Infosys has been the technology partner for the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour since 2015 after recognizing the wealth of data available in tennis and its potential to transform the sport. Today, the relationship sees Infosys deliver data-driven insights for players and fans alike to improve player performance, drive fan experience, and optimize tournament sustainability. HFS analysts recently connected with executives from the ATP Tour and Infosys during the Infosys Hall of Fame Tournament in Newport and in subsequent interviews to understand the relationship and why enterprises from all industries—including sport—must not underestimate the importance of technology.
The ball tracking system in tennis leverages a series of cameras to track ball movements and landing spots during live play; it’s typically used during matches to confirm if a ball landed in or out of play. However, the system also collects a mass of data across global tournaments, which the ATP historically didn’t leverage to its full potential—that is why it turned to Infosys. When we connected with Rodolphe Tastet of the ATP, he explained:
It’s a mutually beneficial partnership; it’s a great platform for Infosys to demonstrate its capabilities. But we wanted a partner that could do it all—and make sense of our data. Infosys could do that, and it even brought tennis experts with them, too.
– Rodolphe Tastet, Vice President, Partnerships and Business Development, ATP Tour
The relationship between ATP and Infosys began with some new, simple website features, but today, Infosys leverages the data collected from ball tracking systems to deliver improved player and fan experiences. ATP and Infosys share a clear vision: Grow the sport, reach a broader audience, and make it more accessible while treating players fairly and equally. Two use cases illustrate this vision.
The ATP Tour Fan App and Infosys Tennis Platform provide fans access to detailed statistics, match replays, and detailed insights and predictions. For example, using predictive analytics, fans can access forecasted match outcomes in real time, thanks to historical head-to-head and live-match data. It’s worth noting that this isn’t always entirely accurate. During the 2022 Australian Open, the Infosys team predicted that Daniil Medvedev had a 96% chance of winning a match against Rafael Nadal, but Nadal ultimately won. ATP executives advise there are more than 10 million app users today and a 30% growth in traffic over the last 12 months.
The ATP PlayerZone is a one-stop shop for ATP players and coaches to access everything they need to compete in tournaments. The PlayerZone platform was developed with best-in-class technology. The app aims to increase engagement with players and provide a central portal for information as they progress through different stages of their careers. It also offers a forum to engage with players’ support teams in a private, secure digital environment. It provides information on tournament entries and withdrawals, updates on match schedules, results, rules, regulations, hotel and transportation information, visa requirements, and more.
Tennis is a uniquely global sport; players and support teams travel to 30 countries every year, which inevitably has an environmental impact. Recognizing this, the ATP, players, and Infosys collaborated to create the Carbon Tracker app. Launched in 2023, the app allows players to track their travel throughout the year, including the distances they travel and the environmental impact of their journeys. The goal is to educate players and help them make more sustainable choices; the app even offers players the opportunity to offset their emissions. The Carbon Tracker includes an element of gamification, too, as players can compete on various leaderboards to be the most sustainable player, earn accolades, and win a share of a prize fund if they are one of the most sustainable players. The ATP advised that more than 200 players have already been onboarded since the app’s launch, and the early results are overwhelmingly positive. Rodolphe explained:
Sustainability is critical for us. In fact, the players demanded that tennis become more sustainable. The Carbon Tracker is a step forward, but only the beginning.
– Rodolphe Tastet, Vice President, Partnerships and Business Development, ATP Tour
Infosys and the ATP are bullish on GenAI’s potential within their organizations and have high hopes for the wider world of sports. Infosys believes it could use GenAI to provide players with more detailed, personalized analytics tools and capabilities, like how it links video with analytics, but at a much deeper level. The goal is to give every ATP tennis player access to the same level of data and analysis as Novak Djokovic, who has a team of analysts to critique and improve every aspect of his game—from his forehand and serve to his serve and slice—perhaps the reason he is the world’s number one player. The end goal is simple: Improve the quality of the sport for fans. In addition, Generative AI could have very real implications on the game, as Rodolphe explained:
We’re already using AI to generate automated content, but there’s lots more to come. For example, we’re looking at leveraging AI for line calling in our tournaments; we might see that in 2025.
– Rodolphe Tastet, Vice President, Partnerships and Business Development, ATP Tour
Emerging technologies might democratize analytics in tennis, giving all players access to insight that is only available to the top players today. The secret sauce for success might not be a natural forehand or ripping backhand anymore, but instead a better understanding of opponents and how to gain advantage in key moments. Access to the benefits of technology (such as lower cost, ubiquitous access, or unlimited data), particularly GenAI, will not be limited to tennis in the sports realm.
However, professional tennis, with its focus on the individual and the decentralized nature of the tour, is the proving ground for technology to increase the level of the entire sport.
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