the addition of Xbox Live, Top Spin 2 lets you take your character online to compete against other gamers all over the world. As we all know, everyone wants to be able to master the techniques of the game to succeed online. With online leaderboards and rankings, most gamers want to succeed and show the world that they rank up against the best. After reading this guide, you will be a Top Spin 2 guru. Not only will you know the game inside and out, but you will also learn the advance techniques that I personally use on and offline. If you ever have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at gromzzz@gmail.com. Also, make sure to find me on Xbox Live. My gamertag is Gromzzz. I'm always up for a match or two! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 2. About the Author (Gromzzz) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Now that you are about to read my Top Spin 2 guide, I figured it would be beneficial to know who the author is before reading on. First and foremost, you can call me Gromzzz. My gamertag on Xbox 360 is Gromzzz and I am currently in the midst of playing Top Spin 2 and College Hoops 2K6 online. I wrote strategy guides and reviews for the last seven years. I worked for some major videogame websites and decided to get out of the industry a few years ago. Being a college student at the time (YES, how lucky was I to freelance for major videogame websites as a high school student!) I felt that I lost my gaming touch. I’m a huge sports fanatic, and I felt that the yearly dosage of same name games were a bit boring. After my brother convinced me to get a Xbox 360, I fell back in love with videogames. Xbox Live has brought back all the gaming love I had when I started writing strategy guides back when Dreamcast was the hottest system around. Now that I’m about to graduate college in a year with a Business Administration degree, I believe it’s beneficial for me to get back into writing guides. Expect to see my name on every major sports title that hits Xbox 360. Being experienced in the gaming industry, I know that criticism is my best friend. If I get e-mails over and over again saying my guide is wonderful, my strategy guide writing skills will not improve. Please let me know how you feel about my guide and make sure to e-mail me your true thoughts. Also, as you may know, I’m a poor college student. Feel free to donate to my paypal account at: gromzzz@gmail.com if you found this guide to be useful. Most guides nowadays go for $20.00 at your local videogame store, and I believe my guides are a lot more in-depth. Enjoy reading the guide and again, please let me know how you feel about my work. Thanks! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 3. Update History -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- April 11th 2006 (Version 0.2) – The second update of the guide is up. I added the Achievement and venue lists. Also, I wrote up my personal strategy when playing against the computer and when playing online/against a friend. Though everyone will have different strategies due to the type of player they play with, I believe my character has all the aspects of a winner when playing online. Make sure to give this a read, and hopefully it will help your game out. I’m currently ranked 7th online (2100 points) and I’m moving up quickly. Quick tip, don’t make the same mistake as me and bring your character online the first day you get the game. Not only will it hurt your winning percentage but you will most likely get killed. To top the update off, I added exactly what each attribute does when creating your player. Now you will know what the different between focus, reflex, and stamina are. Enjoy the update! April 3rd 2006 (Version 0.1) – I wanted to get something out on the internet and decided to release Version 0.1 of this strategy guide. As of right now, this strategy guide is around 30% done. I’m always adding new special techniques and learning about the game so make sure to constantly keep checking back. If you have any ideas that will make the guide better, definitely drop me an e-mail at gromzzz@gmail.com. I hope you enjoy the guide! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 4. Controls -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Top Spin 2 offers a very easy control scheme that takes less than no time to get use to. In this section of the guide, I explain exactly what each button does in the game. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Moving Your Player -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To move your player, simply move around the Left Analog Stick. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Aiming Your Shot -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- After starting your backswing, use the L analog stick to aim your shot. Move Up/Down to aim your shot toward the baseline or the net. Move Left/Right to aim shot toward the sidelines. Move diagonally to aim shot towards the corners of the court. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Player Attitude -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Press the right or left bumper to show attitude between points. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Safe Shot (Flat Shot) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To hit a flat shot that will never go out of bounds, simply press A on the controller. The longer you hold A, the more powerful the shot. This is the same for a Volley when you are close to the net. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Topspin Shot -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To hit a topspin shot that has a chance of going out of bounds, simply press B on the controller. When aiming, make sure to not press Left/Right too much or your ball has a greater chance of going out of bounds. When close to the net, pressing B will you do a smash volley. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Slice Shot -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To hit a slice shot that has a chance of going out of bounds, simply press X on the controller. When aiming, make sure to not press Left/Right too much or your ball has a greater chance of going out of bounds. When close to the net, pressing X will do a slice volley. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Lob Shot -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To hit a lob shot that has a chance of going out of bounds, simply press Y on the controller. When aiming, make sure to not press Left/Right too much or your ball has a greater chance of going out of bounds. When cose to the net, pressing Y will do a lob volley -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Risk Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There are four different types of Risk Shots/Serves in Top Spin 2. Each shot takes a lot of skill to perform but will help you when playing avid tennis players. RT + A (Power Risk Shot/Risk Serve) RT + B (Diagonal Shot) RT + X (Drop Shot/Dump Serve) RT + Y (Risk Lob Shot) To perform any of these shots, you must release the shot button when the risk shots gauge is in the flashing yellow area. While serving, releasing at a wrong time will either send your serve out of bounds or into the net. The same may happen while hitting the ball back to your opponent anytime during the match. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Advance Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Advance shots are by far the most important shots in the game. You can learn advanced shots during Career Play. These special shots will help you handle difficult situations and win hopeless rallies. Using advanced shots cost momentum; make sure you have enough on your momentum bar before attempting one! LT + A (Counter Shot) LT + B (Passing Shot) LT + X (Side Slice Shot) LT + Y (Dump Shot) Make sure to look at your momentum meter when performing these shots. With your created player, you will have to wait until later in your career (it took me until the third year) to learn these shots. They are essential for online play. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 5. Explanation of Each Shot -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Now that you have learned how to perform every shot, I will give you a brief description of what each shot does. Look further down if you want my personal strategy of when to use each shot. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Serving -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There are five different types of serves that you can do in this game. Safe Serve (A) – A fast serve with little or no spin on the ball. If you serve using the safe serve, you will never fault. The ball will never go out of bounds which means that the safe shot is a good shot to use on your second serve. Risk Serve (RT + A) – A devastating serve that can ace your opponent. This serve will hit the net or go long if you do not have the perfect timing. Only use on your first attempt, never after you fault. Topspin Serve (B) – A serve with forward spin on the ball that produces a high bounce. This serve can go out of bounds so be careful when using it. Slice Serve (X) – A serve with sidespin on the ball that stays low going over the net and produces a low bounce. This service can go out of bounds so be careful when using it. Dump Serve (RT + X) – An underhand serve that will drop close to the net. This shot usually surprises your opponent because it is rather slow and is very hard to get to. Use only on your first attempt due to the fact that you may hit it out of bounds without the perfect timing. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Basic Shot Types -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There are four basic shot types that you can use in this game. Safe Shot (A) – A shot with little or no spin on the ball. This shot doesn’t have a lot of power or angle, but will not go out of bounds or into the net. Topspin Shot (B) – A shot with forward spin on the ball that produces a high bounce. Slice Shot (X) – A shot with backspin that keeps the ball low. This is an excellent defensive shot. Lob Shot (Y) – A high arcing shot used to pull your opponent off the net or to buy time to get yourself back into position. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Risk Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There are also four risk shots that you can use in the game. Power Risk Shot (RT + A) – A powerful shot with no spin on the ball that can go out if you are off balance. Diagonal Shot (RT + B) – A crosscourt shot used to hit the sidelines and put your opponent on the wrong foot. Drop Shot (RT + X) – A soft, short shot with backspin that drops just over the net. Risk Lob Shot (RT + Y) – A fast lob shot that can catch your opponent at the net off guard. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Volley Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Volley shots are performed the same way as basic shots, but when your player is at the net, the shot buttons serve slightly different purposes. There are four types of volley shots that you can use in the game. Safe Volley (A) – A medium shot that doesn’t have much power or angle, but returns the ball safely. Smashed Volley (B) – A powerful but risky shot with some angle that can easily go out or into the net. Sliced Volley (X) – This shot makes up in angle, precision, and depth what it lacks power. Lob Volley (Y) – A high arcing shot useful when your opponent is also at the net. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Advanced Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Advanced shots are obtained by completing special training sessions during your career. There are four advanced shots you can learn that can help you win otherwise desperate rallies. Counter Shot (LT + A) – A flat shot that uses the incoming ball’s power and turns it against your opponent. Passing Shot (LT + B) – A topspin shot that can pass a volley player both along the line or crosscourt. Side Slice Shot (LT + X) – A viciously spinning shot that will keep your opponent confused. Dump Shot (LT + Y) – A crafty shot with an extreme angle and humiliation factor. To use these shots, you must have momentum. Momentum is an indicator of which player (or doubles team) is dominating a match. Each player starts with zero momentum and can earn up to 100 by playing well and winning points. Playing poorly can cause you to lose momentum as your opponent gains a higher advantage. Using advanced shots will also cost you momentum. Momentum bars are displayed during every match, allowing you to track how well you are playing compared to your opponent. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 6. Career Mode -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This is the career walkthrough which makes up most of this guide. This may seem very in-depth so pace yourself while reading it. Enjoy, and let me know if you need any additional help. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- A) Introduction -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The introduction section of this guide is your basic information you may want to familiarize yourself with before starting your own career. If you have already started your career, skim this section and go directly to the Walkthrough part of this guide which is a bit further down. Career is a single-player game that captures the professional tennis player experience over the course of five seasons. Just as in real life, nothing comes easy. You will have to start at the bottom – ranked 200 – and work your way up. In addition to competing in tournaments to become the highest-ranked player in the world, you will have to manage a demanding schedule of training sessions, special events, and sponsor obligations. You will even develop a special rivalry with one of the players. Welcome to the Pros! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Player Creator -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Kick off your career by creating your own unique player. You Career player can also be used when you choose to play online games. When you enter the Player Creator, a player will be randomly generated for you. You can then modify nearly every aspect of your player to suit your preference. 1. Choose your player’s DNA (this selection will determine the intial look of your player), age, and country. 2. Choose a skin tone. Or, press X to generate a new random player. 3. Change your player’s appearance by adjusting the face, hair and body (Morphology). 4. Choose your tennis style and voice options. 5. Select three natural talents to establish your initial playing ability. You can choose from speed, power, focus, reflexes, precision, stamina, spins, service, forehand, backhand, or volley. 6. Confirm and save your player. After saving your player, you will be able to make cosmetic changes to your player’s appearance in the Sport Shop. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tennis Central -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tennis central is where you manage your career. Everything you need to become the number on ranked player in the world can be found here. As your career progresses and your ranking improves, more options will be made available to you. When you enter Tennis Central, the current time slot from the calendar is displayed. The calendar contains your entire season’s schedule divided into time slots. For each time slot, you can choose to enter a training session, compete in a tournament, or attend a special event (if available). Press RB at any time to display the full season calendar to help you plan which tournaments you want to play. Highlight any option on the calendar to view a description of the event. To play in an event, highlight an option from the current time slot, and the press A to select it. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Message Center -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Message Center is where you receive and view e-mails from your coach, your sponsor, other players, and fans. You will also receive messages from prospective coaches and sponsors, invitations to special events, and notifications when you receive new sponsor gifts. When you receive a new e-mail, an alert appears on Tennis Central. Press X to quickly enter the Message Center. You may also receive voice mail messages. Press A to listen to your voice mail. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- B) Training Sessions – Walkthrough of Season 1 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Once you created your player, you can choose from either Training or the Australian Open Qualifiers. I definitely recommend training due to the fact that your player will be killed in the Grand Slam event if you survive the qualifiers. Build your character up with training missions before you try any opens. At training, you can choose from the following seven exercises. Super Server Baseline Control Zen Discipline Physical Domination Net Aggressor Fortress Demolition Practice Each training exercise does something different to help your player. If you succeed in the training exercise, you will receive bronze stars in the category you choose. The maximum amount of bronze stars you can earn is 60. By attempting training exercises, you will earn Bronze Stars that can be put towards improving abilities specific to the exercise. If you successfully complete a training exercise, you will earn several stars. But even if you fail, the exercise is worth trying because you will earn one star for your effort. As you put your training to the test by entering tournaments and special events, you will be able to transform your Bronze starts into Silver Stars and eventually into Gold stars, giving your player an extra boost in those abilities. Super Server helps with your service, power, and precision. Baseline Control helps with your forehand, backhand, and spins. Zen Discipline helps with your focus, reflexes, and precision. Physical Domination helps with your speed, stamina, and power. Net Aggressor helps with your service, volley, and reflexes. Fortress helps with your stamina, spins, and speed. Demolition Practice helps with your forehand, backhand, and volley. While receiving training help, your coach will teach you how to use basic and risk shot trainings. These trainings are totally free and will help you learn the basics of the game. Also, once you are fully trained (60/60 GOLD STARS), you will be invited by a Pro to learn a special advance shot. These trainings are also free but this happens a lot later in your career. I learned my first advanced shot right before the Australian Open in my 3rd year. Make sure that you build your character up because you must play with him/her online. I made a character that I play with online and I believe he is great. Here are my character specs: Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 10 Stars Reflexes: 5 Stars Focus: 1 Star Service: 2 Stars Forehand: 10 Stars Backhand: 10 Stars Volley: 3 Stars Spin: 1 Star Precision: 5 Stars Power: 8 Stars Remember, at first you only receive bronze stars for your character. Once you start winning special events and competing in tournaments, you will earn silver stars. During that time, you will also earn gold stars. I got my first gold star my second season when I won my first Major (Read Below). Later on in your career, (May 15th – Season 3) you will play your rival for 5 million coins. If you beat him, you will get all of your 60 stars to gold. I earned around 28 gold stars for beating him. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Calendar For Year 1 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Looking ahead in the calendar is essential for year one. You want to be able to do a lot of training sessions to help your character out but you still want to get a little recognition. My suggestion is that you follow the same path I took during my 1st year. Please note, that I don’t take into consideration the special events that may occur during your first year. I recommend always playing in the Special Events unless you feel otherwise. On January 1st, I recommend that you train. There is no point in going into the Australian Open Qualifiers due to the fact that you don’t belong there at this point in your career. Train instead. On January 15th, I recommend that you train again. This is your only option because you can not play in the Australian Open. On February 1st, you have a choice from training or competing in a minor. The minor is the Nippon Regional which has a total purse of 150,000. Minors are by far the easiest events to win, so I recommend trying your luck here. It’s only three rounds and you are playing on a hard surface. On February 15th, you have an option to train, compete in the Rome Open, or compete in the World Tournament Preliminary. Like I said above, the Special Events are always tough to decide on. The Rome Open may look inviting due to the purse size of 390,000 and that it’s a major. Y won’t be able to play in it due to your rank. I recommend training. On March 1st, there is the Pacific Life Open which is a Masters with a purse of $1,300,000. Sadly, you aren’t invited to play, so you have to train. On March 15th, there is the Nasdaq 100 Open which is also a Masters. This purse is $1,300,000 but you aren’t invited to play. Again, you must train. On April 1st, there is the Essex Regional which I recommend you play in. The purse is $150,000 and it’s played outdoors on grass. It’s a minor and you only have to play three rounds. This is a great event to win. On April 15th, there is the Dallas Open which is a Major. Most likely, you won’t be able to play which means that you will have to train instead. Don’t worry though, at this time you still aren’t ready to participate in Majors. On May 1st, there is the Paris Championships Qualifiers. Again, it is very smart to train. On May 15th, you will also train due to the fact that you will not be playing in the Paris International Championships. On June 1st, there is the Mediterranean Regional which is a great Minor to play in. Take home the purse of $150,000 and win this minor in three rounds on hard surface. On June 15th, there is the World Tournament Semifinals, Wimbledon Qualifiers, and of course, training. You won’t be playing in Wimbledon, so train instead. On July 1st, there is Wimbledon. The total purse of this event is $4,048,000 and it is obviously played on grass. You can only dream of playing in this event at this point of your career, so train to get there. On July 15th, there is the Mexican Regional which is a minor. I recommend playing in it to not only gain exposure but take home the purse of $150,000. On August 1st, you’ll be training again due to the fact that the Vienna Masters is going on. On August 15th, it’s back to training. The US Open Qualifiers are going on, but you aren’t ready to play in it. Trust me, train instead! On September 1st, you’ll be training again. You can dream about playing in the US Open, but that won’t happen until season three. On September 15th, you’ll train again due to the Estoril Challenge. Though you may be discouraged from not playing in Majors, it’s a lot smarter to get your training done so you can be undefeated come major time! On October 1st, the World Tournament Finals start. Instead, play in the Illinois Regional which is a minor. The total purse is the usual $150,000 and it’s played outdoors on a hard surface. On October 15th, you’ll train again due to the fact that the Paris Champion’s Series is starting. This event is played on carpet with a total purse of $1,300,000. On November 1st, I recommend playing in your first Major. Wow, how time flies! You should be able to win this major. The total purse is $390,000 and you have to survive three rounds on a hard surface to win this event. No pressure my friend, by this time you should be highly skilled. On November 15th, finish up the year by training. The New Delhi Open is there for your taking, but I recommend relaxing and getting another training event done. The Master Finals also takes place this week, but you are light years away from that event. Once you are done with the year, you will go on to year #2. I am not going to write out exactly what I did during year #2, but I will list the trophies I won each year to show you exactly what events I played in. Take into consideration; I never lost any of these events, so the rest of the time I was training. Minor Pro: Nippon Regional (Season 1) Mediterranean Regional (Season 1) Essex Regional (Season 2) Illinois Regional (Season 2) Major Pro: Tokyo Open (Season 1) Dallas Open (Season 2) Estoril Challenge (Season 2) New Delhi Open (Season 2) Masters Paris Champion’s Series (Season 2) NASDAQ 100 Open (Season 3) Grand Slam: Australian Open (Season 3) Wimbledon Tennis Championships (Season 3) Basically, this means that you should definitely be playing all Major Pros in your second season. I played a few Minors because I was concerned of money, but I realized that money (coin) does not become a factor once you win a few majors. I took a gamble and played in the Paris Champion’s Series (Masters) in Season 2 and won against Roger Federer. It was tough, but I was pretty confident because I had a lot of training under my belt. Once I beat Federer, I was getting a ton of gold stars. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- C) Coaches -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Once you start getting further in your career mode, you might have to hire another coach to get your Max Level in whatever Exercise you are focusing on. On the Coach Page, you can compare coaches and their maximum level of training for each training exercise. Successfully complete training exercises to earn Bronze stars that can be used to improve your abilities. To develop a particular playing style, learn the required abilities by training with the coach that specializes in that style. There are five playing styles to choose from: Volley Player, Baseline Attacker, Baseline Controller, Focus, or Power Player. To perform a training exercise, go to Tennis Central and select Training from the current time slot. Your coach will be one of your greatest assets in advancing your career, offering training and advice to help you win tournaments, and assisting with your sponsor offers. You are assigned a coach at the beginning of your career, but you have the option to change you coach free of charge. To hire a new coach, highlight the coach you want, and then press A. You must wait one season before you can rehire you previous coach. I had to hire Laura Edwards for Baseline Control in my second season. Here is the coach list and what each coach specializes in. Name: Dragon Provic Style: Power Coach Country: Croatia Super Server Max Level: 5 Baseline Control Max Level: 2 Zen Discipline Max Level: 2 Physical Domination Max Level: 5 Net Aggressor Max Level: 3 Fortress Max Level: 4 Demolition Practice Max Level: 3 Name: Max Black Style: Volley Coach Country: USA Super Server Max Level: 4 Baseline Control Max Level: 2 Zen Discipline Max Level: 2 Physical Domination Max Level: 3 Net Aggressor Max Level: 5 Fortress Max Level: 4 Demolition Practice Max Level: 3 Name: Henri Derver Style: Baseline Attacker Coach Country: France Super Server Max Level: 3 Baseline Control Max Level: 4 Zen Discipline Max Level: 3 Physical Domination Max Level: 4 Net Aggressor Max Level: 2 Fortress Max Level: 2 Demolition Practice Max Level: 5 Name: Laura Edwards Style: Baseline Controller Coach Country: Great Britain Super Server Max Level: 4 Baseline Control Max Level: 5 Zen Discipline Max Level: 3 Physical Domination Max Level: 4 Net Aggressor Max Level: 2 Fortress Max Level: 2 Demolition Practice Max Level: 4 Name: Karen Powers Style: Force Coach Country: USA Super Server Max Level: 4 Baseline Control Max Level: 3 Zen Discipline Max Level: 5 Physical Domination Max Level: 2 Net Aggressor Max Level: 2 Fortress Max Level: 5 Demolition Practice Max Level: 3 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- D) Sponsors -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Having a sponsor can earn you special equipment, clothing, and coin you can use to pay for training. All sponsors offers are displayed on the Sponsor Page along with the challenges you need to successfully complete in order to receive reward money. When you first sign on with a sponsor, you enter at the Recruit Level. As you move up in the rankings, gain exposure, and complete sponsor objectives, your sponsor level will increase and your sponsor offers will become more lucrative. The sponsors levels you can achieve are: Recruit, Poster Boy/Girl, Standard Bearer, Image Leader, and Brand Icon. With each level, you will have access to special events that will appear on the calendar in Tennis Central. Your first sponsor will contact you via e-mail after you have played a few matches early in your career. As you become more famous, new sponsors will want to recruit you. To sign with a sponsor, highlight the sponsor you want, and then press A. You can change your sponsor at any time without affecting your sponsor level. After changing sponsors, you must wait one season before you can sign on with a different sponsor. In total, there are eleven sponsors to choose from. I personally went with Nike and have been with them for my first three years and have no urge to switch. Here are the eleven sponsors and what they offer. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Lacoste -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against a Top 10 World Ranking. ($180,000) Reach the Finals in any Masters tournament. ($100,000) Win all Grand Slam events in 2 seasons. ($6,000,000) Win the Wimbledon Tennis Championships 2 times in a row. ($7,000,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Balle de Match -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the RACE 1st place. ($550,000) Reach the finals in any Masters tournament. ($90,000) Win a place on the National Team. ($250,000) Win the US Open 3 times. ($2,600,000) Win the RACE 3 times. ($2,700,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Diadora -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against a Top 10 World Ranking. ($190,000) Reach the semifinals in any Grand Slam. ($55,000) Win all Grand Slam events in 2 seasons. ($7,500,000) Win the Australian Open 2 times in a row. ($7,000,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Wilson -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the World Ranking 1st Place. ($600,000) Win any Masters Tournament. ($190,000) Win all Grand Slam events in 2 seasons. ($7,000,000) Win the Masters-Cup Finals 3 times. ($4,000,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Prince -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the RACE 1st Place. ($500,000) Win any Masters Tournament. ($170,000) Win the RACE 3 times. ($2,700,000) Earn 20,000,000 coin during your career ($2,500,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ellesse -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the RACE 1st Place. ($450,000) Win all Grand Slams in the same year. ($3,700,000) Win the Australian Open 2 times in a row. ($6,500,000) Win the US Open 3 times. ($2,900,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Adidas -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the World Ranking 1st Place. ($600,000) Reach the semifinals in the Masters Finals. ($300,000) Win 45 ranked matches in a row. ($2,200,000) Win the Masters-Cup Finals 3 times. ($2,500,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Top Spin -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the RACE 1st Place. ($400,000) Reach the semifinals in any Grand Slam. ($55,000) Win a place on the National Team. ($190,000) Win the Paris International Championships 2 times in a row. ($2,900,000) Play 3 Paris International Championships’ Finals. ($700,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- K-Swiss -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the RACE 1st Place. ($450,000) Win any Masters Tournament. ($200,000) Play 3 Paris International Championships’ Finals. ($750,000) Win the Masters-Cup Finals 3 times. (3,000,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fila -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against the RACE 1st Place. ($500,000) Reach the Finals in the Paris Champions’ Series. ($1,000,000) Win the US Open 2 times in a row. ($6,500,000) Win the Paris International Championships 3 times. ($3,200,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Nike -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Win a ranked match against any Adidas player. ($35,000) Win a ranked match against any Fila player. ($60,000) Win a ranked match against the World Ranking 1st Place. ($550,000) Reach the finals in any Minor Tournament. ($65,000) Reach the semifinals in any Masters Tournament. ($110,000) Win any Masters Tournament. ($180,000) Win the Australian Open 2 times in a row. ($6,500,000) Win 10 Grand Slams ($3,750,000) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- E) What Exactly Does Each Attribute Do? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There is a lot of confusion on what each attribute does. Here I have listed exactly what I have found by playing with the attributes. If you have any additional comments, please let me know. Thank you. My character breakdown is the following: Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 10 Stars Reflexes: 5 Stars Focus: 1 Star Service: 2 Stars Forehand: 10 Stars Backhand: 10 Stars Volley: 3 Stars Spin: 1 Star Precision: 5 Stars Power: 8 Stars Now the major question is what exactly does this mean? Stamina – Stamina gives you the edge during long rallies and matches that go the distance. Once you lost stamina, you will not be as précised and you will be slower. I find that a 5 star on stamina is enough in this category. I don’t see much tiredness in my character. Speed – Speed is essential in this game. This dictates how fast you run around the court. I recommend a 10 star speed because players who are 10 in speed, are very hard to put away. Reflexes – Reflexes give you a quicker response time when you are at the net. Have you noticed when you hit a smash shot and the guy returns it that you are not able to hit the ball back? This is due to your reflexes. If you are a volley type of player, reflexes are essential. Focus – Focus serves down the risk meter when taking risk shots and serves. The yellow area is a lot bigger when you have a lot of focus. Service – If you have a good service, you will be able to ace people easier online. Serving helps you hit corners easily and gives you more bounce on the ball. Forehand – A 10 in forehand is essential in tennis. This gives you not only precision on your forehand but power. It also helps you hit hard to hit shots on the run. Backhand – A 10 in backhand is essential in tennis. This is exactly like the forehand, expect when the ball is on your opposite side. Volley – If you want to play at the net, you must have a high volley rating. This will give you better corners and also will cut down wide shots when you are close to the net. It will also give you a lot more power in your hits. Spin – Have you played those players online that seem to have a great amount of top spin on the ball? This is exactly what spin does. It makes it easier to dictate where you want the ball to go and pushes your opponent off the court easier. Precision – Want to hit it at that corner? How about right on the baseline? Precision lets you hit the ball anywhere you want. I think this is where I messed up a bit on my character. A 10 in precision is definitely something you may want to look into. Power – This dictates how hard you hit the ball. Very self-explanatory. I recommend a 10 in power because it sometimes seems like you are using risk shots when you are just hitting your basic flat shot. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 7. Player Rankings -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There are 24 players in Top Spin 2 that you can choose from. Here are all the players overall rankings along with their rankings in every specific category. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Federer (All Around) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 75 Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 6 Stars Reflexes: 5 Stars Focus: 7 Stars Service: 6 Stars Forehand: 9 Stars Backhand: 8 Stars Volley: 6 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 10 Stars Spins: 6 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Hewitt (Baseline Attacker) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 67 Stamina: 8 Stars Speed: 8 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 5 Stars Service: 3 Stars Forehand: 6 Stars Backhand: 10 Stars Volley: 3 Stars Power: 6 Stars Precision: 8 Stars Spins: 7 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Roddick (Power Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 71 Stamina: 7 Stars Speed: 4 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 8 Stars Service: 10 Stars Forehand: 8 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 4 Stars Power: 10 Stars Precision: 5 Stars Spins: 5 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Coria (Baseline Controller) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 65 Stamina: 8 Stars Speed: 10 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 7 Stars Service: 3 Stars Forehand: 7 Stars Backhand: 6 Stars Volley: 1 Star Power: 2 Stars Precision: 8 Stars Spins: 10 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Henman (Volley Finesse Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 61 Stamina: 2 Stars Speed: 7 Stars Reflexes: 10 Stars Focus: 4 Stars Service: 7 Stars Forehand: 4 Stars Backhand: 5 Stars Volley: 10 Stars Power: 2 Stars Precision: 6 Stars Spins: 4 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Moya (Baseline Controller) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 62 Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 3 Stars Reflexes: 2 Stars Focus: 6 Stars Service: 7 Stars Forehand: 10 Stars Backhand: 5 Stars Volley: 2 Stars Power: 10 Stars Precision: 6 Stars Spins: 6 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Haas (Baseline Attacker) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 55 Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 4 Stars Reflexes: 5 Stars Focus: 6 Stars Service: 5 Stars Forehand: 7 Stars Backhand: 6 Stars Volley: 2 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 4 Stars Spins: 4 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Mirnyi (Volley Finesse Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 57 Stamina: 2 Stars Speed: 4 Stars Reflexes: 6 Stars Focus: 3 Stars Service: 6 Stars Forehand: 6 Stars Backhand: 4 Stars Volley: 8 Stars Power: 6 Stars Precision: 4 Stars Spins: 8 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Blake (All Around) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 54 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 7 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 4 Stars Service: 5 Stars Forehand: 5 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 5 Stars Power: 5 Stars Precision: 5 Stars Spins: 4 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Evans (All Around) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 45 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 5 Stars Reflexes: 4 Stars Focus: 2 Stars Service: 7 Stars Forehand: 6 Stars Backhand: 2 Stars Volley: 6 Stars Power: 5 Stars Precision: 1 Star Spins: 3 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Kuznetsou (Power Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 46 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 2 Stars Reflexes: 1 Star Focus: 8 Stars Service: 2 Stars Forehand: 3 Stars Backhand: 8 Stars Volley: 1 Star Power: 7 Stars Precision: 5 Stars Spins: 5 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Grosjean (Baseline Attacker) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 59 Stamina: 3 Stars Speed: 5 Stars Reflexes: 2 Stars Focus: 9 Stars Service: 4 Stars Forehand: 9 Stars Backhand: 6 Stars Volley: 4 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 5 Stars Spins: 5 Stars Here are the 12 women in the game. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Davenport (Power Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 69 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 4 Stars Reflexes: 4 Stars Focus: 6 Stars Service: 9 Stars Forehand: 8 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 5 Stars Power: 9 Stars Precision: 8 Stars Spins: 5 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Sharapova (Baseline Attacker) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 72 Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 10 Stars Reflexes: 6 Stars Focus: 7 Stars Service: 5 Stars Forehand: 8 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 5 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 6 Stars Spins: 6 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Mauresmo (All Around) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 68 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 8 Stars Reflexes: 6 Stars Focus: 5 Stars Service: 5 Stars Forehand: 6 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 8 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 6 Stars Spins: 6 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Williams (Power Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 67 Stamina: 5 Stars Speed: 6 Stars Reflexes: 2 Stars Focus: 5 Stars Service: 10 Stars Forehand: 8 Stars Backhand: 8 Stars Volley: 3 Stars Power: 9 Stars Precision: 7 Stars Spins: 4 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Myskina (Baseline Controller) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 61 Stamina: 6 Stars Speed: 8 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 7 Stars Service: 3 Stars Forehand: 7 Stars Backhand: 6 Stars Volley: 1 Star Power: 5 Stars Precision: 9 Stars Spins: 6 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Molik (Power Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 57 Stamina: 3 Stars Speed: 6 Stars Reflexes: 1 Star Focus: 4 Stars Service: 8 Stars Forehand: 10 Stars Backhand: 3 Stars Volley: 5 Stars Power: 8 Stars Precision: 5 Stars Spins: 4 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Kuznetsova (Baseline Attacker) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 58 Stamina: 7 Stars Speed: 4 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 6 Stars Service: 6 Stars Forehand: 5 Stars Backhand: 9 Stars Volley: 1 Star Power: 7 Stars Precision: 6 Stars Spins: 4 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Dementieva (Baseline Controller) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 62 Stamina: 6 Stars Speed: 6 Stars Reflexes: 3 Stars Focus: 10 Stars Service: 3 Stars Forehand: 7 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 2 Stars Power: 4 Stars Precision: 7 Stars Spins: 7 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Sugiyama (Volley Finesse Player) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 56 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 8 Stars Reflexes: 9 Stars Focus: 3 Stars Service: 3 Stars Forehand: 3 Stars Backhand: 6 Stars Volley: 9 Stars Power: 1 Star Precision: 7 Stars Spins: 3 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Haynes (All Around) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 54 Stamina: 6 Stars Speed: 5 Stars Reflexes: 5 Stars Focus: 4 Stars Service: 6 Stars Forehand: 3 Stars Backhand: 7 Stars Volley: 6 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 4 Stars Spins: 1 Star -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Jackson (Baseline Controller) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 45 Stamina: 3 Stars Speed: 5 Stars Reflexes: 7 Stars Focus: 4 Stars Service: 3 Stars Forehand: 3 Stars Backhand: 3 Stars Volley: 6 Stars Power: 2 Stars Precision: 6 Stars Spins: 3 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Morariu (All Around) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Overall: 47 Stamina: 4 Stars Speed: 2 Stars Reflexes: 4 Stars Focus: 3 Stars Service: 2 Stars Forehand: 6 Stars Backhand: 6 Stars Volley: 3 Stars Power: 7 Stars Precision: 2 Stars Spins: 8 Stars -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 8. Venue Details -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- One aspect of every tennis game I enjoy is the list of venues that are in the game. Though many people feel that it doesn’t make a different in video games, I find myself playing a lot better on grass than on clay in Top Spin 2. Here is the complete list of venues in Top Spin 2, with their information. Venue Name: Arthur Ashe Stadium Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 25,500 Location: Flushing Meadows, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Blue/Green Venue Name: Arthur Ashe Stadium (Dusk) Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 25,500 Location: Flushing Meadows, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Blue/Green Venue Name: Court Principal Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 15,059 Location: Paris, France Surface: Clay Court Colors: Orange Venue Name: Court Principal (Dusk) Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 15,059 Location: Paris, France Surface: Clay Court Colors: Orange Venue Name: Wimbledon Centre Court Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 14,000 Location: London, UK Surface: Grass Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Wimbledon Centre Court (Dusk) Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 14,000 Location: London, UK Surface: Grass Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Rod Laver Area Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 15,000 Location: Melbourne Park, Australia Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Rod Laver Area (Dusk) Type: Grand Slam Crowd: 15,000 Location: Melbourne Park, Australia Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green Venue Name: State International de Paris Type: Masters Crowd: 13,000 Location: Paris, France Surface: Indoor Court Colors: Purple Venue Name: Indian Wells Tennis Garden Type: Masters Crowd: 16,100 Location: Indian Wells, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Purple/Green Venue Name: Indian Wells Tennis Garden (Dusk) Type: Masters Crowd: 16,100 Location: Indian Wells, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Purple/Green Venue Name: Miami Tennis Center Type: Masters Crowd: 14,000 Location: Miami, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Miami Tennis Center (Dusk) Type: Masters Crowd: 14,000 Location: Miami, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Osterreich Stadium Type: Masters Crowd: 11,800 Location: Vienna, Austria Surface: Hard Court Colors: Blue/Orange Venue Name: Osterreich Stadium (Dusk) Type: Masters Crowd: 11,800 Location: Vienna, Austria Surface: Hard Court Colors: Blue/Orange Venue Name: Stadio San Alessandro Type: Major Pro Crowd: 7,500 Location: Rome, Italy Surface: Clay Court Colors: Orange Venue Name: Stadio San Alessandro (Dusk) Type: Major Pro Crowd: 7,500 Location: Rome, Italy Surface: Clay Court Colors: Orange Venue Name: Texas Arena Type: Major Pro Crowd: 8,750 Location: Dallas, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green/Teal Venue Name: Texas Arena (Dusk) Type: Major Pro Crowd: 8,750 Location: Dallas, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green/Teal Venue Name: Tokyo Tennis Arena Type: Major Pro Crowd: 9,750 Location: Tokyo, Japan Surface: Hard Court Colors: Purple/Pink Venue Name: Tokyo Tennis Arena (Dusk) Type: Major Pro Crowd: 9,750 Location: Tokyo, Japan Surface: Hard Court Colors: Purple/Pink
Venue Name: Abhijava Stadium Type: Minor Pro Crowd: 4,200 Location: New Delhi, India Surface: Hard Court Colors: Red/Orange Venue Name: Abhijava Stadium (Dusk) Type: Minor Pro Crowd: 4,200 Location: New Delhi, India Surface: Hard Court Colors: Red/Orange Venue Name: Estadio do Sol Type: Minor Pro Crowd: 4,920 Location: Estoril, Portugal Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Estadio do Sol (Dusk) Type: Minor Pro Crowd: 4,920 Location: Estoril, Portugal Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green Venue Name: El Sol Spring Camp Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Baja, Mexico Surface: Hard Court Colors: Blue/Green Venue Name: El Sol Spring Camp (Dusk) Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Baja, Mexico Surface: Hard Court Colors: Blue/Green Venue Name: Mediterranean Leisure Club Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Zakynthos, Greence Surface: Hard Court Colors: Teal/Green Venue Name: Mediterranean Leisure Club (Dusk) Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Zakynthos, Greence Surface: Hard Court Colors: Teal/Green Venue Name: Chicago Public Courts Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Chicago, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green/Red Venue Name: Chicago Public Courts (Dusk) Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Chicago, USA Surface: Hard Court Colors: Green/Red Venue Name: Stavgaard Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Stavgaard, Sweden Surface: Indoor Court Colors: Wood Venue Name: New Hampbridge College Court Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: New Hampbridge, UK Surface: Grass Court Colors: Green Venue Name: New Hampbridge College Court (Dusk) Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: New Hampbridge, UK Surface: Grass Court Colors: Green Venue Name: Kobe Community Tennis Court Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Kobe, Japan Surface: Hard Court Colors: Purple/Pink Venue Name: Kobe Community Tennis Court (Dusk) Type: Playground Crowd: None Location: Kobe, Japan Surface: Hard Court Colors: Purple/Pink -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 9. Playing on Xbox Live -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To play on Xbox Live, you must have an Xbox Live Gold Membership. Having a silver membership will not allow you to play. Once online, there are a few options that are available to you. Please remember to not play Ranked Matches until you have your character built up. If your character hasn’t learned any Advance Shots, do not go online with him. Now that the game has been out for some time, you will get destroyed online. Don’t ruin your rank by playing with a character that has no chance of winning. Player Match A player match on Xbox Live is a quick way to play a match with other players that does not affect your Official worldwide ranking. You can play these matches with any professional player or your own Career player. I recommend doing player match before you start rank matches to see how you stack up against the norm on the internet. You can play doubles during a player match. Ranked Match Playing a Ranked Match on Xbox Live is the only way to have an Official worldwide ranking. You may only use your Career player in these matches, however, the stars and skills you have earned in Career Play are carried over. When you enter Ranked Matches on Xbox Live, your match results are recorded and ranked against other Top Spin 2 Career players in the world. You can not play doubles during a ranked match. Statistics The Statistics page is where you view your stats from playing Top Spin 2 on Xbox Live. Watch your stats and compare them to other Live players from around the world. You can also view the leaderboards for all other players on Xbox Live. All players ranked using an ELO system, so the more you win against high-ranked opponents, the faster you climb. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 10. How To Easily Beat the Computer (Personal Strategy) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I have received many e-mails about having trouble unlocking stars in the time it takes to complete the career. This was quite surprising due to the fact that I had all my stars by the 3rd season. Playing online and playing against the computer is basically like night and day. I have no trouble winning matches 3-0, 3-0 against the computer. Here is my personal strategy on how I win against the computer. Please remember, I’m using my character’s attributes while doing this, so it may be slightly different when you play. First off, playing in the Minors and the Majors should be no problem. I had no problem beating the computer using flat shots against them. To be perfectly honest, I never used the top spin or the slice shot against the computer in any of these events. While you are serving, hit a typical flat serve to the computer. He will return it back to you at a very slow pace and you will be in complete control. Hit a baseline shot towards him which will make him lunge. Then go cross court with another flat shot (pressing down and left/right) on the analog which will put a great angle on the ball. Due to it being a flat shot, it will not go out of bounds. Repeat this drill on every minor and major and you should have no problem winning 3-0, 3-0. On the computer’s serve, he will have no advantage if you hit a baseline return shot. Remember, when playing in these events, it’s obvious that you character is not built up. Using risk shots or any other shots serve no point because beating the computer with flat shots is very effective. In the Masters and the Grand Slams you will face a little competition. Though I think these events are still very easy, you will run into a few characters that will you give some problems. Use the same exact strategy listed above when playing any character that is not Federer, Hewitt, Moya, Morales, or Roddick. Every other player in the game, despite his rank, should be easily beaten by using just the flat shot. On the contrary, you must play these five players using different strategies. When playing Federer, Morales, or Roddick, your game needs to be up to par. Though these players aren’t the best in the game (Hewitt and Moya) are by far the hardest players to win against, these three guys put up good competition. I use the same strategy on all three of these players when I am matched up against them. They are quite similar in playing style, except that Roddick has a huge serve and Federer uses a lot of cross court slice shots. Despite that, all three of these guys can be beaten with the same strategy. Use basically the same strategy listed above when playing in the minors/majors, but mix your shots up with the top spin shot. I never use the slice shot against the computers, though many people say that you can simply slice away until you get your opponent on the run. When my opponent returns my serve, I hit a baseline flat shot by holding A as hard and long as I can. Then I run in a diagonal line to the mid court line on the court. I return the ball with the flat shot. This should get the player on the move. When he hits the ball back to you, simply press (down + left/right) on the analog and hit a top spin shot. Make sure to not hold/press left/right for a long time or your shot will have a greater chance of going out of bounds. Once you get the shot off, your opponent will be in great danger. Simply return his shot (if he even gets it off) and use the flat shot (down + right/left) and you will win the point. Repeat this over and over and you should have no trouble winning. When playing Moya or Hewitt, the games will be a bit longer and harder. If you can get through Moya easily, you really shouldn’t have that big of a problem with Hewitt. Hewitt is a bit better in the game because he likes to volley a little more and he seems to be quicker. Nonetheless, you must use all four of your basic shots in order to beat these guys. It’s not essential to use any risk shots, and to be perfectly honest, I would not recommend it against these guys because there is no point for giving points away. Use the same strategy when you are on offense against these players. When you feel like you are running around and that they have the momentum, make sure to slow down the game using the slice shot and the lob shot. The lob shot is the most effective shot in the game if you know when and how to use it. Just pressing “Y” will do very little help because your opponent will have a nice clean hit on the ball. You need to position the lob using the analog button. What I like to do a lot is to go cross court on my opponent with the lob. I usually try to hit the lob right on the end line which causes my opponent to be on the defense. Once he is on the defense, simply use the offensive scheme I have listed above. Note that Hewitt likes to play on the net a lot. You must use far court lobs to beat him, or he will smash your high short lobs. Remember that, it’s essential if you are lobbing against him in your match. I hope this helps, it’s really hard for me to write a strategy without really seeing any of you play. This works for me and while writing this I tried to re-create situations that happen to me. Regardless, everyone has their own playing style, so if you need any additional help, feel free to e-mail me at gromzzz@gmail.com. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 11. How To Easily Win Online/Against Your Friends (Personal Strategy) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Now that you have mastered beating the computer, it’s time to take your character online and up the leaderboard. As of right now, I am currently ranked #7 in the game. Though I don’t considered myself to be anywhere close to the “best” in the game, I do have a few tips that I use that help me out. I’m always looking for a good match, so hopefully once you are done reading this, you will challenge me in a match. After thinking how I should write this part of the guide, I came to the conclusion that a list of tips would be the best way due to the fact that you run into all different sorts of characters when playing online. I hope these tips improve your game, and if you need any additional help, feel free to e-mail me or message me online. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #1 – Using The Four Shots Well -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Make sure to use all four shots efficiently. The flat shot is by far the shot I use the most online. Many people that I talk to while playing say that is quite weird because I can angle it quite well. A lot of time, people think that I am using the risk shot while I’m just hitting my typical forehand. Remember, my guy is maxed out 10/10/10/10 on forehand/backhand/power/speed. The flat shot is most effective when pressing (down + left/right). Using that formation on the analog stick puts out some pretty wicked shots even if you don’t have that high of precision. The Top Spin shot is useful on cross court shots. If you can master the short top spin shot, you will be very hard to beat. If your opponent does muster enough energy to hit the short top spin shot, another top spin shot to the other side will do the trick. The slice shot is essential to use against big servers. Not only does it slow down the pace of the game, it lets you get back to the middle of the court. I rarely use it anytime else while playing, mostly due to the fact that I believe it hurts me more because of the way I have created my character. The lob is very effective and should be used at least five times during a match. Every time you feel that you are going to lose the point, throw up a lob. Remember though, direct your lobs in various fashions. I like to cross court lob a lot, but I also like the short baseline lob. Using all four shots will help you a lot while playing. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #2 – Using the Risk Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To be perfectly honest, I never played Top Spin 1 in my life. Many people online claim that people cheesed using risk shots all day long. With Top Spin 2, the risk shots are a lot less effective and are not seen as much online. Personally, I only use one risk shot when I play people online. I am a baseline player myself, and I like to get my opponent on the run and as far from the net. When I have momentum and I feel that he is expecting a cross court top spin or flat shot, I drop the little lob shot (RT + Y) which barely makes it over the net. That is the only risk shot I use and I find it very effective. I only pull the shot out once or twice during a game, and I recommend not doing it as much because the shot can easily be countered. Other than that, I personally feel Risk Shots are pointless online. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #3 – Using the Advance Shots -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The only Left trigger shots I use online is the Slice Shot and the Passing Shot. The Slice Shot (LT + X) takes the least momentum for my character. I use it a lot while returning serves. Other than that, I like to save up my momentum for the Passing Shot (LT + B). This is by far the most dominant shot in the game. Not only will it never go out of bounds, but it is basically impossible to lose the point if you use it correctly. When you have the passing shot filled up, don’t get too worried to use it right in the beginning of the point. Make sure your guy is not on the run, and make sure to always use it going cross court. If your opponent happens to return it, simply flat or top spin him the other way and you will win the point. I find it useful using it when my opponent is serving. Going cross court with the passing shot is essential though. The other two advance shots are pointless in my opinion and should not be used online. They waste your momentum and do more harm than good. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #4 – Momentum -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Keep your momentum up during the game as you will seem to dictate the game. It’s hard to come back when you have little momentum and the other guy is cruising. Remember, it’s not always necessary to use your advance shots in the game. Wait for the perfect times to keep your momentum meter up. It’s essential when playing good guys online. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #5 - Serving -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- My character does not have a high serving rating but I still manage to get the job done while serving. I rarely have my serve broken, and I feel that serving is key in this game. I usually never risk serve in the game due to the fact that I like hitting the top spin serve. I try to position the serves all over the place and once in a blue moon I’ll ace someone. When I serve, it’s all about getting my opponent in position to win the point. If he returns my shot cross court, I’m usually waiting for the shot and will smash the ball down the baseline. Try to master the serve meter because your shots will be very precise. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #6 – The Underhand Serve -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The underhand serve is a serve that many people will not expect. You can usually ace someone once during the game bringing that serve out. If the person is not experienced against the underhand serve, you can use that as your serve of choice. When using the underhand serve, it is essential that you run towards the net as your opponent tries to return it. Use a cross court slice shot and you will usually win the point. When a person serves this shot to use, you must use the lob shot. I like to position the lob shot deep and cross court. This will change the momentum of the point and will put you in charge. There are some great players online who use the underhand serve, so make sure that you are ready for it before going online. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #7 – Anticipate the Shot -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The key to winning in tennis is anticipation. Most players online do not change their strategy while playing. Once you break their code, they are very easy to beat. If you think your opponent is going cross court, run over to the other side of the net. I like to take a lot of risks like this because if I guess right, the point is usually mine. A lot of time you can tell by the movement and physics on your opponent what way he is hitting. Master this tool of the trade and you will be soaring on the leaderboards. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #8 – Change Your Strategy -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Don’t always go cross court with the top spin shot. Throw in a lob when it’s not necessary. Change up the tempo of the game as much as possible. All of these key elements will keep your opponent on his toes. This is very essential when playing online. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Tip #9 – Play Against High Ranked Opponents -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I hate that it takes me a while to find an opponent while playing online. A lot of people want to protect their ranking while playing and will only beat up on the “newbs” of the game. The only way you will get better in this game is by playing the top guys. Trust me, you will get a lot more joy out of playing a competitive match against someone good than beating a newbie 3-0, 3-0. Don’t protect your rank, play against everyone! I hope these tips help your game out. Please let me know what you think of these tips. Any feedback is good feedback! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- There are many questions that most gamers have about Top Spin 2 that are commonly asked. Here I have listed a few questions that many people have while playing Top Spin 2. Question: How many tennis players can you choose from in the game? Answer: You can choose from 24 players total. This includes 12 men and 12 women. Question: Are there any unlockable characters in the game? Answer: No. Question: Can you create a woman tennis player in the Create A Player? Answer: Yes, you have the option to choose from a man or a woman. Question: What are stars? Answer: Stars are attribute points that help build your character. You can have a total of 180 stars in the game. Question: How many different color stars are in the game? Answer: There are three colors: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. When you start your Create a Player, you will only have access to Bronze Stars. Once you win a few majors you’ll be able to get silver stars. Likewise, once you win a few slams, you’ll have gold stars. The maximum amount of stars you can have is 180, which is 60 bronze, 60 silver, and 60 gold. Question: What is coin? Answer: Coin is money that you earn in the game when you compete in events. The more coin you earn, the more gear you can buy at the Pro Shop. Question: What is the Rival Player? Answer: When you begin your career, one player from your home country becomes your lifelong rival. Your rival will closely follow your career , egging you on and commenting on your career progression via e-mail. Question: Is there any significance regarding the Rival Player? Answer: Yes, you will have many special matches against you rival player. He is by far the toughest player to beat. In Year 3 of your career, you will play him for $5,000,000. Once you win that, you will be rewarded the rest of your remaining Gold stars. Question: When did you start participating in Grand Slams? Answer: I waited until Week 3 when the Australian Open came around. I believe this is the best strategy because the competition is quite fierce. Question: How long is the career mode? Answer: The career mode lasts five years. Make sure you get all your stars and advance shots! Question: Can you play ranked double matches? Answer: No, you can play doubles online, but they are not ranked. Question: When is it smart to take my character online? Answer: I believe the best time to take your character online is when you have all gold stars and have at least two of the Advance Shots learned. There are a lot of people online with all their stats maxed out, which puts you at a clear disadvantage. Question: Can I play you online? Answer: Yes, I would like to play you. My gamertag is Gromzzz and I’m always looking for a good match. Question: What are custom tournaments? Answer: You can create your own tournament to play alone or with up to 15 other users. In addition to the Exhibition settings selections, you will need to select the number of human players and the number of rounds your tournament will have. Question: What are party games? Answer: Party games are fun variations of tennis that you can play with up to three other users. To play a party game, select Party Games from the Main Menu, and then choose from the three mini-games to play. Question: What are the three mini-games? Answer: The three mini-games are the following: Time Bomb, which is where you make the opponent’s countdown clock reach 0:00 before your own clock does by winning points. Wall Breaker, which you destroy as much of the wall of boxes as possible to earn points, and defend the wall to keep your opponent from earning more points than you. Be careful not to knock over your wall. Splash Court, which you cover a percentage of the opponent’s side of the court with permanent splashes of paint by winning points. Question: Top Spin 2 is only $39.99. I’m a bit worried about the low price, is this game worth buying? Answer: Definitely, Top Spin 2 has to be one of the best games on Xbox. The amount of gameplay is unlimited by taking your player online. The Career Mode will take you at least 12 hours to finish. Definitely, Top Spin 2 is worth $39.99. It’s worth the regular price of $59.99. Question: Do you mind if I e-mail you with additional questions? Answer: I enjoy as much feedback as I can get when writing guides. I don’t mind answering any questions. Question: How much money do you make when writing this guide? Answer: Absolutely nothing. I dedicate my own time to write guides. If you would like to make a small donation, feel free to donate to my paypal account at: gromzzz@gmail.com. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 13. Achievement List -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Achievements in Top Spin 2 take some work to unlock. Here is the complete list of achievements that are found in the game. There are a total of 11 achievements in Top Spin 2. Play 50 Ranked Matches Earn this achievement by playing in 50 Xbox Live ranked Matches. Win 25 Ranked Matches Earn this achievement by winning 25 Xbox Live Ranked Matches. Win first Ranked Match Defeat any opponent in Xbox Live Ranked Match to receive this achievement. Win first Career tournament Win a tournament in Career Mode to receive this achievement. Win first match in Career Mode Win a match in Career Mode to receive this achievement. Win first exhibition match Win a match in Exhibition Mode to receive this achievement. Complete first career Play throughout an entire career to receive this achievement. Reach #1 World Rank in career Reach the top of the World Rankings while playing Career Mode to receive this achievement. End Career with 1000 points Finish an entire career and score more than 1000 career points to receive this achievement. Beat all female pro players Earn this achievement by defeating all of the female licensed players in Exhibition Mode. Beat all male pro players Earn this achievement by defeating all of the male licensed players in Exhibition Mode. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 14. Credits -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I would like to thank 2K Sports for making an awesome tennis game. I would also like to thank GameFAQS (www.gamefaqs.com) for hosting all my strategy guides. This is one of the only websites that is allowed to host my guides, so if you see this guide anywhere else, please e-mail gromzzz@gmail.com immediately. Thank you. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 15. Legal Information -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- This document is copyrighted by Gromzzz. All Rights Reserved. It is for private and personal use only. It can not be reprinted, reproduced in parts or in its entirety in any form or shape. This is protected by International Copyright Law, meaning if you break or violate any of these rules may result in severe and criminal penalties.