Fans Challenge Robotic Serving Machine at Wimbledon
Could you return Emma Raducanu’s 110mph serve, or handle a 145mph stroke from Andy Murray? What about Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s 153mph serve, which set records last year?
Attendees at this year’s Wimbledon tournament have had the chance to test their skills against a robotic serving machine instead of their tennis idols.
For many, this offered a welcome diversion from queuing overnight for tickets, while others gained a deeper appreciation for the technical prowess displayed on Centre Court.
Alex Ellis found the robot considerably more challenging than his usual opponents.
“I got one over the net from Sir [John] McEnroe, so that will do, but [the Ukrainian player Elina] Svitolina’s – I couldn’t get anywhere near it,”he said.
“It felt like pressure to be honest, it’s almost like I’m playing at Wimbledon, but it was enjoyable. It definitely shows how competitive it is at the real level.”
Innovative Robot Mimics World-Class Serves Using 5G Technology
This first-of-its-kind robot replicates the speed, angle, and trajectory of serves from top players worldwide, utilizing the 5G network to connect with real-time data from Centre Court.
Oliver Kibblewhite, whose 5Gs agency developed the machine, explained that the robot arm was constructed to be
“very stout”to withstand serves faster than those of a typical tennis serving machine. Approximately half of participants managed to return at least one of three serves, with Raducanu’s serve being the most popular challenge, he noted.
Tennis coach Arthur Culicovschi described the experience as
“a reality check”, successfully returning a serve from Italian No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner but missing those from Roger Federer and former US star Andy Roddick.
German participant Mori Arathoon remarked that the serve originated from a much higher point than in his tennis league, likening it to being hit from a second storey.
“Now I can relate to [professional players] a bit,”he said.
Wimbledon Prepares for Heatwave with Enhanced Shade and Infrastructure
Wimbledon is bracing for an extended heatwave starting Friday, following temperatures reaching 35°C (95°F) just a week prior.
Tournament operations director Michelle Dite told reporters that
“this is how it is now,”reflecting on last week’s qualifying championships, which she described as
“hotter than the surface of the sun.”
“We have upped our shade and shelter here for the public,”she added.
“We’re always trying to make sure that we can provide as much shaded shelter as we can, not just for our temporary infrastructure, but also when we’re doing permanent upgrades here.”
This year features a new retractable roof on the tea lawn, providing shelter for spectators enjoying strawberries and cream, along with two additional covered social areas in the southern village and the “Henman Hill” zone.
Future-Proofing Wimbledon’s Grounds Against Climate Change
Wimbledon’s chief executive Sally Bolton emphasized the importance of evolving planting strategies to
“think really carefully about what an English summer garden will look like into the future when water is harder to come by,”anticipating Met Office forecasts that temperatures in England could reach 45°C by 2056.
Neil Stubley, the venue’s head of courts and horticulture, stated he is planning five to ten years ahead to protect what he described as
“probably the most scrutinised piece of turf in the world.”
“The grasses that we’re selecting now – they’re more drought-tolerant and wear-tolerant – help us on weeks like last week,”he said, noting that elevated overnight temperatures of 30°C would limit the grass’s ability to recover due to the absence of cooler nights.
Beyond weather considerations, the courts must also adapt to evolving playing styles and match durations.
“Two male players – Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner - are notorious for sliding into their shots, so that means that tears in the turf,”Stubley explained.
