Skin in the game: the use of sensing smart fabrics in tennis costume as a means of analyzing performance

Introduction Each June, Wimbledon Centre Court becomes the focal point for the performances of the world’s leading tennis players. Matches showcase pure theatre—the drama, the sweat, the joy and tears, not to mention the physique of the players and the contortions of their bodies as they move around the court. In 2011, Bethanie Mattek-Sands arrived on court at Wimbledon in a costume designed by Alex Noble, who creates costumes for Lady Gaga; this featured a tight dress, knee socks, a jacket decorated with a mass of white tennis balls and black paint under her eyes (see Fig. 1). Mattek-Sands’ outfit, Abstract