Wimbledon respond to Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper complaints over key change

Metro

2 days ago

Wimbledon have issued a response to Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper's complaints over electric line calling after their respective defeats.
The All England Club made a key change at Wimbledon 2025 with Hawk-Eye technology coming in replace line judges for the first time ever.
Nick Kyrgios believes Wimbledon bosses have made a mistake over the decision – in what has become one of the biggest talking points in SW19.
Up to 18 cameras, developed by Hawk-Eye, are now situated around each court to track the progress of the ball and determine whether it is in or out.
They've replaced the 300 line judges that have been used for the past 148 years, with Wimbledon now using the same tech as other Grand Slams.
Raducanu and Draper, the British No.1s in women's singles and men's singles, have both raised concerns over the electric line calling system.
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In a post-match press conference after her third-round exit to Aryna Sabalenka on Friday, Raducanu was asked about an incident in which she approached the umpire and was adamant that the wrong call was made.
'Yeah, I mean, that call was like, for sure out,' Raducanu said. 'It's kind of disappointing, the tournament here, that the calls can be so wrong, but for the most part they've been okay.
'It's just like, I've had a few in my other matches, too, that have been very wrong. So yeah, I don't know. Hopefully they can kind of fix that.'
Draper was left equally annoyed after his second-round defeat to Marin Cilic and added: 'I don't think it's 100 per cent accurate, in all honesty.
'A couple of the ones today, it showed, like, a mark on the court. There's no way the chalk would have showed. I guess it can't be 100 per cent accurate.
'It's millimetres. It's for both ways. I think it's a shame that the umpires aren't involved.
'It's obviously something that makes it easier for the players because we don't have to worry about line calls.'
Wimbledon tournament director Jamie Baker has now hit back at Raducanu and Draper as he defended the new Hawk-Eye technology. More Trending
'The concept of live line calling is absolutely standard across the Tour now – mandatory across the ATP Tour,' he said.
'Two of the other Grand Slams have had it for four or five years. What that has meant is that the level of sophistication and certification around the system has become more professional and more robust as time has gone on.
'The accuracy and the reliability and the robustness of the system and the process as a whole, in terms of officiating, is in as good a place as it has been.'
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