Australian Open leverages AR and VR technologies to create new fan experiences

Tennis fans have the opportunity to play against the greatest tennis players in the world on a virtual Rod Laver Arena, thanks to a partnership between the Australian Open and Infosys.

Infosys has launched a series of big data and analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) as well as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) based experiences in Melbourne Park and on the Australian Open website.   

By visiting an Infosys Fan Zone, fans can play a match, watch the Australian Open (AO) live from on court via a VR headset, and shop for Australian Open merchandise, all using VR and AR technology at the Official AO Virtual Reality Store.

Fans at home and on-site can also engage with matches in new and unique ways through the use of Match Beats. Match Beats is a refreshed way for fans to look at live tennis scores, akin to musical notes of a match. These insights let fans understand how the match flowed, where the ups and downs were, and where players were serving better and returning better. On top of this, Infosys AI Clips are a recap video of matches showing key highlights in near-real-time, shared on social media.  

Andrew Groth, senior vice president A/NZ at Infosys, says tennis is something that should be experienced, not just watched.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with such an iconic Australian event and a global grand slam, using our digital innovation expertise  to create immersive and engaging experiences for the millions of people who watch, attend and play at the Australian Open,” he said.

This is the first year of a three year strategic partnership between AO and Infosys announced in September last year.

The partnership aims to elevate the tennis experience for fans and players by leveraging latest digital innovations.

Craig Tiley, tournament director at the Australian Open, said partnering with Infosys is an exciting next step in its ongoing quest to innovate the Australian Open and engage new audiences across the world.

“We have long understood the importance of using data and insights to improve connections with our fans, players, coaches and the rest of the tennis community and we look forward to working with Infosys to change the way we all experience our great sport in the future,” he said.

Salil Parekh, CEO and managing director of Infosys, said the partnership is about creating new ways of experiencing the Australian Open.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity to showcase how digital technologies can enhance the boundaries of this tournament, to change the way the Australian Open is watched, analysed and played. This association with Tennis Australia also reaffirms our strategic commitment to the region where we partner with some of the leading enterprises in driving their digital transformation agenda.”

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