Australian Open YouTube live streaming: Story behind animated players

If you've been watching the Australian Open and stumbled across the live stream on YouTube, you might have thought you accidentally clicked into a video game. The players, rather than looking like their usual selves, appear as quirky, cartoonish avatars straight out of *Wii Sports*, a sports video game that was launched back in 2006. It was an amusing sight that has left many viewers both confused and entertained.  Why is Australian Open streaming players as animated characters?

 

The answer lies in a peculiar broadcasting workaround. While the Australian Open TV YouTube channel is broadcasting matches live, it doesn't hold the broadcast rights for the official streams. In the absence of those rights, they've found a cheeky loophole—using animated avatars to represent the players instead of the usual high-definition footage. The result is a strange yet comical spectacle where Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz resemble characters from *Wii Tennis*, complete with exaggerated facial features and oddly shaped bodies. 

 

This creative approach is powered by AI technology, which not only gives players cartoonish faces but also replicates their on-court movements. If Djokovic wipes his face in between points or Alcaraz goes through his pre-serve ritual, the animated avatars copy these actions, as if straight out of a sports simulation game. The commentary, crowd noises, and umpire calls are all retained, adding to the bizarre yet oddly entertaining experience.     Fans experience funny glitches in the stream

 

However, it’s not all smooth sailing in this digital tennis world. The technology is far from flawless. Some players' complexions seem to have been swapped out, leaving fans scratching their heads at bizarre color changes. Others, like a fully-haired athlete mysteriously transformed into a bald version of themselves, have left fans in stitches. And in one particularly funny moment, Nick Kyrgios’ racket appears to vanish entirely, leaving him to swing at nothing.

 

Despite these quirky glitches, this animated broadcast serves as an ingenious workaround for the broadcasting rights issue. Not only does it allow the Australian Open to still stream matches legally, but it also appeals to a younger, tech-savvy audience. The unique broadcast, which debuted last year, peaked during the men’s final and racked up nearly 800,000 views—proof that even cartoon tennis can score big with fans.