PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The WTA and KPMG LLP on Tuesday announced the launch of a new technology application that ushers in the next era of informed athlete health and safety care. Jointly designed by the WTA and KPMG, the WTA Health & Safety Connect app will seamlessly and intelligently aggregate player and Tour data, apply AI and machine learning, and ultimately discover new high-value medical and business insights that will help shape health and safety standards for women’s professional tennis.
“Enhancing health and safety and minimizing illness and injury for our players is the chief objective for our sport,” said Micky Lawler, WTA President. “Not only does this technology improve the opportunity for players to achieve optimal performance, it also ensures the highest quality product on the tennis court.”
Continuing the WTA’s longstanding leadership role in developing health and safety resources for the tennis industry, women’s sports, and overall women’s health, the new integrated platform is the next iteration in the WTA’s information exchange effort which will elevate the tournament health and safety protocols for its current members, staff, and the future of the WTA.
The app will allow the WTA to analyze data within the context of changing health and safety needs, different tournament environments, and the breadth of insights generated over decades of athlete care and research. The WTA Health & Safety Connect app will serve as a comprehensive two-way exchange for players and staff to connect with the organization’s latest health and safety information and tools. This includes variables such as the most current COVID-19 health concerns, heat index, air quality conditions, fatigue, illness prevention, recovery, or mental health resources.
The app’s capabilities will roll out in phases, beginning this fall with COVID-19 management tools designed to help address the safety requirements for Tour events. The platform will immediately serve as a centralized health and safety hub, providing real-time vaccination, testing, and travel documentation, along with symptom tracking, to help keep players and staff safe, healthy, and informed.
“Knowing that the ongoing health and safety of the WTA’s athletes is the top priority, we engaged our Digital Team to develop a technology solution that can serve the WTA today, while setting the foundation for future capabilities,” said Shawn Quill, KPMG’s National Sports Industry Leader. “To enable effective use of this advanced platform, we looked at every step of the process through the eyes of the athletes as we combined leading-edge innovation, data science, and emerging technologies like AI and Machine Learning to create this app. We will continue to work side-by-side with the WTA to contribute insights and innovative thinking to accelerate the journey towards the next generation of athlete health and performance.”
In addition to serving the immediate needs of creating and maintaining a safer Tour throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the WTA Health & Safety Connect app will soon offer additional functionalities to be released in the coming year, each contributing to the ongoing holistic health and well-being commitment of the WTA.
About WTA:
Founded by Billie Jean King in 1973 on the principle of equal opportunity, the WTA is the global leader in women’s professional sports. The WTA is one of the world’s most recognizable and high-profile sports organizations, consisting of more than 1650 players representing approximately 85 nations, all competing to earn WTA rankings points and prestigious tournament titles. The WTA Tour is comprised of over 50 events and four Grand Slams, spanning six continents and nearly 30 countries and regions with a global audience of over 700 million. The Tour culminates with the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen, honoring the season’s top singles and doubles players based on the final standings of the Porsche Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard. In 2021, the Tour will end its season at the WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Mexico and will return to Shenzhen in 2022. Further information on the WTA can be found at wtatennis.com.
About KPMG:
KPMG LLP is the U.S. firm of the KPMG global organization of independent professional services firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. The KPMG global organization operates in 146 countries and territories and has close to 227,000 people working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients.
KPMG is widely recognized for being a great place to work and build a career. Our people share a sense of purpose in the work we do, and a strong commitment to community service, inclusion and diversity, and eradicating childhood illiteracy. Learn more at kpmg.com/us.
Learn more about KPMG’s digital capabilities go to kpmg.us/insights/2021/kpmg-wta-technology-collaboration.html
