MELBOURNE, Australia — In the contemporary era, attending live sporting events may seem old-fashioned, and traditional viewing on screens is not as engaging as it once was. In response to these changing preferences, the Australian Open has embraced a fresh trend within the sports industry by simulating tennis matches through animated video games.
The first Grand Slam event of the year, ongoing until January 26, is providing real-time animated streams on its YouTube channel that accurately reflect the action occurring across its three main stadiums.
Characters representing the players appear like figures from a video game, reminiscent of those seen on a Wii console. While these avatars may not be exact replicas of renowned players like Coco Gauff or Novak Djokovic, the graphics strive to depict the appropriate colors of their outfits, including hats and bandanas, all while showcasing gameplay with approximately a one-point delay.
Leylah Fernandez, the finalist from the 2021 U.S. Open, expressed her amusement and interest in this new representation, noting, “Sometimes I think it’s a very accurate (depiction) of the actual player that’s playing. So it’s weird. It’s funny and weird.” This curiosity has prompted Fernandez to look into watching her own avatar during the matches.
Tennis Australia has designed distinctive “skins” to represent not only players but also chair umpires and ball personnel. Machar Reid, the director of innovation at Tennis Australia, highlighted the experience, explaining, “The wonderful part of it is it’s the players’ actual movement. It’s the actual trajectory of the ball. We’re taking the real into the unreal. That’s part of the magic.”
Carlos Alcaraz, a young tennis sensation with four Grand Slam titles to his name, described the virtual matches as “a good alternative.”
Fernandez regularly searches YouTube for past match footage as part of her preparation for upcoming opponents. She humorously shared how she stumbled upon the animated replays while attempting to locate a specific match, stating, “So I click on it and think, ‘This is it! Finally! I have one,’” only to realize she was viewing an animated character instead.
Czech player Jiri Lehecka, seeded 24th in the tournament, encountered a replay featuring the avatar of 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev playfully hitting a camera with his racket during a first-round match. Lehecka remarked on the novelty of such a concept, saying, “I had no idea that something like that exists, so for me, it was quite funny to see that.” He even expressed hope of one day seeing his own character in a video game format.
To achieve that, players must compete on the main courts in Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, or John Cain Arena. Last year, Tennis Australia trialed this concept on a limited basis, aiming to engage gamers and younger audiences in the sport.
Other major sports leagues, like the NFL, NBA, and NHL, have implemented similar animated broadcasts for alternative viewing experiences. Reid mentioned that while the initial rollout didn’t greatly capture public attention, this year has shown increased engagement.
During the initial four days of the event, the animated streams reportedly garnered upwards of 950,000 views, a substantial increase compared to only around 140,000 views in the same period the previous year.
Reid noted, “It’s part of our DNA to innovate and try to challenge the status quo or, in this instance, provide experiences to different groups of fans that are more personalized for them to consume.” He believes that younger audiences or those inclined toward gaming might be drawn to tennis in novel ways, though he recognizes this format isn’t for everyone.
When questioned whether this trend could eventually dominate how fans experience sports, Reid remained skeptical, stating, “Not in my lifetime and not in yours, I don’t think. But who knows? The world of sport and entertainment is moving so, so quickly.” Nonetheless, he conveyed confidence that viewers will always be captivated by watching extraordinary athletes perform live.
