Wimbledon attendees this year have had the chance to test their skills against a robotic serving machine that mimics the serves of top tennis stars, from Emma Raducanu's 110mph delivery to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard's record-breaking 153mph torpedo. The machine, powered by 5G, recreates the speed, angle, and trajectory of serves from players like John McEnroe and Elina Svitolina.
Punters Take on the Robot
Alex Ellis, one of the participants, managed to return a simulated serve from John McEnroe but struggled against Elina Svitolina's. “I got one over the net from Sir McEnroe, so that will do, but 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.”
Oliver Kibblewhite, whose 5Gs agency created the machine for Vodafone, said the robot arm was built “very stout” to handle faster serves. Around half of punters were able to return at least one of three serves, with Raducanu's being the most popular to tackle.
Reality Check for Tennis Enthusiasts
Tennis coach Arthur Culicovschi found the experience “a reality check,” returning a serve from Jannik Sinner but missing ones from Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. Mori Arathoon from Germany noted the serve came from a much higher point than in his tennis league, resembling being struck from a second storey. “Now I can relate to [professional players] a bit,” he said.
Heatwave Preparations at Wimbledon
Wimbledon is preparing for an extended heatwave starting Friday, following temperatures reaching 35C (95F) last week. Tournament operations director Michelle Dite told reporters “this is how it is now,” after experiencing the qualifying championships as “hotter than the surface of the sun.”
“We have upped our shade and shelter here for the public,” she said. “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.”
Infrastructure and Horticultural Adaptations
New additions include a retractable roof on the tea lawn, shielding punters buying strawberries and cream, and two covered social spaces in the southern village and “Henman Hill” area. Wimbledon chief executive Sally Bolton said one focus is evolving planting 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 predictions of 45C by 2056.
Neil Stubley, head of courts and horticulture, said he is looking five to 10 years ahead to protect “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, though higher overnight temperatures of 30C would deprive grass of the cooler nights needed to recover.
Courts Adapt to Play Styles
Aside from weather, courts must adapt to different playing styles and match lengths. “Two male players – Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner – are notorious for sliding into their shots, so that means that tears in the turf,” Stubley said.
