Revealed: Why the Australian Open is live streaming an alternative Wii Tennis-style broadcast during this year's competition
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The Australian Open appear to have found an ingenious way of getting around broadcasting restrictions at this year's competition. Four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz got his campaign underway against Alexander Shevchenko in Melbourne on Monday and fans were treated to an alternative view of proceedings.
![[The use of the cartoon-like figures reportedly allows the organisers to get around broadcasting restrictions]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/13/16/94043717-14279287-image-a-3_1736786164172.jpg)
The two players took a much larger and rounded shape than normal as they were depicted as cartoons similar to that which is seen on the hit Wii Tennis games. Better still, their on-court actions were mimicked by the animated figures, providing an extraordinary experience for tennis fans.
![[Third seed Carlos Alcaraz (pictured) made light work of his first round opponent Alexander Shevchenko]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/13/16/94043695-14279287-image-a-1_1736786155996.jpg)
According to author and tennis reporter Bastien Fachan, the addition is down to a broadcasting rights issue. He wrote on X: 'The Australian Open don’t own all of their broadcasting rights (fairly common), so they’re live-streaming a Wii Tennis-like version of the matches on YouTube - love this.'.
The Australian Open are live-streaming matches in this year's tournament on their YouTube channel. The use of the cartoon-like figures reportedly allows the organisers to get around broadcasting restrictions. Third seed Carlos Alcaraz (pictured) made light work of his first round opponent Alexander Shevchenko.
Indeed, several of the matches that took place on the first two days of the competition have been given the same treatment. The technology builds on similar, more crude, animations that were debuted by the Australian Open on their YouTube channel last year.
