This image made from animation and provided by Tennis Australia shows Brazil’s Joao Fonseca during his first round match against Russia’s Andrey Rublev in an animation form at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Tennis Australia via AP)
MELBOURNE, Australia — Maybe attending sports events in person is too been-there, done-that in the modern age. So, apparently, is watching the actual action on a TV, laptop or phone. The Australian Open is getting in on the newest trend in the sports world by re-creating tennis matches in video-game form.
kaboom slotsThe year’s first Grand Slam tournament, which runs through Jan. 26, is streaming real-time animated feeds on its YouTube channel that mimic what’s happening in the three main stadiums.
Article continues after this advertisementPlayers are represented by characters that look like something out of a Wii game — not exactly perfect portrayals of Coco Gauff or Novak Djokovic, perhaps, but the graphics do try to show the correct outfit colors or hats and bandanas the athletes are wearing and reflect what is happening in the matches, with about a one-point delay.
FEATURED STORIES SPORTS PBA: RHJ's show of frustration not a concern for Chot Reyes, TNT SPORTS Troy Rosario joins Gilas pool ahead of Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers SPORTS Meggie Ochoa hangs up her gi to give back to the youngAustralian Open 2025: Schedule, how to watch on TV, betting odds
“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,” said 2021 U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez, who will face Gauff in the third round Friday. “I did not see myself just yet. Maybe I will. Now I’m curious, because I’ve seen different players … and I think I want to watch myself, too.”
Article continues after this advertisementTennis Australia created its own “skins” to represent players, chair umpires and ball persons.
Article continues after this advertisementThis image made from animation and provided by Tennis Australia shows Nishesh Basavareddy of the U.S. during his first round match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (Tennis Australia via AP)
“The wonderful part of it is it’s the players’ actual movement. It’s the actual trajectory of the ball,” Machar Reid, Tennis Australia’s director of innovation, told The Associated Press. “We’re taking the real into the unreal. That’s part of the magic.”
Article continues after this advertisementCarlos Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion at age 21, called it “a good alternative.”
Like many players preparing for future opponents, Fernandez often scours YouTube to try to find footage of past matches to aid with scouting. That, Fernandez said with a chuckle, is how she accidentally discovered the cartoonish replays from Melbourne Park that have been creating a buzz among the competitors.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Australian Open doesn't own its live broadcasting rights, so it's streaming an animated version of the tournament on its YouTube channel
Enjoy Daniil Medvedev smashing his racquet like a Wii Sports Mii: pic.twitter.com/xzf5BIoNkz
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) January 14, 2025
She was having trouble finding a certain match when she noticed a thumbnail photo of two players, Fernandez said.
“So I click on it and think, ’This is it! Finally! I have one,’” Fernandez said. “Nope. It’s a Wii character, which is hilarious.”
Jiri Lehecka, a Czech player seeded 24th in Australia, was checking social media the other day when he came across a “replay” of 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev’s avatar destroying a net camera by smacking it repeatedly with his racket during a first-round victory.
“I had no idea that something like that exists, so for me, it was quite funny to see that,” Lehecka said. “Maybe I will see myself as a game character one day. We will see.”
To get the chance, he’ll need to play a match in Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena or John Cain Arena. Tennis Australia first experimented with this on one court during last year’s tournament, hoping to attract gamers and a younger audience to the sport.
The NFL, NBA and NHL also have tried this type of approach, using animation for alternate game telecasts.
Tagaytay’s ridge has become a hotspot for property developers, with hotels, commercial, and residential projects sprouting alongside a vibrant mix of bed and breakfasts and restaurants.
Based on the latest data, inflation eased to 1.9 percent in September, falling short of market forecasts and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) projected range of 2 to 2.8 percent for the month.
The 2024 debut in Melbourne “was kind of in stealth and didn’t necessarily capture the world’s imagination. But this year, we’ve seen that happening,” Reid said.
The streams in the first four days of the event this week drew more than 950,000 views, according to Tennis Australia; the figure for the same time period in 2024 was about 140,000.
“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,” Reid said. “We’re seeing younger kids or the gaming demographic gravitating to the sport maybe in this way. Clearly, it’s not for everyone.”
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Might this eventually became the No. 1 way fans “watch” sports?
“Not in my lifetime and not in yourssbet, I don’t think. But who knows? The world of sport and entertainment is moving so, so quickly,” Reid said. “But I think we’re always going to be drawn to the amazing athletes doing their thing in front of our very eyes.”
READ NEXT San Miguel stays winless in EASL after losing to Eastern anew NBA: Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin gets 1-game ban for bump... EDITORS' PICK Darryl Yap’s motion to consolidate ‘Pepsi Paloma’ cases filed by Vic Sotto denied Vatican AI laws: A Catholic approach to tech regulation Chavit Singson withdraws from 2025 senatorial race Thousands across Gaza celebrate ceasefire deal PH consulate offers emergency services to Filipinos affected by LA fires Quezon City joins the world’s Resilient Cities Network MOST READ Mall guard sacked for destroying young girl’s sampaguita for sale INQToday: Marcos stance on Duterte impeachment ‘unchanged’ amid Enrile’s remarks Darryl Yap’s motion to consolidate 'Pepsi Paloma' cases filed by Vic Sotto denied MMFF 2024: ‘And the Breadwinner Is,’ ‘Green Bones’ top box office Follow @FMangosingINQ on Twitter --> View comments