750 million fans and 2.7 million data points: How IBM’s AI powers Wimbledon from hidden ‘Court 19’ 

When Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s serve was clocked at 153 mph last summer—the fastest in Wimbledon history—the number flashed on the scoreboard before the ball had stopped bouncing. That instant readout traces back to 1991, when IBM first brought serve-speed radar to the Championships, planting radar guns behind the baselines. 

Thirty-six years later, IBM remains Wimbledon’s technology partner, having built the tournament’s website in 1995, its app in 2009, and first introduced AI features in 2017. This year, the partnership was extended until 2030 to carry out a new digital transformation plan, designed, in the words of Wimbledon’s marketing and commercial director Usama Al-Qassab, to “engage more people in more places, more often, in more meaningful ways.” 

More than half a million visitors attend Wimbledon over the Grand Slam fortnight. Yet they’re a fraction of the audience following along on its app. Wimbledon generated roughly 18 billion impressions across its digital channels, reaching an estimated 730 million people in 2025, according to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.  

In the past year, visits to the official Wimbledon website and app increased by over 20% and registrations to myWimbledon grew by 39%. The app operates year-round for ticketing, player services, and member bookings, before traffic surges during the Championships.  

IBM’s hidden technology hub, nicknamed “Court 19”, lies beneath Wimbledon’s 18th grass court. Over the course of the tournament, 2.7 million data points—including ball speed, shot placement, and momentum swings—are processed through the tech facility.  

For a company like IBM, a partnership with Wimbledon isn’t just about tennis, it’s a proving ground. Kameryn Stanhouse, IBM’s vice president of global sports and entertainment partnerships, tells Fortune there’s a “real fear around AI” among executives. “Not because leaders doubt they need to adopt it, but because they know their jobs may be on the line if they roll it out badly,”........

© Fortune