Infosys is "only months into its three-year relationship with Tennis Australia" but the company is "confident it will be serving up aces at the Australian Open for years to come," according to David Swan of THE AUSTRALIAN. Infosys Senior VP Andrew Groth said, "It’s early days. But we can already tell it’s going to be a great relationship, it’s very collaborative and this week we’ve been breaking all records for attendance on the ground and views from overseas." In September, TA announced it was "parting ways with its longstanding partner IBM, making way for Infosys." Groth said that Infosys and TA held design thinking sessions and "worked closely to decide which innovations they could deploy, and quickly." The company set up multiple fan zones, where fans could play against Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or others on a "virtual Rod Laver Arena." Fans could also watch the Australian Open live via a VR headset and shop for Australian Open merchandise and clothing. The three-year deal is part of what TA CEO Craig Tiley said late last year represented a "broader overhaul of the flagship event." The tournament has not only changed its longtime broadcast partner from Channel 7 to Nine Entertainment, "but also moved away from tech giant IBM." Tiley: "I’ve been in this role for four-and-a-half years and we’ve been planning towards a shift in many different areas. It's about thinking outside the box a little bit" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/29).
