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Top Spin is the Xbox's first tennis game, and it's playable over Xbox Live, allowing the player to compete in the XSN Sports Network. Over Xbox Live, two players can face each other in a one-on-one match, while in a doubles game up to four players can join. Stats are recorded and rankings are updated hourly at XSNsports.com.

The game has a career mode that takes the player all over the world. The first step is to create a player and give him a technical mastery. Once in the game, the player may compete in various tournaments. There are games, minor pro games, and professional tournaments. Winning games earns money and a higher ranking. The goal is to go from rank one hundred to number one.

Four different statistics can be gradually improved: serve, backhand, forehand, and volley. A higher skill will make for better and harder serves, more accurate and powerful back- and forehands, and the ability to keep the ball in play longer with volleys. There are also skills to obtain, such as risk and ace, which improves chances of hitting a successful risk shot or acing the opponent on a serve.

In Exhibition mode, the player may choose a created character or one of several real life pros, such as Pete Sampras or Anna Kournikova.