The 2025 Australian Open is now well underway, with the usual suspects largely making it into round two in Melbourne.
WTA and ATP defending champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner respectively have progressed, with 10-time winner Novak Djokovic also through.
The Australian Open crowd have been treated to plenty of exciting action, although spirits were somewhat dampened by heavy rainfall early on.
Tennis fans loved Sabalenka dancing on court following her win over Sloane Stephens, while they took the opposite approach when Daniil Medvedev smashed his racket on the net in his opening win over Kasidit Samrej.
Organisers of the Grand Slam have, however, also come into the spotlight, with fans criticising the Australian Open for its scheduling.
Australian Open praised for live-streaming animated matches
But that anger has turned to praise regarding its decision to live-stream animated matches on its YouTube channel, which contain match commentary and mirror player emotions.
The Wii Sports-like matches come given that the Australian Open doesn’t own all of its broadcasting rights, which is commonplace in major sporting events.
And it is a scenario that has been commended, with one follower of the event writing on X: “Animated tennis. Super smart innovation from the Australian Open. As well providing a clever solution to their rights issue, the animated version has the effect of attracting a new, younger audience to the sport. Genius.”
A second comment from a delighted fan read: “Why do I love this so much,” with a third reading: “This is so neat!”
Further praise arrived from a fourth viewer: “The Australian Open has really upped their video game this year. Cool camerawork and animation going down on YouTube.”
And other delighted fans chipped in with praise, saying: “I like this version better,” “This is amazing” and “What a workaround!”
Innovative idea from Australian Open deserves praise
Fans certainly cannot always access major events such as the Australian Open, so organisers deserve plenty of praise for this somewhat lateral thinking, which has also been used in the likes of the NBA.
It may have other tennis tournament organisers thinking about how they can garner a worldwide audience or simply attract more fans, with the French Open and Wimbledon up next.
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Improvements are likely possible with more time and funds, but for now it is an innovative and very fun way for fans to view the first Grand Slam of 2025.
Remarkably, however, there was plenty of detail in Medvedev’s round one outburst, with his camera-breaking outburst spotted on the animated livestream.
Around 450 viewers were at one point tuning in to home favourite Alex de Minaur in the first night session match of day three, with the Australian having taken on Botic van de Zandschulp on Rod Laver Arena.
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