Wimbledon's electronic line calling failure is a victory for humanity
With that painfully tenuous intro out of the way: the implementation of electronic line calling (ELC) at this year's Wimbledon, a technology already used elsewhere on the tour, was always going to be controversial. The Championships at the All England Club are a tournament steeped in tradition, positively drenched in it – from the customary white attire adorned by players, to the men's and women's title winners dancing at the Champions' Ball, to revellers relaxing on Henman Hill and enjoying Pimm's, strawberries and cream.
Advertisement
Similarly, there was always a charm in seeing a legion of line judges, dressed smartly in colours of cream and blue, march onto court before a match. Of course, there was the possibility of margin for error, yet you'd like to think there was always an understanding among fans when a line judge got a call wrong; even players, caught up in the emotions of trying to win tennis's most prestigious tournament, were largely forgiving.
And the introduction of Hawk-Eye in 2007, giving players the ability to challenge calls, marked a sensible step into the present while retaining the tradition of employing real people on court to make the big calls.
For 147 years, human line judges were used, until it was announced that 2025 would represent a leap into a bold new era (which basically no one wanted to enter), with ELC replacing actual line judges.
One could argue, of course, that the stakes are so high at Wimbledon, both historically and monetarily, that relying on an electronic system might be the right call – no pun intended. However, that is based on the premise that the electronic system is more accurate than the human eye, a premise that has been challenged (again, no pun intended, honestly) this week.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova challenged the umpire after an error in the line call system (REUTERS)
British hopefuls Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu, now both eliminated in SW19, questioned the accuracy of ELC. Raducanu, after her loss to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Friday, even said: 'It's kind of disappointing, the tournament here, that the calls can be so wrong.'
Advertisement
Yet the boiling point came on Sunday afternoon, when another Briton struck a shot well beyond the baseline, only for ELC to fail to call Sonay Kartal's error. Her opponent, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, would have won the game if she had correctly been awarded the point, and she would have led 5-4 in the opening set.
What ensued was a bizarre scene. Umpire Nico Helwerth (from Germany, like Kraftwerk, ah?) was admittedly unable to use the video replay that fans at home could see, meaning he pulled out a corded telephone to discuss the matter with fellow officials, before informing the Centre Court crowd that the point had to be replayed. Pavlyuchenkova remained remarkably calm initially, even after losing the replayed point. But when she lost the game itself, she used the change of ends to vent.
'Because she is local, they can say whatever,' the Russian told Helworth, referring to Kartal. 'You took the game away from me.' When Helworth seemed to lay blame at the feet of the system, Pavlyuchenkova retorted: 'They stole the game from me, they stole it.'
Pavlyuchenkova shows her frustration (Getty Images)
Ultimately, Pavlyuchenkova broke Kartal's serve as the latter failed to close out the set, and the Russian went on to earn a straight-sets win. Yet imagine she had lost the first set, especially in the game after ELC's error. Imagine she had lost the match.
Advertisement
Again, some observers might claim this could have occurred in years gone by, with a human line judge making the mistake. Yet at least players had the chance to challenge these calls, and not lose one of their allotted challenges if they were successful in appealing the call.
Perhaps we are all sceptical right now, in a world in which new technology is seemingly causing as many problems as solutions. Perhaps there's something a bit too Terminator about the rise of these machines. Indeed, having to specify 'human' line judges multiple times is a jarring move for a Monday morning.
Ironically, Wimbledon's apology included a mention of 'human error'. 'The live ELC system relies on the Hawk-Eye operators, the review official and the technology to work in harmony. 'This did not happen,' said a spokesperson. 'In this instance, there was a human error and, as a consequence, we have fully reviewed our processes and made the appropriate changes. We continue to have full confidence in the accuracy of the ball-tracking technology.'
Umpire Nico Helworth figuring out how to tackle the issue on court (AP)
So, a human is still to blame for a mistake that could have been oh so costly? Or would the removal of a seemingly convoluted electronic system have at least cut out the electronic middleman, simplifying the whole process?
You could argue all day, fizzing a fuzzy, verbal tennis ball over the net back and forth. Or you could admit that there was never really anything wrong with how things used to be.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Huddersfield sign Bristol City midfielder McGuane
Huddersfield Town have signed Bristol City midfielder Marcus McGuane for an undisclosed fee on a three-year deal. The 26-year-old made 21 appearances in the Championship for the Robins last season after joining from Oxford United. The former Arsenal trainee is the League One side's 11th signing this summer. "Marcus has the right profile, pedigree and hunger to come into our group and be a positive influence both on and off the pitch," boss Lee Grant told the club website. Transfers - July 2025
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
🎥 Crystal Palace's Eze dazzles in Premier League highlights reel
Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze is once again lighting up the internet with his dazzling footwork and effortless flair, as the club posted a highlight reel of his top Premier League moments. Eze, who has grown into a talismanic figure at Selhurst Park, enjoyed a standout 2024/25 season, becoming a crucial part of Palace's attacking identity. Known for his elegant dribbling, sharp turns, and eye for goal, the England international continues to draw admiration for his effortless style and composure under pressure. While the tweet serves as a celebration of Eze's brilliance, it has also reignited conversation about his future. With the summer transfer window in full swing and top Premier League clubs reportedly monitoring his situation, fans across the league are weighing in. 📸 Richard Pelham - 2025 Getty Images
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lionesses redefine 'fashionably late' with Euro 2025 semi-final victory
In elite sport, punctuality is a necessity. The environs of professional football do not allow for players sauntering into training 10 minutes behind time, with such behaviour reprimanded with fines, or worse, being dropped. It is a regimented lifestyle that has no regard for the concept of 'fashionably late'. For the rest of us mere mortals, the term evokes a conundrum grappled with at every social gathering - the art of arriving when the atmosphere has built but not too late to miss the party. But on Tuesday night in Geneva, the otherwise punctual Lionesses brought a whole new meaning to the concept of lateness, as they twice delivered at the death to not just arrive at the party but bring it themselves. For all of 90 minutes, Sarina Wiegman's side had looked defeated. Italy's low block had worked to full effect as they packed bodies behind the ball with five at the back. A break forward on 33 minutes had seen Sofia Cantore surge down the right to cross for Barbara Bonansea to capitalise on England's profligacy in defence and rifle home at the far post. Their tactics were paying off to a tee and Wiegman looked reluctant to make changes to a side who looked out of ideas in attack. While the Italian support boogied on with rousing choruses emanating from a sea of blue, the English party seemed to be over before it had really started in Geneva as the band produced yet another limp rendition of the Sarina-adapted version of 'Tequila'. Had you arrived at this gathering before the 90th minute, you may very well have felt the party was winding down as hopes of a third consecutive major tournament final for the Lionesses waned. The empty glasses of past glories against the Netherlands and Wales remained scattered around as an overly intoxicated figure in the corner was trying to tell tales of that time three years ago when England won at Wembley. But while it might not pass on the training pitch, fashionably late is Wiegman's calling card when it comes to substitutions. And while some people try to time their arrival for the peak of the party, other bring it with them. In England's Euro 2025 semi-final, Michelle Agyemang proved just that person. Thrown on in the 85th minute as Wiegman sought change through the introduction of two upfront, with Aggie Beever-Jones entering alongside the 19-year-old, her impact would almost be instant once more. Having delivered the equaliser against Sweden, Agyemang lived up to her billing once more. With a name that means 'saviour of the nation' in Ghanaian Akan, the forward pounced on a rebound from Beth Mead's header, showed maturity to take a touch to her right before firing the equaliser home. For Wiegman, who relied on the last-minute impact once more, it almost came too late. Seven minutes of added time had been announced, and it was in the 96th minute that Agyemang found the net, and with it the aux cord to plug in a microphone and announce herself to a nation. As the England crowd erupted, the dying embers of hope were reignited in the Stade de Geneve as the Lionesses once more clawed themselves back from a seemingly impossible predicament. And they would do it again in extra-time. Every coach likes to profess that they do not ever plan for the game to go to penalties - a win in extra-time appearing the moral coaching high ground. But as Wiegman withdrew penalty taker after penalty taker with fans watching Alessia Russo, Georgia Stanway and Lauren James depart the pitch before time, she could show proof of such a tact. Finishing the game with Lauren Hemp at left-back, Beth Mead operating in the space of a false nine sandwiched between Ella Toone and Agyemang with Beever-Jones and Chloe Kelly on the wings, it was kitchen sink football at its finest. But banking on a team that had taken 96 minutes to bag their first to score another inside another 30 appeared risky, but belief persisted. Reaching finals has become a culture within the Lionesses. A strong-willed determination to refuse to accept defeat appears to carry them over the line time and again. Regardless of performance or personnel, England will find a way and in the 119th minute referee Ivana Martincic pointed to the spot after Mead had been brought to the ground in the box. Enter party-bringer and player for the big moments Chloe Kelly. Stepping up with the familiar hop, skip and jump she fired her penalty low to the left where it was met by Laura Giuliani. But as if teasing the onlooking England crowd, she raced onto the rebound to fire home the winner to mark the latest goal scored in Women's EUROs history. As the party erupted in Geneva, Kelly, Agyemang and Wiegman had just redefined the meaning of fashionably late and in doing so sent England to the Euro 2025 final.