Wimbledon star laments 'stolen' point after major AI line judge error - and accuses umpire of pro-British bias
Sonay Kartal hit a ball beyond the baseline in her fourth-round clash with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, but no call came from the automated system.
Chair umpire Nico Helworth clearly saw the ball was out, and attempted to stop play, before the automated line judge called out 'Stop! Stop!' to halt the action.
Intriguing scenes!
Pavlyuchenkova thinks Kartal has put her forehand long and stops before the Brit slams back a winner.
The umpire checks and confirms the electronic line calling system was unable to track the point, which leads to the point being replayed. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Qkz3Rickj5
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 6, 2025
After a delay of around four minutes while Helworth sat on his court-side phone to get to the bottom of the situation, he declared: 'The electronic line-calling system unfortunately was unable to track the last point so we will replay the point.'
Kartal went on to break serve, prompting a furious Pavlyuchenkova to accuse officials of favoring her British opponent.
She raged: 'I don't know if it's in or it's out. How do I know? You cannot prove it. Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.'
Helworth responded: 'The problem is that we have to go with the system. If they tell me it is up and running, there is nothing we can do. If they tell me they don't have it, that's the rule unfortunately.'
'They stole the game from me,' replied Pavlyuchenkova, who still went on to clinch the opening set. 'They stole it.'
Wimbledon has been marred by dodgy calls since the controversial decision to scrap traditional human line judges in favor of AI.
It has now been made even more farcical that the umpire is unable to make their own decision when the system fails.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Josh Taylor forced to retire as former undisputed champion shares emotional update
Former undisputed world champion Josh Taylor has been forced to retire from boxing due to a recurring eye injury. Scotsman Taylor, 34, became the first Briton to become undisputed champion in the four-belt era when he ruled over the super-lightweight division between May 2021 and May 2022. But following medical advice, Taylor has announced that he has had to step away from the ring permanently, with a persistent eye problem forcing his retirement. In an emotional statement on X, Taylor wrote: 'This isn't an easy post for me to write, but on the advice of my doctors, it's sadly a necessary one. As has been publicised before, I've had a recurring issue with my eye that unfortunately means I have to call time on my career or risk losing my eyesight. 'Whilst the fighter in me always wants to box on, I know I have to listen to the medical professionals and save me from myself. It is certainly not the way I wanted to bow out, but I have to listen to the doctors and those around me. 'I am just a kid from the Pans [Prestopans, East Lothian] who scaled the very top of the sport but I could not have done it without those who have supported me, through thick and thin.' Taylor enjoyed a sensational professional career after bursting onto the scene at the London 2012 Olympics, with his crowning moment coming in Las Vegas in 2021. There, he beat Jose Ramirez to unify all four major super-lightweight championships, making history as the first ever undisputed champion to hail from the UK. After edging Jack Catterall in front of a vociferous home crowd at Glasgow's OVO Hydro, he fought at the hallowed Madison Square Garden, where he lost to Teofimo Lopez. This was the first of a string of three defeats, which included Catterall avenging his contentious loss in Leeds, before he was most recently beaten by Ekow Essuman for the vacant WBO welterweight title in May of this year. That would prove his final act in the ring, with Taylor revealing his forced retirement plans less than two months on. Taylor thanked his fans for their continued support, especially those who travelled to New York City to watch him fight Lopez at MSG. 'The Tartan Tornado' also showed his appreciation to the promoters who represented him throughout his career, namely Top Rank and Queensbury, as well as his sponsors, coaches, lawyers and his family. 'It's now time for me to reflect in a one-in-70-millioncareer and look forward to what's coming next,' Taylor finished.
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Johnny Fisher splits from coach Mark Tibbs after knockout loss to Dave Allen
Johnny Fisher has announced 'with a heavy heart' that he is parting ways with coach Mark Tibbs, as the heavyweight aims to bounce back from his first professional loss. In May, Fisher was knocked out by Dave Allen in the fifth round of their rematch, five months after beating the British veteran via a controversial decision. After an unconvincing performance in their first fight and a one-sided loss in their second meeting, Fisher has decided to seek a new trainer – a decision, he says, that Tibbs agrees with. 'It is with a heavy heart that after almost five years of being on this professional journey together, me and Mark have decided to part ways,' Fisher wrote on Instagram Monday (21 July). ' Boxing is the toughest sport in the world, and to continue I feel I need a fresh start to get the best out of myself. 'Me and Mark have made some special memories and reached some milestones in my career that many thought we never would achieve. 'More importantly than all of this though is the friendship we have gained, and to know that I have Mark and Jimmy in my life and to be able to call them both friends is an honour. Thank you for everything.' Fisher, 26, was referring to Tibbs's father Jimmy, who is also a respected coach in boxing. Prior to losing to Allen at London's Copper Box arena, Fisher went 13-0 with 11 knockout wins. In the same venue, in July 2024, he stopped Alen Babic in 36 seconds. But in December, on the undercard of Tyson Fury's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, Fisher was floored by Allen in the fifth round of a back-and-forth contest, before ultimately emerging as a split-decision winner over his former sparring partner. And in their rematch, Allen again dropped the 'Romford Bull' in the fifth round – two times on this occasion. As Fisher tried to recover from the second knockdown, his corner threw in the towel.
The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Wimbledon tennis site set for £200m expansion after winning high court battle with residents
Plans to almost triple the size of the Wimbledon tennis site are set to proceed after a campaign group's legal challenge against the decision to approve the proposals was dismissed by a High Court judge. Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) took legal action against the Greater London Authority's (GLA) decision to grant planning permission last year. The proposals, submitted by the All England Club, would see the construction of 38 new tennis courts and an 8,000-seat stadium on the grounds of the former Wimbledon Park Golf Club, which would allow it to host Wimbledon qualifiers on site. Barristers for SWP told the High Court earlier this month that the decision to approve the plans was 'irrational' and should be quashed, as Wimbledon Park – a Grade II*-listed heritage site partly designed by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown – was covered by restrictions on how it could be used. The GLA and the All England Club defended the challenge, with the court told that the decision was a ' planning judgment properly exercised' and that the restrictions were not 'material'. In a ruling on Monday, Mr Justice Saini dismissed the challenge. He said: 'In short, the defendant's decision on the relevance of deliverability, applying to both the statutory trust and the restrictive covenants, was a planning judgment rationally exercised and having regard to appropriate and relevant factors.' The proposals would see seven maintenance buildings, access points, and an area of parkland with permissive public access constructed, in addition to the courts and associated infrastructure. They would also include work on Wimbledon Lake, which would involve building a boardwalk around and across it. After Merton Council approved the plans, but Wandsworth Council rejected them, the Mayor of London's office took charge of the application, but Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan recused himself from the process after previously expressing public support for the development. Planning permission for the scheme was granted by Jules Pipe, London's deputy mayor for planning, who said that the proposals 'would facilitate very significant benefits' which 'clearly outweigh the harm'. Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, said at the time that the proposals would deliver 27 acres of 'newly accessible parkland for the community', and would allow the qualifying tournament for Wimbledon – currently staged at Roehampton – to be held on site. In written submissions, Sasha White KC said that the All England Club acquired the freehold for the golf course in 1993 and the leasehold in 2021. The barrister told the two-day hearing in London that the land was subject to a 'statutory trust requiring it to be kept available for public recreation use' and that when the freehold was acquired, the club entered into 'restrictive covenants' governing its use. He said this meant any plans could not 'restrict its use so as not to impair the appreciation of the general public of the extent or openness of the golf course land'. He continued that separate High Court proceedings were ongoing over whether a statutory trust existed, and that if it does, the All England Club has 'accepted' that this is 'incompatible with the development of the proposal'. In court, he said: 'You could not have a more protected piece of land within the planning system, frankly.' Mark Westmoreland Smith KC, for the GLA, said in written submissions that Mr Pipe received 'detailed advice' over the 'relevance' of the 'alleged' trust and covenants, and made his decision on the assumption that they existed. The barrister said that the decision was a 'planning judgment properly exercised and having regard to the appropriate and relevant factors'. He said: 'Officers advised that the alleged obstacle that they may present to delivery of the development was not itself a material consideration which should weigh against the grant of planning permission.' In his written arguments, Russell Harris KC, for the All England Club, said that planning officers 'acknowledged and had regard to' the trust and covenants, but deemed they were not 'material'.
