When world number three and top-ranked American tennis player Jessica Pegula stepped up to the baseline to serve against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals at the U.S. Open on Thursday night, it wasn’t only cameras from fans, broadcasters, or journalists capturing her every move.
That’s because at the start of this year’s tournament, IBM launched a new feature in the U.S. Open’s app with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) as part of their ongoing partnership. Called “serve quality,” it tracks over 20 points on Pegula’s body (and every other singles athlete competing at the tournament on both the men’s and women’s side) using technology powered by cameras.
