Chinese sports technology company Pongbot has signed a multi-year partnership with the Australian Open, becoming the Grand Slam tournament’s Official Ball Machine and the Official Ball Machine Supplier of Tennis Australia’s National Tennis Academy. The agreement gives the AI-powered training equipment company a high-profile platform at the 2027 Australian Open while embedding its technology within Australia’s player-development system.
Founded in 2019, Pongbot develops intelligent robotics and AI-based training equipment for both performance and recreational athletes. Under the partnership, products including its AI Coach technology will be used to support repetitive training, data collection and performance analysis. The company also plans to introduce an Australian Open co-branded ball machine featuring the identities of both organizations.From a business standpoint, the deal represents a significant step in Pongbot’s international expansion, giving the company exposure to players, coaches and consumers through one of tennis’s four Grand Slams. It also reflects the growing intersection between racquet sports and training technology, as equipment makers increasingly incorporate data and AI into products traditionally built around mechanical ball delivery. Pongbot CEO Haibo Zhang said the company sees AI Coach as a way to help players translate consistent training into measurable improvement, while Tennis Australia Chief Commercial Officer Cedric Cornelis pointed to the technology’s potential to change both athlete training and consumer engagement with racquet sports.
