![Two young tennis stars surprised as Emma Raducanu coaches them, 4,000 miles away](/upload/news/2023/04/24/43082.jpg)
Two aspiring young tennis stars were stunned when they received a coaching session from Emma Raducanu – from 4,000 miles away.
In a first-of-its-kind tennis lesson, the 20-year-old British women's number one appeared in live, holographic form on a tennis court in London – despite actually being in Abu Dhabi.
And 12-year-old T'nae Diamond Paisley, as well as 14-year-old Sam Clague, had no idea that the tennis pro was going to appear on the other side of the net from them at the All England Club's Community Tennis Centre, in Wimbledon.
The pair were able to rally against the hologram of their idol, and benefit from Emma's tips and advice in real-time – as well as snapping a one-of-a-kind selfie with her.
The coaching sessions were powered by Vodafone's 5G network, as the mobile phone provider also commissioned research of 2,000 tennis fans to find out how they predict the game will evolve in years to come.
Predictions included “multi-ball mode”, smart balls, and nets which provide detailed data on the game – as well as the addition of hologram coaches who are able to go on court during matches.
Emma Raducanu, Vodafone’s Play Your Way to Wimbledon ambassador, said: “The next generation of tennis starts with the future generation of players.
“It is amazing to see how it can help players of all levels by giving them access to coaches no matter where they are, which will help the game continue to grow in 2023 and beyond.
“Coaching Sam and T’nae in the first ever 5G hologram tennis lesson scratches the surface with this type of technology, and hopefully means coaches will be able to train more future Wimbledon stars wherever they are in the world.”
The research also found 47% believe future advances in technology could improve the way kids learn to play the game, and 43% think it could change how they’re introduced to the sport.
When it comes to watching tennis, 63% would enjoy a “more interactive” experience, with 62% wanting to feel more immersed in the action – whether that’s watching on TV or in person.
And 17% love the idea of body cameras on the players – while other tech modifications fans would like to see in the future include a drone camera you can control yourself, connected rackets, and smart sensors on players for improved game stats.
Further wishes included games being played in more varied and outlandish destinations – such as on the side of a mountain, or floating on a body of water.
More than seven in ten (71%) of those polled, via OnePoll.com, believe more technology leading to more analysis will help improve the sport.
Dr Ian Pearson, who has been a futurologist for 32 years, said: “This 5G technology opens up endless possibilities for tennis in the future.
“Seeing the tech in action, with Emma Raducanu coaching the next generation of British players, is just the first of so many real-life applications of this tech in sports across the world.”
It also emerged that some of the top things those polled love about the sport include the sheer skill involved, the rivalry between players, and the strong personalities.
And 84% have been known to pick up a racket themselves – though only 17% do so often.
But 81% love the idea of taking on a hologram that’s been trained to learn the moves and tactics of their favourite player.
Max Taylor, chief commercial officer at Vodafone, said: “Our 5G hologram coaching session with Emma Raducanu showcases the power of our 5G network.
“We are committed to using our connectivity to create opportunities for the next generation of talent.”
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