Doubles
Reliving Mic’d Up: Trying again on the historic innovation in Washington
Heliovaara, Murray talk about the innovation
August 05, 2024
Ben Solomon
Harri Heliovaara speaks with a fan in Washington after a match.
By ATP Employees
Sebastian Korda lifted the Mubadala Citi DC Open trophy on Sunday night for the most important title of his profession, marking the top of a history-making week for the American.
The 24-year-old claimed his first ATP 500 crown, becoming a member of father Petr Korda on the occasion’s champions’ record. However he additionally turned one of many first 4 ATP Tour gamers to put on a stay microphone throughout a match. The innovation was a part of the 2024 ATP Tour Doubles Trial.
Korda, doubles accomplice Alex Michelsen, Harri Heliovaara and Jamie Murray all participated. Heliovaara, who final month gained the Wimbledon doubles title with Henry Patten, turned the primary participant to put on the stay mic in his first-round match.
The Finnish participant additionally wore in his second-round match, a loss alongside Patten. Heliovaara defined that he’s at all times glad to do what he can to advertise doubles and the gamers, so it was a simple resolution to take part as soon as he felt snug with the gear.
“I believe we want personalities, extra stars within the doubles a part of this recreation and the microphones are a good way to make that a little bit simpler on court docket. I felt very snug with the microphone, it did not hassle me in any respect, the know-how. I did not should suppose something if I am saying one thing silly or not,” Heliovaara stated. “I’m fairly open about my tennis profession anyway so I felt very snug with carrying the microphone.”
After watching the trial all through the week, the 35-year-old stated he hopes that sooner or later there shall be extra situations of companions each carrying microphones. In Washington, Korda and Michelsen did it twice.
“I believe we are going to get extra dialogue that method, however we had a few matches the place we had each members of 1 crew mic’d and I believe that labored rather well. It was attention-grabbing to listen to,” Heliovaara stated. “Some singles guys additionally enjoying like Korda, Michelsen, I believe that was probably the most attention-grabbing for me. Plenty of speaking, a number of jokes, typically a little bit bit extra severe, but it surely’s an excellent perception for the followers and I hope this trial continues.”
Murray misplaced his opening match alongside Michael Venus, however was glad that he participated within the trial and like Heliovaara, had no points carrying the know-how.
“I believe it was a reasonably cool innovation,” Murray stated. “I believe that it is positively one thing that’s attention-grabbing for followers to see the communication inside the crew, the chemistry. I believe that is a cool factor to to get throughout for the viewers at house.
“I believe if there’s extra time between the factors then the broadcasters will get extra from it as a result of the gamers can have time to speak extra to not simply set performs and off you go. There shall be correct communication by way of probably rescuing your accomplice, speaking about what’s truly occurring within the match, the ebbs and flows of the match, that form of stuff.”
On the finish of the week, when Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow emerged victorious with the title, Match Chairman Mark Ein made it some extent to let the gang know in regards to the trial.
“This was the primary match ever the place we put stay mics on doubles gamers. So for those who watch it on TV, otherwise you watch the stream, you would truly hearken to the gamers speaking to one another,” Ein stated. “We have seen it in different sports activities. I believe it is an innovation that hopefully goes to get adopted across the tour. It brings the followers on the court docket into the motion in a method I do not suppose anything does. So I need to thank the gamers and the ATP tour for sponsoring and supporting that initiative.”
