Flood Of Statistics Is Becoming Available To The WTA Tour

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 25th October 2013

Flood Of Statistics Is Becoming Available To The WTA Tour

epa03922949 Turkish children try to get autograph from Serena Williams of the US after her match against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic for the WTA Championships tennis tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, 24 October 2013. EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU |

Sport is becoming more and more saturated by statistics and the new sponsorship deal, or global relationship, between the WTA and SAP only serves to enhance the move forward.

In the build up to the season ending TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships in Istanbul, the women’s tour and SAP have worked closely together to develop tools that help coaches track player performance throughout matches.

Now even a once skeptical Serena Williams is a convert. “In the past I have not paid a lot of attention to stats, but now I think they are very important,” said the world no.1. “Recently, since the WTA has been able to merge with the new partner, I have been looking more into stats.

“I really believe in change, and I think technology can really help a player. And having that opportunity to have different types of stats on different players, it can only help you, so I’m a big fan.”

Serena’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou endorsed the new technology as a great help in his work, not just with the reigning French Open and US Open champion but all the youngsters at his academy outside of Paris. “When you work as a coach, the first thing that you need is to have the correct information,” he said.

“When we watch a match, we all have our own perception of tennis, and we all have emotions, those two things that just make the distortion between reality and what we perceive as being the reality.

“For many years I have been making stats by myself, with my pen and my paper and it takes many, many hours. So I see this new technology as really a big step for us being a top sport. It exists already in soccer, in sailing, in golf also. I’m very happy that now it comes to tennis. It’s very, very important for us, and we are just going to be better.”

Agnieszka Radwanska’s coach Tomasz Wiktorowski agreed. “An increased understanding of my player and her opponent’s game can give me an edge that could mean the difference between winning and losing,” he said.

“Access to tailored SAP data is making a real difference to the way coaches work. We can now provide players with more strategic advice, improving their preparation and ultimately on court performance.”

Clearly SAP is more than delighted to be involved and the company’s, Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Initiatives, Steve Peck said “We are excited to work with the WTA to help take the tennis experience to the next level for fans, media, players and coaches.

“The innovative solutions we have developed for Istanbul are only the beginning of what we plan to deliver for the tennis world in 2014 and beyond.”

Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Bnp Paribas, French Open, Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open, Wta