Robot takes on tennis star at Billie Jean King Cup

For spectators at the ongoing 2026 Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, which kicked off on Sept 22, a special match looked like a scene from a science-fiction movie.

On one side was former tennis star Wang Qiang. On the other was a metal-and-electronic opponent rolling across the court on two wheels.

Called Tenniix Ultra Max, the robot moved from side to side, tracked the incoming ball and fired it back with surprising precision. As the rally continued, it varied its serving strategy, switching between topspin shots and high-arching moon balls and keeping Wang engaged in multi-shot exchanges.

The tennis-playing robot has been jointly developed by LimX Dynamics and its ecosystem partner Enhanced Robotics. Powered by an AI-driven system, it can track the ball's trajectory, spin and landing point in real time, while analyzing what is happening on the court and anticipating what may come next.

Its physical movements are also part of the equation. By adjusting its squat-and-rise motion, the robot can change the height at which it releases the ball, from 1.2 to 1.6 meters.

The companies said that as the robot's response speed, shot control and training strategies continue to improve, it could serve as a supplementary training partner for professional systems such as provincial and national teams.