New opportunities in Tennis

In 2024, technologies are developing incredibly rapidly. Literally every day, from all corners of the internet, and not only there, we hear about new achievements in the field of robotics, electronics, and the computer market. Changes are also evident in the video game industry, which, since its inception in the last century, has undergone a tumultuous evolution.

Today, video games constitute a huge market with massive potential, estimated in billions of dollars. What was once a niche hobby has grown into a fascination for new generations and is becoming increasingly widespread with each passing day. Notably, the popularity of video games is also achieved by “transferring” classic sports into the virtual sphere. This applies to almost all canonical sports, including tennis. And it is about tennis, or more precisely the development of tennis in computer games, that we will talk about.

Let’s discuss how tennis transitioned from clay courts to pixels, how modern technologies enhance the gaming process, and what to expect in the future.

The Path of Tennis from Clay and Grass to Pixels

If we believe Wikipedia, and I do trust it, tennis was invented in 1878. Initially, it was a social game for the entertainment of guests by the respectable Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. However, could Wingfield have imagined that in the future, and not so distant, tennis would become one of the most recognizable and popular sports in the world? And that players at Grand Slam tournaments would receive millions of dollars, with Rolex becoming sponsors of the competitions? He probably couldn’t, but here we are.

We won’t delve into historical lectures and describe the two-hundred-year history of tennis, especially since that’s not quite what interests us. What interests us is how tennis evolved and found its way into computer games. Tennis, like, for example, casinos, once seemed suitable only for physical recreation, but then online casino appeared, and so did tennis.

Several key game series played a significant role in the development of tennis as computer games. In my opinion, these are Wii Sports Tennis and Mario Tennis. There’s an explanation for this: Wii Sports Tennis gained popularity due to the immense hype surrounding the Wii console in the 2010s, and Mario Tennis is a game about tennis in the universe of one of the most popular franchises in human history. That’s how these two game series infected gamers with love for computer sports simulators, including tennis.

Why are tennis video games popular?

Earlier, I already explained why some tennis games became quite popular. In short, it’s the recognizability of franchises, as in the case of Mario Tennis, as well as the popularity of new technologies at the time, such as the Wii gaming console. However, there are more down-to-earth reasons for the rapid popularity of computer tennis games.

Firstly, it’s the opportunity to feel like a real professional player. Just think, you can find yourself on the Wimbledon court without leaving home. To me, that’s a huge plus.

Secondly, you can challenge tennis legends like Agassi, Nadal, Federer, and others. Let’s agree, in real life, it would require quite an effort, but here, you just turn on your device, literally any device, and there you are, competing with Nadal on the court. The ability to play video game tennis from different devices is another plus.

Today, you don’t need to go to the court, rent or buy a tennis racket to play a match: you turn on your computer or console (or portable console) and off you go. And if you crave a bit of physical activity, you can play tennis on Kinect. Although I doubt you can find it anywhere.

The evolution of online tennis and what it has brought

Of course, playing tennis without leaving home is enjoyable, but competing is almost certainly more enjoyable. Thanks to internet technologies, such opportunities have appeared in tennis games.

Multiplayer has captured the gaming industry on the day when the internet became a global and accessible phenomenon. And this has opened up tennis video games from a different perspective. Now, you could not only challenge the legend of tennis but become one yourself and compete not against bots but real people. This experience definitely pushed the development of tennis games.

The ability to play tennis online has noticeably expanded boundaries. While previously, those wishing to play against each other had to come up with dances with a drum and a local network, now people from different countries, different time zones can easily have a joint online session without any obstacles. Moreover, online tennis is a highly inclusive activity. Men and women can compete against each other without any organizational restrictions present in big tennis.

Ultimately, while multiplayer is an incredibly important milestone in the development of online tennis, in 2024, there is something much more global. Something that will almost certainly change the perception and mechanics of online tennis, as well as almost everything around it. And that something is Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence and its impact on online tennis?

Artificial Intelligence has firmly integrated into the modern ecosystem of technologies, and games are no exception. Developers increasingly turn to it for help, and it delivers!

One of the obvious advantages of artificial intelligence is its ability to significantly enhance virtual opponents. Agree, in most online games, including tennis, bots are quite rudimentary and almost never pose serious competition. However, with the development of artificial intelligence, these same bots can become much stronger opponents than real people. Just think about the OpenAI bot presented in Dota 2, which left no chance for the world’s best players. However, this takes time, but there are possibilities that could be available right now.

I’m talking about the ability of artificial intelligence to train. For me, the ability to seek advice on the game without leaving the screen is a major plus. No need for paid sessions with a coach, just communication and monitoring with a specially designed bot with artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

Although tennis was initially invented as a leisure activity, it rapidly became a popular sport and quickly transitioned into the online space. Over time, such cooperation will only expand, and the development of technologies like Artificial Intelligence will globally change the perception of the game and its rules. However, these are all prospects. For now, we can continue to enjoy sets and games, spending time with friends, or competing with people around the world.