SportAI Introduces Cutting-Edge AI-Driven Technique Analysis for Tennis Pros!

  • Editor
  • August 26, 2024
    Updated
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Key Takeaways:

  • SportAI is an Oslo-based startup backed by chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, focused on providing AI-powered technique analysis for tennis players.
  • The platform uses advanced technologies, including computer vision, machine learning, and biometric analysis, to offer personalized feedback on sports techniques.
  • SportAI is not a consumer product but is designed as a business-to-business platform, partnering with coaching associations, training academies, and broadcasters.
  • The company recently secured $1.8 million in seed funding, led by Skyfall Ventures, to further develop its technology and expand its client base.

SportAI, an Oslo-based startup, is making huge strides in the sports technology industry by introducing an AI-powered platform that enhances tennis players’ techniques.

The startup, which is backed by Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-ranked chess grandmaster, aims to democratize access to high-level sports analysis that has traditionally been reserved for elite athletes.

SportAI’s platform combines advanced technologies such as computer vision, machine learning, and biometric analysis to deliver personalized feedback on players’ techniques.

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The AI system can analyze video footage from various sources, including mobile phones, tennis court cameras, or broadcast feeds, and compare a player’s technique against professional athletes or a specific model they wish to emulate.

This technology assesses multiple aspects of a player’s swing, including hip and shoulder rotation, swing velocity, and angle of attack, providing tailored advice to help players improve their performance.

The approach taken by SportAI addresses a huge gap in the sports coaching industry, where technique analysis is often subjective, expensive, and unscalable.


CEO Lauren Pedersen, a former NCAA tennis player, highlighted the limitations of traditional coaching methods and saw an opportunity to use artificial intelligence to offer a more objective and accessible solution.

SportAI analyzed a tennis player’s swing in a demonstration video, comparing it to a professional’s curve.

The AI highlighted areas for improvement, measured critical metrics, and suggested specific adjustments, such as transferring weight more effectively and opting for a more compact backswing with a solid follow-through.


While SportAI is initially focusing on racquet sports like tennis and paddleball, the company plans to expand its technology to other sports involving swings, such as golf, baseball, and cricket.

However, the platform is not designed for direct consumer purchases. Instead, SportAI is positioning itself as a business-to-business service, seeking partnerships with coaching associations, training academies, retailers, brands, and broadcast media.

For example, SportAI could supplement live sports commentary in broadcasting by providing detailed comparisons of professional players’ techniques.

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Pedersen noted that the platform could engage fans by showing how a player like Rafael Nadal’s forehand or serve compares to Roger Federer’s.

SportAI has already secured its first client, a training platform that operates tennis clubs and is equipped with on-court cameras.

These cameras allow players to record their practice sessions, which are then analyzed by SportAI’s AI system. The service offers comprehensive statistics, technique analysis, personalized tips, and highlights, making high-level coaching more accessible to a broader range of players.

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The startup recently closed a $1.8 million seed funding round in August 2024, led by Skyfall Ventures. Other backers include the Norwegian pension fund MP Pensjon, former professional tennis player Dekel Valtzer, and chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen.

Founded in 2023, SportAI plans to use the funds to develop its technology further, expand its client base, and hire additional employees.

With the sports AI market projected to reach $30 billion by 2032, SportAI is positioned to play a key role in this rapidly evolving industry.


The company’s innovative approach not only enhances the way athletes train but also has the potential to transform sports commentary and fan engagement by providing deeper insights into the techniques of world-class athletes.

SportAI’s platform begins with racquet sports primarily because of the team’s expertise.

While this technology is initially not intended for direct consumer purchase, SportAI’s focus on business-to-business applications highlights its intent to scale and impact various sectors within the sports industry.

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By partnering with coaching associations, training academies, and media broadcasters, SportAI aims to integrate its AI technology into existing sports frameworks, offering a scalable and objective method for technique analysis.

One of the first adopters of this technology includes a training platform operating tennis clubs, where players can record their sessions using on-court cameras, enabling detailed AI-powered analysis.

For more news and insights, visit AI News on our website.

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Dave Andre

Editor

Digital marketing enthusiast by day, nature wanderer by dusk. Dave Andre blends two decades of AI and SaaS expertise into impactful strategies for SMEs. His weekends? Lost in books on tech trends and rejuvenating on scenic trails.

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