Wii are the Champions.

In the first association for virtual tennis no fly Filzbälle: The "Tennis Berliin friends" play with the Wii console, instead of rackets. Your guide to a tennis court in Berlin had been under Lithuanian clubs and bridges. Not in the main living room.

 

Magdalena Pohlus swinging her hips. It is available on the Center Court, their corduroy-Röckchen flutters in the rhythm of the movements. Suddenly she blares an invisible ball back to the other side. "30:15" booms from the speakers. Respondent with your hair staggers. The presence sat. It was Magdalena until a few hours ago had never in her life played tennis.

The 24-year-old drama student is rather randomly on the mini-tennis club in Berlin's backyard "c-base" gestolpert. No problem, because there is no sporting lawn demands perfection. The "c-base Cup 2009" is a kind of Grand Slam tournament for virtual tennis. Matches will be played exclusively with the Wii console. Young men with Fellwesten are against girls with fringe leather boots and pointed at. As profit waving a bottle of bubbly and a jute bag.

Behind the unusual tennis tournament to put the late hour
"Tennis Berliin Friends e.V." The two "i" in the name are not a typo, but the reference to the gaming enthusiasts - and also serve to turn away from traditional tennis clubs to sell.

Escape from the living room, straight into life

The designer Jacob Lehr, Dennis Paul and Patrick have Kochlik sporting pushers column set up: For two years they are measured in public matches? just not with yellow Filzbällen, but by pressing and swinging the controller, it means the Wii remote. Two crossed controller, surrounded by a laurel wreath, decorated with the logo of the 2007 club was founded - the first tennis club for digital physical exercise in the world.

VIDEO

Photo: Tennis Buddies Berliin e.V.
Video: Tennis Buddies Berliin e.V.

Virtual Tennis:
Wii conquered Club Scene

"40:15" scheppert it from the speakers. Magdalena stretches the fist in the air and loud calls "Who performs as ever?" in the smoky air of the night. To the 6 x 4 meter field about a hundred people, chat, smoke, sip beer bottles and listen to the electronic Gekrächze from the speakers. The players face each other, thanks to a structure made of canvas, video splitter and two beamers, indeed opposite - the electronic board is perpendicular between them, both sides covered with projections.

Even though the sport is tennis, the tournament is reminiscent more of a LAN party than a game with Ivan Lendl. Thirty meters of white adhesive tape, a game console, two remotes, an amplifier, a video splitter, two projectors and a screen, the "c-base" in a temporary tennis arena transforms. The whole technology fits in a small metal Köfferchen so are the tennis friends mobile.

Last year they gave a guest in Vilnius. At the invitation of Lithuanian Capital of Culture organized a tournament in the open air, they quickly moved under a bridge when it started to rain. This year, they fly to London, where they are in the "Royal College of Art" will be set up. "Those are always nice experience, I would never otherwise Lithuanian youths came into the conversation, which is also for electronic aspects of life are interested in," says Jakob Lehr.

The 33-year-old designer is wearing a white polo shirt and monitored the games from a monitor. "We wanted to use the console in the public arena," says he, "because video games has been a living culture technique was." Your club was the playful attempt to show that video to users not to make violent losers.

Commercial not part of the concept

"Tennis we previously only knew from the Black Forest Hospital," says Jacob. Because the game but is easy to learn and people together, it was ideal for the club idea. Such a theoretical superstructure does not sound after Boris Becker. The tennis friends also see themselves more as creative artists rather than as athletes.

Meanwhile, they have their new sport with a small wave is triggered. One party has already asked them whether they accept the idea of Wii during the election campaign may be copied, and opened in November 2008 at Berlin's Alexanderplatz, the supposedly world's first
Wii Lounge "Play" in which people with friends instead of karaoke for Console gaming will stop.

Those opposed to the commercial use from tennis friends. "For us this is just fun, for the price, we will once again put it," says Jacob, and picks up a fag. On their website they dissociate themselves from the manufacturer of the Wii, they are "not in any way with Nintendo of Europe GmbH connected".

Nevertheless, observed the Japanese group, which the Wii as a tool for wellness sporty seniors and fitness equipment markets, the hustle and bustle of the tennis rebels: "The idea of Wii sports clubs to establish, is very original. It is a pleasure for us if our games people new forms of animated entertainment, "says marketing manager Pascal Schmidt. The fact that his panel in a clean environment between cigarettes and beer is used, does not bother him. "I think, to move can not hurt. What some broadcasters do, but only on their own initiative."

Match Ball. Magdalena threshes an ace on the virtual network, the game is finished. Jubilantly runs it to the screen in the middle of playing. It gives her opponent's hand, thanked those with a curtsy. At least the victory ceremony is already world-ripe.