AI is stepping onto the tennis court and into personal lives faster than ever. Players are scouting opponents with smart algorithms. Fans are seeing new tech that measures every shot. But AI isn’t just playing games—it’s reshaping love and parenting too. What does this mean for sports and society? Let’s dive in.
Tennis Players Level Up with AI Tools
Emma Raducanu swears by ChatGPT. She asked it to create a personalized “Chat Wrapped” — a rundown of her personality and habits. She said, “I use Chat a lot. Every small thing I do it and I got this idea. So, you know how Spotify do a Spotify Wrapped? I asked ChatGPT to make me a Chat Wrapped, and it was giving me a rundown on my personality.”
This shows how AI is no longer just about stats. It’s personal. It helps players understand themselves better, on and off the court.
Jessica Pegula heard whispers of players using ChatGPT and similar tools to scout opponents. She admitted, “I don’t know if they fully 100% listen to it, but I think maybe they cross-reference to see how accurate it is.”
Bianca Andreescu put the tech to the test herself. She faced an unfamiliar opponent on the ITF circuit with almost no video footage available. “There weren’t many videos on her. So I was curious. Because Chat will scout other sources, right? And I was like: ‘Please be specific. Please do your research.’ And I think it worked out well,” she said.
Not all players want AI in their game. Frances Tiafoe refuses to touch ChatGPT or similar AI tools. He wants to rely on his own instincts, not algorithms. The divide in tennis is clear—some embrace AI, others reject it.
Tracking Performance with Tennis IQ
The ATP is pushing the tech envelope too. They launched Tennis IQ, a platform that processes in-match data. It measures a player’s performance rating and shot quality in real time. Imagine knowing exactly how good your backhand or serve is during a match.
Ben Shelton, currently ATP number 10, is gearing up for a strong summer run. He has a packed schedule with tournaments in Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati before the US Open. Shelton said, “It’s a great three-tournament run before having a week off leading up to the US Open. I’m just kind of going for it.”
Shelton recently reached the Washington quarterfinals and is focusing on momentum, not defending points from his 2025 victory. He also noted the grueling nature of two-week tournaments, saying, “The two-week tournaments — I think there’s a lack of sustainability, for sure, but I don’t know if there’s a different way to go about it.”
Meanwhile, Gael Monfils, in his final ATP season, won his first-round match in Montreal 6-4, 6-4 over Kamil Majchrzak. “I felt like I played well. I was serving really good, tried to be very accurate with my first serve and then second serve tried to be super aggressive and then use my forehand. I felt more and more I could hold his pace,” Monfils said.
The Montreal tournament is missing some stars, including world number one Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, who has 24 Grand Slam wins. Alexander Zverev is the top seed this year, setting the stage for new champions to emerge.
AI Love, Parenting, and Controversy
AI’s reach goes far beyond sports. It’s stirring up debates in love and parenting. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced criticism last week for suggesting parents use ChatGPT to create podcasts about their children’s activities. This idea sparked worry over privacy and the role of AI in family life.
Romantic relationships with AI bots are already common. A survey of 1,012 US adults found 28% have had at least one romantic relationship with an AI bot. Among children, a device activity study of over 3,000 kids revealed 63% of conversations with AI companions involved sexual or romantic role play.
In the UK, one in five boys aged 12 to 16 is either in or knows someone in a relationship with an AI companion. The AI love market is booming, projected to hit a staggering US$972.1 billion by 2035.
Some people see their AI companions as spouses. Others even want to raise children with their bots. Yet experts warn these AI bots offer devotion, not true love. Joel Krueger and Lucy Osler, philosophers who study AI love, call these bots “identity parasites.” They have no inner world or goals of their own. They don’t love—they simulate devotion.
What’s Next for AI and Sports?
AI is already transforming tennis—from scouting to performance analysis. Players who adapt may gain an edge. But questions remain about fairness and the human element in sport. Will AI tools become mandatory? Or will players like Frances Tiafoe hold the line for old-school grit?
Outside the court, AI is reshaping how we connect. The rise of AI romance and parenting tools challenges our ideas about relationships and care. Society must decide where to draw the line.
The future is unfolding fast. Tennis tournaments buzz with data. AI companions grow more lifelike. The game is changing—and so are we.
Based on
- Game, set, Chat: how tennis players use AI to scout opponents and run their lives — theguardian.com
- Working Parents Share How They Use AI to Streamline Tasks – Business Insider — businessinsider.com
- People are falling in love with AI. But can it love you back? | The Independent — independent.co.uk
- Defending champ Shelton finding tournament sweet spot in Montreal | AFP.com — www-pp.afp.com
- After Ref Cam lights up World Cup, what’s next for Lenovo’s AI tech in football? | South China Morning Post — scmp.com
