Xbox Gaming in South Africa

EA Sports has announced that the Grand Slam Tennis franchise will be making its first court appearance on HD consoles next year, with all four Grand Slam championships coming to the Xbox 360 and PS3 with Grand Slam Tennis 2 in 2012.

"We are very excited to bring the EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis franchise to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms and leverage the graphical power of these high definition consoles," said Line Producer Thomas Singleton. "Players will now get to experience the excitement and drama of serving it up on prestigious tennis venues such as Wimbledon’s famed Centre Court."

Here's the lowdown from the press release:

• All-New Total Racquet Control: Control every shot with the right analog stick, smashing forehands, backhands, overheads and volleys with precision, accuracy and power. Utilize this innovative control system to take your game to the top! But if you prefer the old school button controls, those are still available!
• Become a Champion: Become a true Grand Slam tournament champion by capturing all four major championships in succession. The prestige of some of the most historic events in tennis come alive like never before, including the Australian Open, French Open, U.S. Open and exclusive to EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis franchise – Wimbledon.
• Legends of Now and Then: Play with or against more than 20 of the greatest players to ever grace the courts, including Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Maria Sharapova, Serena and Venus Williams and exclusive to EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis franchise, seventeen-time winner of a Grand Slam tournament John McEnroe.
• Professional, Realistic, Organic (P.R.O.). AI: The playing styles and behaviors of the sport’s greatest stars are captured right down to their signature swings and emotional reactions. Realistic tactics and strategies are your keys to success against each legend whether playing on hard court, clay or grass. The organic artificial intelligence adapts to your game so there’s never a dull moment!
• ESPN Grand Slam Tournament Classics: Relive some of the most memorable moments in tennis. From Borg versus McEnroe to Nadal versus Federer, play your way through history unlocking up to 25 amazing moments of Grand Slam® tournaments.
• Deep Tennis Experience: Play countless hours of tennis in Grand Slam Career mode – singles and doubles, through a 10-year career or battle online. A wide variety of online gameplay features, Photo Game Face and more keep your experience fresh and authentic.

The two competing HD tennis franchises - Virtua Tennis and Top Spin - have been getting better and better (read our review of Top Spin 4 over here), but with an impressive feature list and the inclusion of the esteemed Wimbledon tournament, Grand Slam Tennis will surely be worth keeping an eye on.

In the meantime, check out the debut trailer below: