The never ending growth of sports analytics was making headlines with the Women’s Tennis Association during this week’s Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University. For the first time in professional tennis, real-time performance data will be used by players and coaches during the match.
SAP, a market leader in enterprise application software, collaborated with WTA to develop SAP Tennis Analytics powered by SAP HANA. Available exclusively for WTA and on WTA-authorized tablets, SAP Tennis Analytics is designed to help players and coaches during practice and matches by analyzing performances. Introduced in October 2014, WTA and SAP have been working together to test the on-court technology platform. With helpful feedback from players and coaches, the technology has been updated. Quentin Clark, Chief Technology Officer and member of the Global Managing Board, SAP, said, “After months of testing, enhancements and feedback, we’re excited that coaches and players have the opportunity to begin utilizing SAP Tennis Analytics on the court during tournament match play.”
Players and coaches can expect the addition of filters and pre-defined scenarios, an archive mode that allows users to review match data within a tournament, and custom-designed cases. The technology will give players a new level of competition. Comparisons of statistics will be updated every 15 seconds. Tracking data will show the direction and placement of serves. Scoring data analyzes a player’s service performance, success rate in closing out a game while serving, and the number of break points saved. SAP Tennis Analytics will give players an advantage to finish a match.
Excited to launch on-court coaching with real-time analytics powered by @SAPSports–> http://t.co/ZTPNMIc7ZE #WTA pic.twitter.com/3vsIcnSl0r
— WTA (@WTA) August 5, 2015
“Analyzing data is fundamental to play and coach development, and this state-of-the-art technology, which more and more of our performers are now using, will take our sport to a new and exciting level and lead the way in sports technology,” said Stacey Allaster, CEO and Chairman of the WTA.
This technology is an important change for the sports world. As tennis players use SAP Tennis Analytics in an additional six WTA tournaments this year, fans will be watching for the success of the technology and we can expect this real-time performance data during live games to expand to other sports.