The shape attribute, the attribute that indicates how match ready your player is, is absolutely pointless; and biased to the npc characters.

Your shape can only be improved through tournament play, because there is no non tournament practice play.
You have to do well in the tournament, that doesn't mean win but at least QF round or your shapes doesn't go up.
It takes 3 tournaments to go from weak through medium, good and then to excellent form.
Then it only takes 1 weak of not playing tournament tennis, during which you are training (therefore effectively playing tennis), for your shape to drop by 1 level.
You always start the beginning of a season in weak shape.
And none of this seems to apply to computer players. As I faced players in excellent form in the first week of the season.

Now I've lent my had to a number of sports over the years and don't ever recall having to remember what to do because I hadn't played for 7 days lol.