Athletics and analytic technology have become increasingly intertwined in recent years, in nearly every sport at both the professional and collegiate levels. Its no secret that Virginia Tech, a school that prides itself on innovation, has been a leader in this trend. There has been a lot of talk about the mens basketball teams unique use of technology and data analytics, but the mens tennis team has flown under the radar with its innovative practices.

This Tuesday, when Virginia Tech faces off against the College of Charleston at Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, it will be the first college ever to implement a live line-call review and challenge system.

The challenge system is through this technology called PlaySight, which we had installed in 2015. This system is used for statistic tracking and also can call the balls in and out, said junior Freddy Mesmer. In the match, we will get two challenges per set. If you get your challenge right, you get to keep it and if you're wrong, you lose one.

PlaySight was founded in 2011 and has since gained an incredible amount of support from the tennis community, drawing investments from numerous tennis icons including Novak Djokovic, Billie Jean King and Pete Sampras. The companys SmartCourt technology has become exceedingly popular, not just within tennis but also other sports, including basketball. The Golden State Warriors were actually the first professional basketball team to implement the technology, doing so in their practice facility.

PlaySight was invented in Israel by some jet fighters who loved tennis. After every flight, they did a debriefing on their mission and they applied that idea to tennis, said head coach Jim Thompson in text messages sent to the Collegiate Times. In the debrief they wanted to measure their performance in order to improve, and that is exactly what PlaySight has done for our team.

The SmartCourt technology is a setup of multiple HD cameras that track practices and the data in real time, while also serving as a tool for players and coaches to go back and analyze footage instantaneously from various devices.

We mainly use the PlaySight technology for statistics, Thompson said. The machines provide all types of information: spin rate of the ball, speed of every shot, calories burned, distance traveled and location where balls are landing. We certainly use this as much as possible, but we are always trying to improve. It is the same with our strength program, nutrition and even sports psychology. Every edge helps!

The players have really enjoyed using the new technology and are intrigued by the prospect of electronic live line-calling being used more widely in the future.

I think it'll be extremely beneficial for college tennis if this becomes a trend, Mesmer said. The players are extremely excited about it. Anytime you get to be a part of the first of anything it is an awesome opportunity, and it's so cool Virginia Tech gets to be a part of it.

Thompson has high expectations for the technologys future and is certain that this is the beginning of a new development in the sport.

This is the first time ever for college tennis to use the technology for challenges, but I think this is not a test run. This is inventing the future, Thompson said. Who knows what it will look like in years to come but I feel certain this will be more the norm in 10 years.

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Virginia Tech men's tennis to debut unprecedented electronic line-calling technology - Virginia Tech Collegiate Times