For instance, in the adaptive rally setting, the robot will feed balls to wherever the user is currently standing on the court. Go from corner to corner or from the baseline to net and once you’re stationary and set, the machine will feed a ball of appropriate speed and depth. A somewhat vague slider (1-to-3 stars) adjusts the difficulty level. It’s a fun way to warm-up with some hitting before more intense movement.
In the recovery trigger exercises, the machine only shoots feeds after the player returns to the designated recovery zone. A classic setup is moving out wide to hit ground strokes and having to return to the center mark in the middle of the baseline. The faster you recover, the faster the machine will spit out another feed. Stop to watch your handiwork or catch your breath, and so will Pongbot. More complex combinations require more complex recovery steps.
The most ingenious and diverting option is the match challenge mode. The robot essentially mimics point play by feeding a sequence of shots based on a player’s court positioning, movement and chosen difficulty level. No set patterns or rally length, just intuitive mayhem. The robot can be set to beep each time the feeds change the training discipline—from ground stroke to approach shot, for example—and double-beep when the point is over, so you know to go back to the baseline for the next point. A running score is kept to see how many points (dubbed “combos”) you win over a set period. It’s a total time suck.
While the built-in offerings are more than enough to keep you busy, custom drills take it to another level.
Overall, the AI component is definitely a value add, although it could probably use some refinement. There were several instances when the machine’s player location detection during rallies or recovery was spotty. It would shoot balls to errant spots or not recognize a proper recovery. During match mode the shot sequencing didn’t always jibe—sometimes a lob would go up even though I just hit a ground stroke on the baseline. (From a purely practical standpoint, it would also be helpful if the robot had a compartment or included pouch to house all the trackers when not in use.)
These quibble asides, there’s so much to like about the Pongbot. Its precise ball delivery, customizable shot settings and intelligent app create an endless array of effective and immersive training options. While its burgeoning AI capabilities bridges the gap between solo practice and live competition. Perhaps no machine can fully capture the benefits and challenge of a real opponent, but the Pace S Pro isn’t far behind.
