Australian Open Names PONGBOT Its Official Ball Machine

The Australian Open is adding a new piece of technology to its training arsenal.   

PONGBOT has been named the Official Ball Machine of the Australian Open and the Official Ball Machine Supplier of Australia’s National Tennis Academy as part of a multi-year partnership that will begin taking shape at the 2027 tournament.   

The deal puts PONGBOT’s AI-powered training technology on one of tennis’ biggest stages, with its machines expected to be used for high-performance training, repetition, data collection and performance analysis. 

The partnership will also extend beyond the practice court. PONGBOT is planning an Australian Open co-branded ball machine featuring both brands on the machine body and ball hopper, while fans at the tournament are expected to have opportunities to interact with the technology.

Source: PONGBOT

For a company founded in 2019, the Australian Open deal represents a significant move into the center of professional tennis.

“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,” PONGBOT CEO Haibo Zhang said. “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 specializes in AI-powered training equipment and intelligent robotics. Its AI Coach platform is designed to go beyond traditional programmed ball feeds by incorporating data and training intelligence into practice sessions.

Source: PONGBOT

Tennis Australia Chief Commercial Officer Cedric Cornelis said the technology fits with the Australian Open’s push to keep experimenting with new ways to develop players and engage fans.

“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,” Cornelis said.

The National Tennis Academy component may ultimately be the most meaningful part of the partnership. PONGBOT technology will be available to players inside Australia’s development pathway, putting the machines into an environment built around repetition, coaching and measurable improvement.

Ball machines have been part of tennis training for decades. The next race appears to be over how intelligent they can become.

Press conference

By Florida Tennis Staff. Sources: PONGBOT / PR Newswire; Australian Open; Tennis Australia. Video: PongBotSports (YouTube).

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