‘Out!' but not as you know it: Fans not enjoying swap of line judges for AI at Wimbledon
The once-familiar cry of 'Out!' delivered by neatly dressed line officials crouched at the court's edges has now been replaced by a robotic voice generated by Hawk-Eye Live, an AI-powered electronic line calling (ELC) system.
The technology which is already used at the US and Australian Opens, employs 18 high-speed cameras to track the ball and make a decision within a tenth of a second.
While undeniably accurate, it has led to the axing of nearly 300 line judge roles, sparking concern over the loss of tradition and the unique human touch the officials brought to the game.
Sally Bolton, CEO of the All England Club, defended the move saying 'It's not a money-saving exercise; it's about evolving the tournament and making sure that we're providing the most effective possible line calling.'
World number one Jannik Sinner echoed support for the upgrade especially given the breakneck pace of modern tennis.
'As tennis tries to get better for the umpire it's very difficult to see, especially when first serves are over 200km per hour. It's very difficult to see in a small space if they're in or out, so for sure the technology helps, especially here on grass.' said Sinner.
On Monday Chinese player Yuan Yue voiced frustration saying the system was too quiet to hear its decisions and outside the venue, a handful of fans held small protests lamenting the end of an era.
Social media users were also vocal in their disapproval.
Matt Peskett wrote on X: 'The replacement of line judges & player challenges at Wimbledon certainly speeds up matches but it's a very sterile experience now, a process, not a game. No character, less crowd participation in the 'was it in?' moment.'
Also on X Dave Brookes said: 'It's weird watching Wimbledon without the line judges but then hearing an automated line judge voice shout out about three seconds after the ball has landed out.'
Another person on X, Philip West, said: 'Not going to lie, Wimbledon without line judges feels completely wrong to me. For a tournament that prides itself on tradition, ditching them for AI feels like a self-defeating move. Not for me, I'm afraid.'
Over the years, line judges have occasionally become part of tennis lore whether ducking from errant serves or being hit which has happened when Novak Djokovic unintentionally struck a judge in the throat at the US Open, or standing at the centre of legendary outbursts, such as John McEnroe's infamous 'You cannot be serious!' tirade in 1981.
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Wimbledon's famed grass courts are looking and sounding a little different this year. For the first time in its 147-year history, the All England Club has replaced human line judges with artificial intelligence, a move that has stirred both praise and nostalgia from players and fans alike. The once-familiar cry of 'Out!' delivered by neatly dressed line officials crouched at the court's edges has now been replaced by a robotic voice generated by Hawk-Eye Live, an AI-powered electronic line calling (ELC) system. The technology which is already used at the US and Australian Opens, employs 18 high-speed cameras to track the ball and make a decision within a tenth of a second. While undeniably accurate, it has led to the axing of nearly 300 line judge roles, sparking concern over the loss of tradition and the unique human touch the officials brought to the game. Sally Bolton, CEO of the All England Club, defended the move saying 'It's not a money-saving exercise; it's about evolving the tournament and making sure that we're providing the most effective possible line calling.' World number one Jannik Sinner echoed support for the upgrade especially given the breakneck pace of modern tennis. 'As tennis tries to get better for the umpire it's very difficult to see, especially when first serves are over 200km per hour. It's very difficult to see in a small space if they're in or out, so for sure the technology helps, especially here on grass.' said Sinner. On Monday Chinese player Yuan Yue voiced frustration saying the system was too quiet to hear its decisions and outside the venue, a handful of fans held small protests lamenting the end of an era. Social media users were also vocal in their disapproval. Matt Peskett wrote on X: 'The replacement of line judges & player challenges at Wimbledon certainly speeds up matches but it's a very sterile experience now, a process, not a game. No character, less crowd participation in the 'was it in?' moment.' Also on X Dave Brookes said: 'It's weird watching Wimbledon without the line judges but then hearing an automated line judge voice shout out about three seconds after the ball has landed out.' Another person on X, Philip West, said: 'Not going to lie, Wimbledon without line judges feels completely wrong to me. For a tournament that prides itself on tradition, ditching them for AI feels like a self-defeating move. Not for me, I'm afraid.' Over the years, line judges have occasionally become part of tennis lore whether ducking from errant serves or being hit which has happened when Novak Djokovic unintentionally struck a judge in the throat at the US Open, or standing at the centre of legendary outbursts, such as John McEnroe's infamous 'You cannot be serious!' tirade in 1981.
