The US Open begins today and Tennis followers all over the world might be tuning into the motion on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle to observe this era’s most elite gamers compete.
Probably the greatest tennis gamers of all time who made his profession within the earlier era, Pete Sampras joined us to speak about his distinctive involvement in bringing a brand new and thrilling expertise to the followers of today’s international tennis setting.
Winner of 5 US Open titles, Sampras thrilled tennis fan on the US Open for greater than a decade and is aware of what it feels wish to play at Arthur Ashe Stadium, some of the iconic tennis courts on the planet.
In collaboration with American Categorical, Pete together with former US Open Ladies’s Champion Monica Seles and up-and-coming US expertise Taylor Fritz are collaborating within the American Categorical Pro Stroll to provide tennis followers an immersive expertise and a chance to really feel what it’s wish to stroll from the locker room out onto the courtroom of the newly-renovated Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I needed to be a part of a fan expertise and attempt to clarify the feelings I went by way of throughout my profession. We hope to convey the followers to really feel the nerves and the thrill of strolling onto the courtroom,” stated Sampras once we requested about him concerning the new initiative.
“Tennis followers have so some ways to expertise the video games today, whether or not it’s streaming or attending the video games, and I needed – together with Monica and Taylor- to offer them with an up shut and private view of our experiences and transmit the sense of delight and pleasure of performing particularly on the US Open. For me, it was just like the SuperBowl. The eyes of the world on you, and as a participant it was all the time a thrill to carry out in entrance of the followers on the US Open,” he defined.
With the assistance of Sampras and Seles, American Categorical is giving followers the chance to stroll out into the revamped Arthur Ashe stadium. A fan expertise has been created that mixes replicas of the participant locker room and tunnel, holograms of former US Open champions Pete Sampras and Monica Seles, three-dimensional sound, and projection mapping of the stadium. Right here’s a glimpse of the expertise.
Moreover, Pete offered us together with his ideas on the influence of know-how on the sport of Tennis.
“I feel it’s nice. From an gear standpoint, and efficiency monitoring, the extra info gamers get, the higher. Something that may improve physique health, eating regimen, and participant enchancment is sweet for the sport in the long run. Whether or not it’s wearable units, apps, racket know-how or higher footwear, it’ll solely make the sport higher and hold followers engaged.”
The tennis legend additionally acknowledged that know-how does have its limits and there’ll all the time be a necessity for a coach and human contact. “Coaches nonetheless have an enormous half to play. Whether or not it’s getting ready you mentally earlier than an enormous match, or offering insights on what a participant must work on to good his recreation, or a report in your subsequent opponent, these are issues solely a coach will be capable of give.”
Lastly, with the US Open beginning on Monday, how does he really feel about US Males’s Tennis’ prospects? Is he nervous concerning the present state of American tennis with no US participant within the prime 20 coming into the Slam?
“It’s going to take a while. It’s a cycle. The recreation has improved quite a bit. Everywhere in the world, increasingly individuals are enjoying tennis versus soccer, and there’s extra competitors. The US has good gamers arising – similar to Taylor- however it is going to take time.”
Hopefully, with followers getting a glimpse to really feel what the tennis legend went via throughout his profession, extra US followers will decide up the racket and improve America’s standing in world tennis.
