Love it or hate it, sport is getting more and more tech orientated, particularly in regard to hawk-eye, materials in equipment and wearable technology. If you’ve ever watched a tennis match on TV, you’ll know just how sophisticated the technology really is. From mapping each shot on the court to determine whether it’s in or out to tracking the speed of a player’s shot.
We’re taking a closer look at the modern technology that is ever-growing in the tennis world to help enhance and assist player performance…
Hawk-Eye
Technology that is used in Hawk-Eye (otherwise known as Electronic Line Calling) was previously used in missile tracking and brain surgery, but was modified in the UK by Hawk-Eye to use in sports. Around six or seven cameras are placed over the field of play to get a bird’s eye view, allowing for the flight and direction of an object (in the case of tennis, the ball) to be investigated. Indents in the court’s surface (where the ball bounces or player’s feet land) help to track post-point analysis and player movement. The technology is more accurate than line judge’s eyes, helping referees to make crucial decisions about whether the ball is in or out.
While some say that this technology gets in the way of the momentum and excitement of the game, it has made the court a fairer and more accurate place to play, particularly when it comes to major tournaments such as The Championships, Wimbledon as match authorities are able to make blunder free decisions, eliminating uncertainty among players. Decisions made are game-changing, for good and for bad, depending whether or not you’re the winner!
Tennis Rackets
It’s quite amazing to see the evolution of tennis rackets over the years, and it wasn’t so long ago when wooden rackets were the latest technology…only in the 1970s did they become more and more obsolete. The next technology to come along was steel and aluminium rackets – very light but also strong and built for longevity. From this moment on, more and more technological developments started to take place in the world of rackets. Jimmy Connors, former American No.1, was the most famous person to start using a steel racket.
Fast forward a few more years, and graphite rackets were all the rage, with John McEnroe and Steffi Graf becoming some of the first famous players to use it in the 80s.
Today we’re faced with a wealth of options when it comes to tennis rackets. Weight and balance, power and control, stiffness and power, spin and versatility, bigger sweet spot, vibration control…the options are vast. Every player is different. Every player has a different style of shot, different strengths, spin and control. Therefore, every racket needs to be suited to the player’s needs. This is where we’re going to get nerdy!
The modern game of tennis is largely centred around power and spin. Standard racket heads are in the region of 100 square inches or more, allowing for a larger sweet spot, and greater amount of top spin that players can generate. The stiffer the racket frame, the faster and more powerful the player can hit the ball as the energy from the ball is kept intact.
Weight distribution determines the balance of a tennis racket. A head-heavy racket (weight in the racket head) helps to generate more power as increased momentum builds up during the swing. A headlight racket has weight closer to the player’s hand allowing more room for manoeuvre for ground strokes and volleys, increasing control.
Global tennis brand, Babolat, introduced rackets with computer technology built into them that are linked to apps, so players can analyse their placement of shots from a game, and understand why a shot didn’t win the point. This has been fitted into the handle of tennis rackets and data can be analysed in the app that syncs via Bluetooth, tracking the player round the court. This is really useful for players as it provides a detailed breakdown of their performance, and as a result, insights into how they can improve.
Wearable technology
If fashion is your thing on the court, then wearable technology may not be your thing. However, if eager to improve your play or gain important stats into your shots, then it’s worth compromising, even if some trackers are more subtle than others...
Monitoring your serves, forehands, backgrounds, shot position, spin, rally length and power has never been easier. This technology can be worn on your wrist, elbow, knees or even on the tennis racket itself, and provides instant feedback and analysis.
Measuring performance is invaluable to players looking to develop and improve their play and in addition helps to optimise practice sessions, monitor injury rehab and post-match recovery, blood oxygen levels and so much more.
We’ve got our eyes peeled for the latest technology to grace the world of tennis in the coming years. What could be next? High-tech trainers or tennis rackets with a fan integrated into it to cool players down? Who knows, but sport is only going to get more and more technological as years go by.
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