Wimbledon's human touch yields to electronic eyes
The All England Club's decision to jettison line judges in favour of technology carries an air of inevitability as the world embraces artificial intelligence, but the human arbiters of the boundaries of the tennis court are hoping to continue playing a key role.
Convention has almost been a religion during Wimbledon's 148-year history but advancements in technology have been impossible to resist, with live electronic line calling (ELC) set to take over from impeccably attired line judges when action begins at the grass court major on Monday.
The tournament's once robust pool of about 300 line judges has been cut to 80 and they will serve as 'match assistants', who support chair umpires and step in should the ELC — powered by more than 450 cameras — fail in any of the 18 courts in use.
The Association of British Tennis Officials (Abto) said the new position, which will be adopted at events that use live ELC, provided a fresh avenue for its officials with strong interest expressed in the role.
'While this evolution has resulted in a reduction in the officiating days for line umpires, the effect has been partially offset by the creation of the match assistant position,' the Abto told Reuters via e-mail.
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