World's First 5G+ Serve Experience

Vodafone, Official Connectivity Partner of The Championships, Wimbledon, launches its world-first* 5G+ Serve experience, giving Brits the chance to return Wimbledon serves LIVE from a first-of-its-kind robotic arm

Powered by the Vodafone next 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology, the 5G+ Serve captures data from the Wimbledon broadcast feed and streams it over a dedicated network slice, recreating the exact speed and power of real serves in real-time**

Former rugby player and TV star, Joe Marler, took on the challenge, attempting to return serves from Day One of Wimbledon, including stars like Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, Teodora Kostovic and Miomir Kecmanović

This comes as new research reveals over a third of Brits (34%) think they could return a professional tennis serve, with one in five (19%) backing themselves to do it with no training at all
Men are especially confident in their tennis skills, with 43% believing they could return an elite serve – and nearly one in four (24%) thinking they could win a match at Wimbledon

The 5G+ Serve will be open to those ready to put their confidence to the test on Tuesday, 30 June at Wimbledon Park, as part of Vodafone’s commitment to connect the nation to their passions and bring fans even closer to the action. Fans can book here.

Two-time Wimbledon doubles champion and co-host of ‘The Set’ podcast, Jamie Murray, said the reality of returning serves is far tougher than most Brits imagine:

“Returning a top level serve is one of the hardest things an athlete can do, and not something most people will ever truly experience. When you’re facing an opponent, quick reaction times matter, but it’s also about spotting subtle cues and anticipating the shot – often before the ball has even left the racket. When you do nail that return, it’s incredibly satisfying, and it’s brilliant that Vodafone can give people the chance to experience that rush for themselves, especially knowing they’re up against the very best in that moment.”

One of those who took on the challenge was former rugby player and TV star, Joe Marler, who launched the experience on Day One of the tournament:

“I was up for the challenge – I’m not a professional tennis player, but I’ve got decent reactions and some padel experience, so I backed myself going in. Safe to say, I was humbled. It’s a lot harder than it looks! It was amazing though. Vodafone’s 5G+ Serve really shows you just how fast and powerful the shots are. The atmosphere of live sport is incredible, and it’s great that Vodafone can use its network to give people a whole new way to experience the excitement and adrenaline of the game.”