As the iconic Wimbledon Championships prepare to kick off on June 30th, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and long-standing technology partner IBM are set to unveil two groundbreaking AI-powered solutions designed to revolutionize the fan experience. From the comfort of their homes to the hallowed grounds of the All England Club, fans will be able to engage with the world-renowned tennis tournament in ways never before possible.
For over three decades, Wimbledon has partnered with IBM to captivate its global audience, which last year reached an astounding 670 million viewers across all channels. This year, the focus is squarely on deeper immersion and interaction, thanks to the power of IBM’s watsonx platform.
“These new AI-solutions supported by IBM’s watsonx will allow fans to immerse and engage with matches in a way they have never done before,” stated Chris Clements, Digital Products Lead at the All England Club, in a recent press release.
Leading the charge are two innovative features: Match Chat and Live Likelihood to Win.
Match Chat: Your Real-Time Tennis Companion
Making its debut at the 138th edition of The Championships, Match Chat is an interactive AI assistant that promises to be a game-changer for fans. Available during live singles matches and post-match coverage, Match Chat will answer real-time questions, whether posed through pre-written prompts like “What are the key factors in this match?” or through natural language inquiries.
“Some fans are interested in knowing who is more likely to win, who has served more aces during the match, or learning about the rich traditions of Wimbledon,” explained Tyler Sidell, IBM’s Technical Program Director for Sports and Entertainment Partnerships. Match Chat, built with technologies on watsonx Orchestrate including a collection of AI agents and large language models (LLMs) like IBM Granite, has been meticulously trained on Wimbledon’s unique editorial style and the language of tennis, ensuring responses are authentic and accurate. The AELTC will also monitor the solution for continued accuracy, with post-match analysis available in IBM SlamTracker.
Live Likelihood to Win: Tracking Momentum in Real-Time

Building on previous iterations, the enhanced Live Likelihood to Win solution leverages AI projections to determine the probable winner of a singles match with near real-time updates. Unlike its predecessor, which predicted winners based on pre-match performance, this new version will dynamically update after each point, factoring in the unpredictable twists and turns of elite tennis.
“You can see how the momentum is shifting from player to player in a given match,” said Sidell. This feature acknowledges that in the world of top-tier tennis, current form, mental resilience, and fluctuating momentum often dictate the outcome, making dramatic comebacks a constant possibility.
These new fan-centric features align with the All England Club’s broader strategic goals: to deliver an unparalleled engaging fan experience across its digital platforms and to foster the growth of the global tennis community. In an age where fans have myriad options for staying informed, interactive and captivating content is key.
“What draws fans to Wimbledon’s digital platforms? It’s our interactive, engaging content—it sparks curiosity and keeps them coming back. It’s content that captivates, and in doing so, the Wimbledon App becomes a true ambassador for the brand,” Sidell emphasized.
As strawberries and cream, Pimm’s, and the anticipation of spotting the Princess of Wales in the Royal Box beckon, this year’s Wimbledon promises not only thrilling tennis action but also an unprecedented level of digital engagement, all powered by the continuous innovation of the All England Club and IBM. The Championships begin on Monday, June 30th, running through July 13th.