The footwork simulator lets you shadow a real pro match on court. Every beep is your cue to move, at the timing the pro actually played.

What it's forLink to this section

Each drill is a tracked pro match: their rallies, their pace, their rests. Nothing is made up or randomised.

There's no score. The only question is whether you're still with them at the end of the rally. Slow it down while you learn, then work back up to full speed.

On the webLink to this section

1. Go to the footwork simulator. You don't need an account or a membership.
2. Set up your drill. The newest singles match is already picked, so you can press Start straight away.
3. Check the This drill card. It shows Total drill time, Avg time between shots and Avg rally length with your options, rests included.

If you aren't a member, you may see ads on the page and a short ad before each drill starts. Ads never show during a drill. Signed-in members don't see ads.

In the appLink to this section

1. Open the menu and tap Training → Tools.
2. Tap Footwork simulator.

The app needs a GGAB account with an active membership, like the rest of the app. There are no ads. The app adds one option, Log to training, which puts each finished drill into today's training session.

Set up a drillLink to this section

Setup works the same way on the web and in the app.

1. Pick a match from Newest pro matches. To find another, search by player, event or discipline. On the web, See more loads older matches.
2. Under Copy, choose whose shots you'll play.
   • In singles, tap a player.
   • In doubles, tap a pair. The cues then say Player 1 or Player 2, each in its own colour.
3. Set the options under the Start button. They're kept for next time on that browser or phone.
4. Press Start as followed by the player's name, or Start as this pair in doubles.

Can't decide? Pick for me chooses a random match and player.

The optionsLink to this section

Slowing down or skipping rallies needs a Custom rest, so turning either one on switches it for you. The web starts on Arrows and the app on Words.

Words or arrowsLink to this section

Words read top to bottom: who hit it, the striking side and direction (such as "Forehand Cross"), then the shot. In doubles the top line says Player 1 or Player 2. Opponent shots show in grey under Opponent.

What you see with words depends on which shots are on:

• Both on: the opponent's shot appears with the beep, then your pro's shot as they hit it.
• Only your shots: the beep comes first (the opponent hitting), and your pro's shot follows. Move on the beep, not the word.
• Only the opponent's shots: each grey shot arrives with its beep. Read it and go.

Arrows only show where to go. Each arrow points to the spot the opponent's shot sends you, bounces toward it as it lands, and stays up while you play your reply. The arrow and the beep arrive together. In doubles, the line above the arrow says which player takes it.

Arrows read better from across a room. Words teach you what the pro chose.

The timing ringLink to this section

The red circle behind the cue is your clock. It works the same with words and arrows.

• It pulses on every beep, the moment you have to set off.
• It then shrinks at a steady speed and is smallest on the next beep.
• The smaller it gets, the less time you have to recover. A long gap starts it bigger than the screen.
• It only shows during a rally.

Run a drillLink to this section

1. Put your screen 2 to 3 metres away with the sound on, and stand at your base.
2. Press Start. A 5-second countdown runs and shows who serves first, such as You serve or Opponent serves.
3. On every beep, get to the spot, play the shot, recover, and be ready for the next beep.
4. Between rallies, Next rally counts down the rest and shows who serves next.

The top of the screen shows where you are, such as "Rally 12 of 64". The screen stays on during a drill (on the web, where your browser allows it). In the app, turn your phone sideways for a bigger cue.

Pause, skip and stopLink to this section

• To pause, tap the screen. Tap again to carry on. On the web, the space bar and the pause button work too, and Resume carries on.
• To move between rallies, use Previous rally and Skip rally at the bottom of the screen.
• To cut a long break, tap Skip break. It shows in rests longer than 2 minutes.
• To stop, tap End in the top corner in the app. On the web, press the X in the top corner, End drill while paused, or Esc. Stopping early takes you back to setup without a summary.

On the web you can also use the keyboard:

Switching to another tab pauses the drill. If your browser blocks the sound, tap Sound blocked: enable.

After a drillLink to this section

When the last rally ends, you see Match done, with how many shots you played as the pro and how many were deceptive. There's no score, because the simulator doesn't measure you.

On the web you also see:

• Rallies, Shots and Your time. Your time counts only the time you actually drilled. Pauses and skipped parts don't count.
• Challenge a friend. Copy link (or Share challenge, where your device can share) sends a link that opens the same match, player and options.

In the app, with Log to training on, the drill is added to today's training session, or to a new "Footwork session" if you have none today. Tap the line under Match done to open it. The logged time leaves out pauses and skipped rests.

Then press Go again to replay the same drill, or Pick another match to go back to setup.

Related guidesLink to this section

• Training
• Pro Comparisons
• Get the App