I
read about her for the first time today – some may be following her fortunes or
would have their eyes locked in on a
match on Centre Court at Wimbledon this year, something else will be watching
you, too; that is what technology – the power of ‘artificial intelligence’ is all about !. IBM Research announced on Tuesday that it is
teaming up with IBM IX to bring its new artificial intelligence technology to
the tennis courts at Wimbledon this year. After testing the concept at the 2017
Masters golf tournament in April, IBM is taking the AI-powered system to tennis
to create "cognitive highlight" reels based on the most exciting
moments and shots in the matches each day.
Come June and 1stweek of July – we will be reading all about Wimbledon,
the oldest tennis tournament in the world, and widely considered the most
prestigious. It is held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London
since 1877. Tradition
is as much a part of the Wimbledon experience as the grass itself, from the
predominantly white clothing rule to the strawberries and cream sold around the
grounds of the All England Club.
One more year and
it will be 50 years since professionals were allowed to rejoin amateurs at the
major tournaments, a change that removed a level of hypocrisy from the ranks of
amateurs, many of whom had long received under-the-table payments. And it
allowed all the world’s best players to compete for the most prestigious titles
in 1968. Open tennis at Wimbledon began in the summer of 1968.
Security protocol
is nothing new at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, but there will be
heightened safety measures taken at Wimbledon this year, in light of the recent string of attacks in
the United Kingdom. In Wimbledon Park,
where there is usually a festival-like atmosphere as camping fans queue
overnight, there will be a surrounding wall of waist-high concrete barriers. Metropolitan
Police said over the past week there is no specific threat to The
Championships, but police presence will be more visible. Armed officers, whom
the public saw for the first time inside the Wimbledon gates last year, will be
patrolling in and around the grounds. Extensive bag checks, fan searches,
bomb-sniffing dogs and plainclothes officers will be further parts of the
counterterrorism effort.
Not only is it the
longest-established of the four Grand Slam tournaments, but the Championships
also enjoy sell out crowds and hospitality every year. The two-week long event
is broadcast to millions of fans, and made an operating profit of £42m last
year. So, things certainly look rosy in
the green SW19 garden, with further healthy signs being a 12% increase in the
prize money pot this year to £31.6m. But income from broadcasters represents
more than half of the event's turnover, and a small number of key broadcast
markets, notably the UK and USA, provide the majority of that income. With this in mind, executives from tournament
operator the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), are looking at new ways to
grow awareness and interest in the tournament outside their current
Anglo-centric heartlands.
"Not just in
terms of developing physical infrastructure here on the playing site, but also
about building our brand with a younger audience, and also with new audiences
in different parts of the world, be it China or Colombia. During the tournament
a wealth of information is available via different digital outlets. The financial reward from growing its global
fan base, will come when Wimbledon signs new TV deals and sponsorship
agreements, and is able to show that it can deliver a large and diverse
customer base for its partners. The
authorities at Wimbledon wants to
provide a rich digital experience that ensures they connect with fans at the
event and across the globe. A new real-time tool to highlight matches of
particular interest and quality, and not necessarily just those on the main
show courts. IBM Slam Tracker - a
cross-platform application that provides real time scores, stats and insights
for all matches in progress. Apps for
those attending have been enhanced by the Ask Fred assistant which allows fans
to plan their day and make the most of their visit. On Wimbledon's digital platforms this year
there will be computer generated highlights from six main courts - Centre, One,
Two Three, 12 and 18. A 360 degree
camera view will also be provided from the practice courts.
Automated
highlights, augmented reality and an all-knowing chatbot called ‘Ask Fred’ are
among the new innovations from the the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and
IBM at this year’s Championships. ‘Ask
Fred’ - named after Britain’s legendary three-time Wimbledon champion Fred
Perry - is enabled by IBM’s Watson technology and offers a cognitive assistant
to answer questions from fans visiting the event. Supporters can get
information on a range of topics, including where to eat and drink or the
nearest place to buy a Wimbledon towel. Three public wi-fi hotspots - also new
for 2017 - will facilitate the process, and Wimbledon and IBM will monitor the
questions Fred is asked to provide an improved service for next year.
Real-time data will
be integrated from a number of sources including courtside statisticians, chair
umpires, radar guns, ball position, player location and will also include
Twitter for social comment on how the match is playing out. Cognitive computing is the next revolution in
sports and they are trying to market a brand to newer consumer group to ensure
that funds keep flowing for the sport.
Today’s Doodle
marks the 140th year of the
Wimbledon championships, the world’s oldest tennis tournament. Wimbledon has drawn crowds since the dawn of
professional tennis, way back when players were using handmade wooden rackets.
The tournament is known for its grass courts, perfectly maintained to a neat
8mm — a sturdy height for fast-moving feet.
~ and
for those who remember statistics. Last
year, in Men’s final - Andy Murray defeated Milos Raonic, 6–4, 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–2); in
Ladies Singles : Serena Williams def. Angelique
Kerber, 7–5, 6–3. In Men’s doubles : Pierre-Hugues Herbert / Nicolas Mahut def. Julien Benneteau / Édouard Roger-Vasselin, 6–4, 7–6(7–1), 6–3; in Ladies
- Serena Williams / Venus Williams def. Tímea Babos / Yaroslava Shvedova, 6–3, 6–4; in Mixed
doubles : Henri Kontinen / Heather Watson def. Robert Farah / Anna-Lena Grönefeld 7–6(7–5), 6–4.
Are you following
Wimbledon 2017 and who is your favorite ?
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
3rd July 2017.
