Surbiton_Trophy_Programme_2017

An aerial drone
captures images of the
All England Club.
photo: skyvantage
ain. When it comes to tennis, it’s the ultimate
R dampener. But for how long? Given the
exponential advances in roof engineeering over
recent years, it wouldn’t be surprising if clubs and
stadia all over the world soon started installing
retractable roofs to shield players and spectators
from the elements. Wimbledon, of course, is on its
way to constructing a second roof (on No.1 Court).
Melbourne Park already has three retractable roofs,
the US Open has one, and there are also outdoor
tennis stadia with retractable roofs in Shanghai,
Beijing, Wuhan, Hamburg, Madrid, Halle and
Tokyo. Who knows? Perhaps one day even Surbiton
will have one? British summer, do your worst!
The way professional tennis is filmed and
broadcast is all set to change drastically, too.
Since it was first introduced in 2006, Hawk-
Eye technology has proved to be enormously
successful, adding an extra element of drama
when the balls land close to the lines. Aerial video
drones might soon become commonplace, too,
especially at large venues where there are multiple
courts to cover.
Currently drones are used most effectively
in sports played out across wide areas or in
inaccessible places: golf, trail running, road
cycling, mountain biking, rally driving, horse
racing, rock climbing, surfing and sailing, for
example. Thanks to the drones, TV spectators are
placed right in the thick of the action – whether
that’s halfway up mountains, out at sea, in the
middle of the desert, or lost in the rough. But
they could add an exciting element to tennis, too.
Imagine a drone swooping across the entirety of
Surbiton Racket & Fitness Club, giving viewers a
bird’s-eye vista of all the action, and zooming in
on the most intriguing matches. Much cheaper
(and quieter) than hiring a helicopter to do the
same job.
Toby Pocock is owner of aerial filming specialists
Skyvantage, based in the Surrey town of Reigate. In
2015 he used his drones to take stunning aerial
www.LTA.org.uk/aegonsurbitontrophy @SurbitonTrophy 13