The Match:
It's the middle of May, right before the Wimbledon next month, and all attention is on this unique match rather than the upcoming grand slam. Sani, currently ranked No. 1 in world women's tennis, is in the spotlight. Nadairobot, an unconventional player with no formal ranking, is gaining fame for its strong and accurate serves, often exceeding 140 MPH.
In the first set, Sani found herself struggling to return the ball. Nadairobot's serves were just too powerful and precise, even managing to ace Sani on almost every serve. It seemed as if Nadairobot could predict Sani's serves with uncanny accuracy as well. However, Sani observed that Nadairobot struggled with high jumps and was slow to move in certain directions. Using this insight, she attempted to spread her hits as wide as possible and lob the ball whenever she could. Despite her efforts, it was too late for the first set, and Nadairobot led the match 6-2.
In the second set, Sani continued to have difficulty countering Nadairobot's serves. Nevertheless, by exploiting the Nadairobot's weaknesses, she managed to hold her own. The score was tied at 2:2, with Nadairobot serving, when a medical timeout was called. It seemed that Nadairobot's arm had encountered a problem, requiring a technician to fix it.
The game stretched into a tiebreaker, with the score teetering at a tense 14:14. The match was proving hard to predict. Sani was showing signs of fatigue, while Nadairobot, in contrast, showed no signs of tiring. Unfortunately for Sani, a double fault on her part cost her the match.
The year is 2038, and this match marked the first-ever showdown between a human and a tennis-playing AI robot.
The Dance:
Artificial Intelligence at Wimbledon 2023
Wimbledon 2023 has begun its dance with AI. In a partnership with IBM, the tournament has debuted generative AI video commentary and highlight clips, making it an avant-garde marriage of tradition and technology.
Wimbledon considers replacing line judges with AI
The U.S. Open and the Australian Open have already switched to using cameras to track the ball and determine its landing position, but Wimbledon and the French Open have yet to make the move.
Jamie Baker, the tournament director of the championships, stated that the tournament "is not making any decisions at this point," but added that they are always looking for ways to "change and innovate."
