Feel like a star with hi-tech tennis court
CENTENNIAL Parklands tennis courts now have state-of-the-art interactive cameras that can live stream games and provide serve and ball speed. They are the second in Australia after Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open.
Southern Courier
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AS THE world’s best tennis players carve up the courts at the Australian Open, amateurs now have their own opportunity to feel like a star.
Centennial Parklands Sports Centre at Moore Park has introduced a state-of-the-art interactive HD camera and kiosk smart court system, the only one of its kind in NSW and only the second in Australia after Melbourne Park.
The PlaySight system is designed to help improve players’ techniques by recording games or practice sessions and providing real-time data such as serve and ball speed. Users can download the app, create a highlights package to watch on their phones or live-stream their games on social media.
The system, which is part of an $800,000 sports centre upgrade, was launched to the public last Friday.
The centre’s tennis manager Nathan Bowden-Haase said the system allowed players to analyse their performance and shot selection.
“There are four analytical cameras and one recording camera — they can tell if people are hitting forehands, backhands in certain areas of the court, it can tell the speed and how much spin you’ve got on the ball.”
Bowden-Haase said PlaySight could also be used as a self-coaching system and would be available to all members of the public for a small fee on top of court hire.
Delphi Hinchcliffe, 13, from Phillip Bay, plays regularly at the centre and receives coaching. She tried PlaySight on Friday.
“It is really interesting to see how all my shots played out and how you can see it replayed on the screen,” she said.
“It’s good for my coach to show me what I am doing well and what I’m doing not so well.”
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Centennial Park head coach Adrian Montgomery said he had used the system when coaching in Austria.
“I think it’s great because it really is for everyone,” he said.
“Little kids can use it just to see themselves on TV, social players can use it to help their tennis and with elite players you can really break down technical and tactical aspects of their game.”
The centre has 11 courts open seven days a week.
For more details: Call 9662 7033 or go to parklandssports.com.au/tennis/