The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has approved the use of in-competition wearable devices for players across the ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour, starting this month.

It hopes the initiative will usher in a new era of innovative data-led performance analytics and injury prevention in tennis.

Wearable devices can generate insights for players from physical metrics such as heart rate and high-intensity load data, enhancing their analysis of matches and training sessions.

ATP (www.atptour.com) has approved both StatSports (statsports.com) and Catapult (www.catapult.com) devices and will centralise all data into ATP Tennis IQ-Wearables, an intuitive dashboard for players.

The initiative introduces a new dimension to ATP Tennis IQ, an analytics platform launched in 2023 that democratises access to match data and insights for players, aiding preparation and recovery. It is the latest in a push by ATP to enhance the sport through technology, data and innovation.

“The introduction of wearables on tour is a big step forward in our push to optimise player performance and prevent injury,” said Ross Hutchins, ATP chief sporting officer, “ultimately empowering players to get the very best out of their careers. We’re delighted to make cutting-edge data insights more accessible than ever and look forward to continuing our innovation in this space.”

All data collected will remain confidential, ensuring privacy for players and their support teams. Phase two of the initiative, which will incorporate insights derived from wearable data and player feedback, is scheduled for later this year.