Tennis fans around the world are being given some incredible insight into action at this year’s US Open, with the data now available instantly taking their viewing experience to the next level.
The game’s top players have become increasingly reliant on highly detailed statistics on both their matches, with the analysis of their opponents forming a crucial part of their pre-match preparations.
That data has started to be rolled out to a wider audience in recent years and at the US Open, IBM have taken that offering to the next level.
The official US Open app is bringing fans closer to the game with live data that allows them to understand more about the matches they are watching either at Flushing Meadows or on TV around the world.
A new Serve Quality metric puts a whole new spin on how fans consume tennis and gain a more technical understanding of what they are watching.
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Available across all 254 singles matches at this year’s US Open, the AI-powered tool uses advanced limb-tracking technology developed with IBM Bob to help analyse the precise mechanics of every serve – with 21 data points across the body and racquet, tracked 50 times per second.
That means everything from wrist flex to the transfer of energy from a player’s legs through their torso is captured, generating roughly 1.2 billion data points over the course of the tournament.
The continuous stream of live data on serving efficiency, accuracy, consistency and ball toss, gives fans a real-time way to understand what makes a great serve great.
The ‘likelihood to win’ tracker is also included on the US Open app, with the changing phases of a match reflected in this data.
Fans can also get involved in ‘Match Chat’, with the idea that they are watching the match and getting additional information from the US Open app a modern way to engage more fans in the action.
“The data has gotten so much more aggressive for all athletes in the last couple years.” Said former ATP Tour player turned TV commentator Sam Querrey.
“As a player, I can’t think about 15 to 20 different things if I’m returning or serving. That’s where the coach comes in. If there’s data that they can look at that’s obvious, they can then give that to the player, and the player can kind of go with those three or four bullet points.”
It’s not just in tennis that these features are being offered to sports fans, as they are now becoming a crucial part of the experience watching a match.
The evolution of AI technology looks certain to ensure this area of sports viewing will move to several new levels in the coming years, with tennis fans eager to join the push to bring fans closer to the sport.
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