- Carlos Alcaraz began his Australian Open campaign with a straight sets victory
- The third favorite was one of several players depicted as cartoon characters.
- Technology allows Australian Open to stream matches live on YouTube
The Australian Open appears to have found an ingenious way to get around streaming restrictions in this year's competition.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his campaign against Alexander Shevchenko in Melbourne on Monday and fans were treated to an alternative view of the proceedings.
The two players took on a much larger and rounder shape than normal, as they were depicted as cartoons similar to those seen in the hit Wii tennis games.
Better yet, their actions on the court were imitated by animated figures, providing an extraordinary experience for tennis fans.
According to author and tennis journalist Bastien Fachan, the addition is due to a broadcast rights issue.
He wrote on
The Australian Open is live streaming matches from this year's tournament on its YouTube channel.
The use of cartoon-like figures reportedly allows organizers to bypass broadcast restrictions.
Third seed Carlos Alcaraz (pictured) made light work of his first round opponent, Alexander Shevchenko.
In fact, several of the matches that took place in the first two days of competition have received the same treatment. The technology is based on similar, cruder animations that the Australian Open debuted on its YouTube channel last year.
As well as offering a clever solution to their rights issue, the overlay has the effect of attracting a new, younger audience to the sport.
A similar tactic has been used in the NFL in recent years, with a slime-filled Nickelodeon broadcast and the TV network's signature orange blimp drawing tons of kids to the game.
In December, the NBA jumped into this brave new world when several iconic Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, appeared as part of a Christmas Day broadcast.
In live action on Monday, Alcaraz made light work of his first-round opponent and advanced to the next round with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-1 victory.
The 21-year-old is aiming to become the youngest man to capture all four Grand Slam titles at this year's tournament.
“I always say it's hard work,” he said after the game. “I try to get the best out of me every day. That's the secret. Every day I try to be a better person and a better player.”
The third seed will play Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka on Wednesday.