We have certainly entered the age of AI robots doing the jobs we formerly relied on humans for. Some are yet to do it as well, but the Pongbot Pace S Pro is the best tennis coach I've had – even if it doesn't criticize my poor two-handed backhand grip.
But before you hit the court, there are a few things to consider and to set up. Out of the box, the unit requires very little assembly; the main machine is intact but there's a battery to charge and some extra components that also need powering up if you're going to use the remote-control function instead of your phone or the AI mode that requires a couple of sensors pinned to either end of the net.
While the remote is fine – it's a little clunky – I recommend connecting the Pongbot to the app, which makes switching between modes and programming your own custom drills much easier. That said, it's nice to have a smart product that can be functional without a smartphone.
The other major point to make before you're even out on the court is that this machine is not lightweight. It does come with a built-in pair of sturdy wheels and an adjustable handle much like a suitcase, so moving it around on the ground it pretty easy. However, if you have to navigate steps or lift it into a vehicle's trunk, it's much like moving a suitcase. The unit weighs 42 lb (19 kg) and measures 22.4 x 20.7 x 19.3 inches (5 x 52.5 x 49 cm), and because of its shape it doesn't have really obvious lift points. I was able to get it down four steps and hoist it into the trunk of the car – but I am used to lugging suitcases that weigh as much (or more), so it was manageable but an effort. This is just something to think about if your local tennis court is more than a short walk away.
However, once at the ground, the Pongbot did much better than expected at traversing the uneven gravel surface of the parking lot to the court. And once on the green, it was a breeze to roll over to the center of the baseline to lay down flat and attach the ball container to its top over the area that feeds the ball into the launch chute. I had around 50 balls loaded up, but it can handle 150 – handy for nonstop drills before the inevitable job of having to gather up those balls and start again. (If only it came with a robot ball-collector.)
This was my first try testing out the system, and it's been about two years since I've faced any opponent on the court, so I started easy with backhand and forehand drills on the "easy" setting, and had the Pongbot fire out balls in roughly the same area so I could remain on the baseline and anticipate what was coming. That said, on an outdoor court with varying wind, no two balls were exactly the same, so there was still some challenge in this predictable, easy mode.
Flexibility is where this machine shines, though. The Pace S Series can deliver ball speeds up to 80 mph (130 km/h), generate spin rates up to 60 revolutions per second – which allows for heavy topspin, backspin and flat shots depending on setting – and make you work hard around the court. It can launch balls as quickly as every 1.5 seconds and offers a wide variety of play, including drives, slices, lobs and drop shots. Depth and trajectory are fully adjustable, too.
As well as the programs – more than 500 training drills – players can also design custom workouts, building personalized sequences that vary speed, spin, placement and rhythm. Given my extreme novice state with both the machine and my recent time on the court, I just kept things simple.
The system also comes with an AI function, which uses player tracking thanks to a wearable sensor. The robot detects where the player is positioned on the court and adjusts its ball direction dynamically. One of its key features is that it can “wait” until the player has recovered and returned to a specific position before firing the next ball. It can also use player position to fire balls where they don't expect them to land, forcing more court coverage and footwork. This is great for the kind of anticipation needed in real matches, and a good progression once you've worked on your shot technique enough. Given that I'd already worked up a sweat within 10 minutes of those predictable forehand and backhand drills, I thought it was in my best interests to quit before I twisted a knee or an ankle. Especially considering I had a long-haul international flight to get early the next morning.
In terms of battery life, the Pongbot's staying power is excellent. It's designed for long outdoor sessions on the court, and the makers say you can expect around eight hours of play before requiring a charge. While eight-hour sessions sound like pure madness to me, it does mean you can keep the machine in the trunk between training bouts and it won't require removing to charge too often.
And while the Pongbot's maximum speed may be somewhat below the top pace of leading ATP tour men and women (around 120 mph/190 km/h for men and 105 mph/170 km/h for women on first serves), the Pongbot is still a very challenging opponent that will force you to counter the speed with your returns. And that's before topspin or backspin is factored in.
I did find that I lost count of the balls I'd been served, so it wasn't easy to see when they'd run out or were just taking a little longer to load. And I didn't find the AI mode worked as well as just the programmed drills, but again that may have been my placement of the sensors, the weather conditions and my stance with racquet up obscuring the sensor pinned to my shirt. Either way, the machine got a lot more balls over the net and in play than I did in return.
And while there was some footage of me attempting to return balls, my 90-year-old mother was a less than reliable photographer – she managed to switch to slo-mo video mode, without capturing the machine in the process. She did, however, help me pick up the balls between hits.
The Pongbot Pace S Pro is available now for US$1,349.99 ($650 off its regular price) and comes with all that's needed – including the net sensors, wearable sensor, chargers and free app. You can buy it with an additional 100 balls for an extra $100.
It's worth noting that shipping is free, it's promised to ship within 48 hours, has a 30-day return guarantee and lifetime customer support. There are also payment plans – but check the Pongbot site for more details on those.
Source: Pongbot Sports
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