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Rethinking tennis: a ball from the 3D printer
by Kim Muntinga
AI training: this ball machine teaches you tennis
10.9.2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Stefanie Lechthaler
To train your backhand, you no longer have to stand alone in front of the ball wall or book expensive tennis lessons. You can now compete against a rolling ball machine instead.
Finding a tennis partner at the same level of play can be quite tedious. Especially if you want to train spontaneously. SwitchBot has developed a solution for precisely this situation.
The supplier of vacuum robots is presenting the «Acemate Tennis Robot» at the IFA tech trade fair in Berlin, which not only throws balls back at you as a training partner on the court, but also gives you tips on improving your technique.
The rolling ball machine
In contrast to conventional ball machines, the Acemate rolls across the field on four wheels at a speed of five metres per second and actually returns the balls. This is done with the help of AI algorithms: It calculates the trajectory of your shots in real time and predicts where your ball will land. With a reaction time of just 0.15 seconds, it should be able to simulate the speed, spin and tactics of a real match at professional level.
The robot throws back the balls that land in the net at speeds of up to 113 km/h. You can set whether it plays topspin, slice or other types of shots. It holds up to 80 balls and is suitable for hard, clay and grass courts. According to SwitchBot, the replaceable 6700 mAh battery should last for up to three hours of uninterrupted play.
Personalisable AI training
The two integrated 4K binocular cameras record each of your shots and measure values such as ball speed, net penetration height and spin rate. Meanwhile, the AI analyses your performance and gives you direct feedback and technical tips in the Acemate app. In the app, you will find a visualisation of your performance data as visual heat maps, stroke distribution diagrams and detailed statistics and video replays of your game, among other things.
You can also programme up to 20 target zones where you want the ball to land on the return stroke and adjust the spin, speed and trajectory of these shots to suit your personal playing level and training goals.
Based on the analyses, the Acemate puts together personalised training sessions for you after the playing session. These can be short-term technique improvements, but also long-term training plans that, according to the manufacturer, lead to faster progress.
This all sounds promising. Whether the ball machine will work well beyond the trade fair demo remains to be seen.
Not just for tennis fans
If your enthusiasm for racket sports goes beyond tennis, SwitchBot has also developed a pickleball version of the Acemate. You can currently pre-order the respective robots from around 2600 francs via the Acemate website. Whether and when the AI tennis coach will make it into the Galaxus shop remains to be seen.
What do you think of the AI ball machine? Let us know in the comments
Header image: SwitchBot
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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