The 2024 tennis season might be coming to an end, with just the ATP Tour finals set to take place in Turin, Italy, from November 10 to 17. But Wimbledon has returned with an extra special ace up its sleeve.
Historically known for hosting the most traditional and prestigious tennis tournament in the world, the All England Lawn Tennis Club has embraced technology one step further (move over Hawkeye and closed stadium roofs) in the form of entering the popular eSports arena, hosting the first live in-person TopSpin 2K25 Wimbledon eChamps final.
Chris Clements, Digital Product Lead at Wimbledon AELTC explains “What we are doing with eSports perfectly compliments and works really well alongside tennis ... gaming will definitely be part of our future strategy and ultimately gets more people with the sport of tennis which a positive”.
“It’s reaching out and engaging with people in a way that is really relevant to them and it’s fantastic to be able to work with these innovations and how we take the rich elements of Wimbledon and vital heritage to a new audience and give an opportunity to deepen that engagement at different point in the year and be entertaining with a fantastic eChamps show”.
“We had over 1,000 entrants with a lot of them high skilled players at eSports and we were really happy the number people who have competed week in and week out (since July) during this competition”.
What is TopSpin 2K25?
TopSpin 2K25 was launched earlier this year. The tennis-based computer game series has been around for more than a decade and is one of the most favoured simulations of all-time, featuring a host of tennis icons and superb gameplay across a variety of different surfaces, be in grass, hard or clay court.
How do the final stages of the Wimbledon eChamps Tournament work?
The finalists will compete in the best of three sets and progress to the next round in a seeded knockout format (which usually last around 30 mins) and with some really nice Wimbledon touches during the knockout stages. However, there will be no tactical towel antics, the need for court services during a rain shower or a recovery ice bath for the finalists!
Where and when will the eChamps final take place?
The live final is set to take place within the hallowed grounds of SW19 on Thursday, September 12, featuring eight competitors who have qualified from around the globe battling it out to become the inaugural Wimbledon eChampion.
What is the prize for the eChamps winner?
The champion will take home a unique gold-plated PlayStation 5 trophy with their name etched on it, together with an all-expenses paid trip to the 2025 Gentlemen’s Singles Final (not to mention those all important bragging rights!).
Are there any British players to watch out for at Wimbledon eChamps?
Gareth and Brad Zellman are two brothers from Scotland who have qualified for the final stages and dare to dream that one of them might follow in the digital footsteps of Andy Murray by winning Wimbledon on home turf.
This is a world away from their everyday living as carpet fitters for their family run business in Dunfermline.
Gareth Zellman quips “We are quite nervous, but both really excited, as this is our first eSports tournament. It’s quite surreal being in the final stages here at Wimbledon.
Brad adds “I entered the competition just for a laugh and I wouldn’t turn down an offer to train professional for a team in a nice house in Beverley Hills”. My Dad and the family business might have something to say about that though!”
Gareth goes on to say “I previously played TopSpin 4 which released over 10 years ago and I was addicted to, playing morning, noon and night. I’ve now got 3 kids, so they take up a lot of time and don’t play the latest version as much as I would like, but maybe 1-2 hours a day and a bit longer at the weekend, when I send the kids away with their Mum!”.
“I knew that I was good at this game, but unfortunately Brad is better (he qualified for the tournament first). When playing against him, I change from the usual baseline battles to serve and volley, because it winds him up!”.
“We don’t play tennis but are big fans. Andy Murray is a hero of mine and it does help to understand the sport. I reckon I can take Murray out in straight sets at TopSpin 2K25!”.
Andy Murray is no stranger to video game. He actually dropped into the American Express Fan Experience during The Championships and thoroughly enjoyed it (even making similar grunts!)
How can I watch the TopSpin 2K25 action?
The competition will be broadcast live on Wimbledon Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok from 1pm and is brought to you in connection with official sponsor American Express and backed by BLAST, which produces some of the world’s biggest eSports events.
For further information, check out the website here.
