A live 5G hologram of tennis ace, Emma Raducanu, has surprised two young grassroots tennis players with a one-to-one coaching session – while they were more than 4,000 miles apart.
The British women’s number one was in Abu Dhabi, while emerging tennis stars, Sam Clague, 14, and T’nae Diamond Paisley, 12, were thousands of miles away in London at the All England Club’s Community Tennis Centre.
The kids, who had no idea Emma would be coaching them, were surprised when the 20-year-old tennis champion appeared on the other side of the net - thanks to cutting edge holographic technology.
The tips and tricks of tennis
Emma gave advice and tips on technique in real time, whilst Sam and T’nae both had the chance to ask their tennis idol questions and capture a once in a lifetime hologram selfie with her.
The special coaching sessions were powered by Vodafone’s 5G network which commissioned research of 2,000 tennis fans which predicted the evolution of the sport in years to come.
Predictions included ‘multi-ball mode’, smart balls, and nets which provide detailed data on the game - as well as the addition of hologram coaches who are able to go on court during matches.
Emma Raducanu, Vodafone’s Play Your Way to Wimbledon ambassador, said: “The next generation of tennis starts with the future generation of players.
“It is amazing to see how it can help players of all levels by giving them access to coaches no matter where they are, which will help the game continue to grow in 2023 and beyond.
“Coaching Sam and T’nae in the first ever 5G hologram tennis lesson scratches the surface with this type of technology, and hopefully means coaches will be able to train more future Wimbledon stars wherever they are in the world.”
The research also found 47 per cent believe future advances in technology could improve the way kids learn to play the game, and 43 per cent think it could change how they’re introduced to the sport.
When it comes to watching tennis, 63 per cent would enjoy a ‘more interactive’ experience with 62 per cent wanting to feel more immersed in the action - whether that’s watching on TV or in person.
And 17 per cent love the idea of body cameras on the players.
A drone camera you can control yourself, connected rackets, and smart sensors on players for improved game stats were also other tech modifications fans would like to see in the future.
The next generation of players
Further wishes included games being played in more varied and outlandish destinations, such as on the side of a mountain or floating on a body of water.
More than seven in 10 (71 per cent) of those polled via OnePoll.com believe more technology leading to more analysis will help improve the sport.
Dr Ian Pearson, who has been a futurologist for 32 years, said: “This 5G technology opens up endless possibilities for tennis in the future.
"Seeing the tech in action with Emma Raducanu coaching the next generation of British players is just the first of so many real-life applications of this tech in sports across the world.”
It also emerged the sheer skill involved, the rivalry between players and the strong personalities were the top things respondents love about the sport.
And 84 per cent have been known to pick up a racket themselves, though only 17 per cent do so often.
With 81 per cent loving the idea of taking on a hologram that’s been trained to learn the moves and tactics of their favourite player.
Max Taylor, chief commercial officer at Vodafone, said: “Our 5G hologram coaching session with Emma Raducanu showcases the power of our 5G network.
"We are committed to using our connectivity to create opportunities for the next generation of talent.”
Top 20 changes tennis fans would like to see in the future
- ‘Smart-balls’ which provide detailed data about the game, each hit and each play
- Smart watches or sweatbands that give the viewer analysis and biometrics of how each player is performing
- Live ‘on-board’ camera feed, showing the umpires’ perspective during a match
- Live ‘on-board’ camera feed, showing the players’ perspective during a match
- Smart sensors on players, providing metrics and data in real time to viewers
- Smart nets which give data on the game, ball velocity etc.
- Virtual games - where professional players play against holograms of classic retired athletes
- 5G Hologram on court coach to help the player analyse the game in more depth
- ‘Tennis glasses’ for viewers displaying real-time game and player stats
- Players testing their skills against robotic arms, trained with AI to know all their plays and moves
- Pilotable drone cam to let you direct your own viewing experience from a birds-eye view of the court
- Virtual games - where professional players play against holograms who can match their skill
- More varied and outlandish match destinations, like on the side of a mountain, floating on a body of water etc.
- Connected rackets for more game stats which send data to viewers instantly.
- Multi-ball mode, where more tennis balls are introduced for added excitement
- Virtual interviews with the players during breaks in the match
- Virtual interactions with players and coaches during the match
- More varied playing surfaces
- Rotating and tilting courts to make the match more challenging
- Bigger courts
