Tennis Australia has partnered with sports technology company PongBot, as the Official Ball Machine of the Australian Open and Official Ball Machine Supplier of the National Tennis Academy.
The multi-year partnership focuses on innovation, participation and performance, with PongBot set to deliver new experiences for fans and players at AO27.
Founded in 2019, PongBot is a leading Chinese sports technology company specialising in AI-powered training equipment and intelligent robotics. Its products, including AI Coach, support both high-performance training and everyday sport.
PongBot brings AI-powered training technology to the Grand Slam stage and is an illustration of the Australian Open’s commitment to ongoing innovation.
"The Australian Open has built a reputation as one of the most innovative events in world sport, constantly looking for new ways to elevate the fan experience and support tennis participation and player development opportunities," Tennis Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer Cedric Cornelis said.
"PongBot’s AI-driven training technology brings a fresh perspective to the sport, offering new ways for players to train and how people engage with the sport. We're excited to work together to bring these innovations to the Australian Open and inspire the next generation of players and fans."
“We’re proud to partner with the Australian Open, united by a belief that innovation should help more people enjoy tennis and improve their game. Through AI Coach, we aim to change the way players train and help them turn sustained effort into meaningful progress. That ambition is at the heart of this partnership,” PongBot CEO Haibo Zhang said.
The partnership will also see PongBot provide training technology to the next generation of athletes, enhancing consistency, repetition, data collection and performance analysis.
As the Australian Open continues to expand its position as a global leader in sport, entertainment and technology, the partnership with PongBot demonstrates a shared vision to make tennis training more accessible, engaging and innovative.