Fri, August 29, 2025
US Open utilises AI for 3D tennis and commentary
The US Open, the annual Grand Slam tennis tournament held in New York City, has introduced AI technology which allows fans to watch a 3D cartoon version of top tennis players during matches and to also converse with a chatbot that provides commentary, whilst avoiding drama.
The technology turns real tennis matches from the tournament into animated replays and has been trained to act diplomatically, according to Reuters. The cartoon versions materialise quickly on phone screens and the technology uses player tracking data to create the animations.
Technical Program Director Tyler Sidell expressed: “If you want to go back and see where that ball landed and see the trajectory of the ball, it's a great tool for that…
It's also for people on the go. I might be on the train… coming to the US Open, and I'm not able to stream.”
There have been around 5 million chatbot interactions recorded so far and Sidell voiced that the technology is designed to complement the real game.
However, it has also caused mixed reactions, which is usually the case when it comes to sport technology. Sue Morgan, a retired US Open visitor, expressed: “It's a little weird. I didn't love it, no. It's not real.” Some, like Sue, may argue that the technology detracts from the real players and their elite performances.
The technology has proved that it can accurately predict the likelihood of victories for players, but sits on the fence with certain comments, agreeing that the same performance from an athlete could be considered both “great” and “slightly underwhelming.” The technology has a vocabulary filter in the wake of its deployment at Wimbledon this year.
Fans can instead ask questions about player stats, head-to-head records and player name pronunciations, and the technology is available during and after all 254 singles matches.
“The digital experience of the US Open is of enormous importance to our fans,” said Kirsten Corio, Chief Commercial Officer at the United States Tennis Association (USTA). “We need to meet the demands of modern tennis fans, but also surprise them with unexpected experiences.”
