What you read in most of the reviews is very true, the 3 games in a set is definitely annoying -- I'm not sure how much more programming it would have takes to implement the "normal" tennis rules, but I would guess not much.
The gameplay, though, is definitely awesome, but the one problem I have has to do with all tennis games. As you reach the top 10, it doesn't get a little harder, it increases a ridiculous amount at times, even without the special shot. Why does this happen? AI where it increases as your level of play increases makes more sense, but where you make the computer a thousand time better going from #11 to #10 makes no sense.
However, the game looks great and sounds great. You will definitely have a great time playing it and you will pick it up fast. Going through and acquiring skills definitely increases the fun, although it's an idea that has been implemented in other games (Tiger Woods, etc.) If you are a tennis gaming fan, though, this game is a must!