Never Done Evolving brings the use of creative data in its DNA. One year before Serena's retirement announcement, Nike started to collect data from her entire career as a professional tennis player. Machine learning was able to model each era's playing style. Taking into account decision making, shot selection, reactivity, recovery and agility. Then, when the moment arrived, we launched the study in the form of avatars, materializing all data collected into a live virtual match.

On August 9 2022, Serena Williams announced her retirement from tennis. As a brand that made part of most of her career, Nike decided to launch a tribute in the form of a study, showcasing what it takes to stay on top for over two decades.

Our Goal was to reveal the evolution needed to become the greatest of all times, in order to honour the former tennis player and inspire younger generations.

Two days after Serena Williams announced her retirement, Nike released a year-long study, in the form of avatars, showcasing her evolution to stay on top for over 2 decades. Analyzing all data and footage from official tournaments throughout Serena's career, machine learning was able to model each era's playing style.

After collecting data from Serena's entire career, we decided to make it accessible and inspiring to even more people. So we transformed the study's insights into a live virtual match on YouTube, making it more tangible for everyone in the world. Starring 17 year old Serena, the age she won her first Grand Slam. Against 35 year old Serena, the age she won her 23rd and record breaking Grand Slam.

By analyzing all data and footage from official tournaments throughout Serena's career, machine learning was able to model each era’s playing style. Then we applied this data into the Vid2Player technique, developed by Stanford University, which generated over 130.000 games in which Serena from 1999 played against Serena from 2017. It's the most accurate virtualization ever done with an athlete.

The study's results were so mindblowing, we decided to make it accessible for everyone in the world, by turning it into a live virtual match on YouTube.

The live virtual match saw an increase of 1082% in organic views compared to other Nike content. It broke all Nike's organic views records on YouTube. And more than that, Nike is now applying this study's data not only to improve their products' technology, but also to improve their athletes' performance across sports.