Tennis Australia has transformed the world's best players into animated versions of themselves to bypass broadcast restrictions at the Australian Open.

If you’re tuning into the 2025 Australian Open, you may notice something very, very weird about the players on the court if you’re watching matches on YouTube. They look like they’re straight out of a video game, like Wii Tennis. The players’ bodies and faces have been replaced with Miis, basically. What gives?

In a unique workaround to address geographical streaming constraints and copyrights issues, the Australian Open 2025 organizers have modified players to animation, enabling viewers to free access to all games albeit at a cost.

The Australian Open's official YouTube channel 'live' option brings up a choice of ongoing matches to watch, featuring animated players on a virtual court. They have real, human-voice commentary on top and the animation mirrors what is happening on court - even going as far as including racquet-smashing episodes, as well as the rallies.

The Australian Open has implemented a cheeky workaround for international viewers that dodges its own broadcast obligations.

The Australian Open has taken a bold step in tackling broadcasting restrictions this year, offering tennis fans a unique alternative to live-action coverage. On Monday, as Carlos

The Australian Open is getting in on the newest trend in the sports world by re-creating tennis matches in video-game form

The year’s first Grand Slam tournament, which runs through Jan. 26, is streaming real-time animated feeds on its YouTube channel that mimic what’s happening in the three main stadiums.