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CNN
2 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
Record heat at Wimbledon has players and fans trying to keep their cool amid scorching conditions
Wimbledon baked in its hottest-ever opening day on Monday, but the unprecedented London heat didn't stop players from putting on a show on the grass. Even before midday, temperatures near the grounds rose to 29.7 degrees Celsius (85.5 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Met Office, surpassing the 2001 tournament for the warmest opening day in the grand slam's 147-year history. Highs of 33 or 34 degrees Celsius (around 93 degrees Fahrenheit) are expected on Monday and Tuesday, edging towards Wimbledon's hottest day in history – 35.7 degrees C (96.3 degrees F) on July 1, 2015. For those toiling away on the court, the conditions were brutal. 'Tough. Really, really tough,' Germany's Eva Lys told reporters about playing in the heat. 'I think one thing that really helped me is to know my opponent has the same situation as me. I was sweating a lot, so my racket was very slippery. 'It's the first time playing with heat on grass. I feel like it's really tough on the legs. This is especially what I felt in the third set. I think the spectators didn't have it easy either. I feel like everyone is kind of struggling with the heat right now.' The effects of the heat on the spectators could have had a part in the match between two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and Italy's Fabio Fognini. Play was delayed for several minutes when a spectator needed medical attention after Alcaraz noticed the commotion in the stands. The Spaniard ran to get water for the affected person, who was seated in a sunny area on the opposite side of the court to the umpire's chair. When temperatures are at or above 30.1 degrees C (86.2 degrees F), Wimbledon implements its 'heat rule' policy, allowing players to request a 10-minute break in play to leave the court. It gives them a chance to hydrate and recover, but coaching or medical treatment is not allowed. The rule applies beyond the second set of three-set matches and after the third set of five-set matches, providing they are not being played under a roof. Even with those 10-minute breaks, players can still be placed under 'considerable physiological stress,' Chris Tyler, a reader in environmental physiology at the University of Roehampton, told CNN Sports. 'High heat impairs both physical endurance and cognitive function and can cause dangerous drops in blood pressure. 'Without effective cooling strategies, players are at risk of dizziness, fainting, and poor decision-making. Hydration, cooling garments and pacing will be essential to maintain performance and safety.' Elmer Møller, Denmark's world No. 117, said after his first-round defeat against US star Frances Tiafoe that he drinks more salts and electrolytes before going onto the court in hot conditions. He added, however, that the heat wasn't a 'bad factor' in his match – even preferable to playing in the wind. Tiafoe felt similarly. 'I didn't feel that hot out there,' the American 12th seed told reporters. 'Like, it was hot, I was sweating, but it wasn't that hot. That could have been me going in mentally thinking, 'This will be hot' – but it really didn't feel that hot. 'I don't know if wearing white helped as well, but I didn't really feel that hot.' Tiafoe said that he changed his shirt four or five times due to the amount he was sweating in the 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win against Møller, a tactic that other players wished they had deployed. 'I think a bit of a rookie mistake, not doing a change of clothes at the end of the set,' Great Britain's Sonay Kartal told reporters. 'It was hot, but I had ice towels, cold drinks and stuff. I wouldn't say it affected me too much.' Though unusual for London and the UK, most players have experience battling with these kinds of conditions at tournaments around the world. At the Australian Open in Melbourne, for instance, temperatures have exceeded 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) on several occasions, while the US Open in New York has also reckoned with scorching heat. Spectators, however, might feel less prepared. The Met Office advised those attending the first two days of the tournament to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and bring a hat amid 'very hot' temperatures and 'strong sunshine.' Hand-held fans, wide-brimmed hats and linen shirts were put to good use, particularly with many taking on the uphill, sweat-inducing walk from the train station to the grounds. Others braved potentially hours of sunshine in the long and snaking 'Queue' just to get a ticket. 'We arrived at 6:30 a.m. and we waited in line for seven hours to get in – it was so hot,' Paul Shaya told CNN Sports on Monday. 'We couldn't drink enough water to stay cool and people were sleeping all over the place.' Inside the venue, organizers issued messages over the loudspeaker system about the high temperatures, while water refill stations were in demand. Many of the outside courts offer very little shade, with the heat intensifying the closer you get to the action. 'There were no seats in the shade, everything was in the sun, so we haven't had a break in 10 hours,' fan Shari Berke said from behind her cap and sunglasses. Meanwhile, Stan Turner said that he and his wife Olga were leaving early to cool down elsewhere. 'There was no place to hide if you actually wanted to watch the tennis. It was quite overpowering,' he said. The UK's Health Security Agency issued amber alerts across most parts of the country, including in London, warning of a rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. An amber alert in the United Kingdom is related to weather incidents. There are currently at least 20 countries across Europe with heat alerts in place. Temperatures in London and around the UK are expected to cool off later in the week, with the Met Office forecasting sun and the possibility of rain on Wednesday. Perhaps then it will feel more like the typical British weather many have come to expect from Wimbledon.
Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Wimbledon AI line calls are too quiet for players and fans
Technology's debut replacing human line judges at Wimbledon began with complaints from players and spectators that they struggled to hear the calls. Yue Yuan interrupted her match against Eva Lys to ask the umpire to turn up the volume. Courts were noticeably quieter without the booming calls of 'out' and 'fault' and appeared almost under-dressed without the nine smartly dressed line judges standing duty. The disembodied calls from hidden speakers come from the Hawk-Eye system that uses cameras and advanced algorithms to track balls with pinpoint accuracy. • Tennis 'VAR' faults on debut as umpire's tablet fails Yuan, 26, said after losing the match: 'The voice, I cannot really hear it. It is a bit too low. So I asked the umpire, 'Can you improve it up a little bit?' He said he cannot. He said he will try to let us know [the call] because he has a machine that can look it up, and if we didn't realise [the call], he can let us know.' The announcements have been recorded from the voices of 20 members of staff at the All England Club. Yuan, from China, said she 'didn't really mind' the voice but noted that the umpire's call 'is a lot more loud than the automatic one'. There is no visual sign to replace the line judge's outstretched arm. Paul Schmidt, 28, a German tennis fan who was dressed as John McEnroe, watched the match with his father, Hendrik Schmidt, 58, dressed as Bjorn Borg. 'They would serve and then hit three or four returns and then came the call that the serve was out,' Schmidt said. A spokesman for the All England Club said: 'We continually monitor all aspects of live electronic line calling on each court throughout the day. The volume is set to ensure calls can be heard by umpires, players and spectators without impacting on other courts and will be adjusted as necessary.' Britain's Cameron Norrie, 29, said after his victory over Roberto Bautista Agut: 'I was lucky enough to play on an isolated court on Court 18. At the beginning I thought it could be a bit quiet [but] it never made any difference, and I was able to hear what was being called and what was not.' However, Norrie said he missed the line judges. 'I think it looks cool with the people there. It looks traditional. Obviously there's a lot of jobs and people that love tennis, which will definitely be missed from them.' Sonay Kartal, the first British player to experience the AI line-judge system in her upset win over Jelena Ostapenko, said she was 'a bit sad' to learn the human line judges were being replaced. 'I kind of like the tradition,' she said. 'Obviously, the game is developing. I guess we've all got to kind of follow suit.' Aryna Sabalenka, the top-seeded woman, said after her victory over Carson Branstine on No 1 Court that she was 'probably leaning towards' the AI system. 'If you have line umpires, you are always thinking, 'Should I challenge or shouldn't I?' It's a lot of doubt in your head, like an extra doubt. Why would you have it?' • Andy Murray calls for end to line judges after controversial defeat Outside the grounds, Harry Robson, 27, and Gabriel Paul, 26, were dressed as line judges and carried placards reading 'AI took my job', 'Don't sideline humans' and 'Don't let the bots call the shots'. 'I think it's a wider problem about human beings being replaced by AI,' Paul said. 'It loses some drama from the actual game. Someone said to me, 'What would John McEnroe have shouted at?'' Two spectators from Hampshire, who preferred not to be named, said they had noticed the change 'a lot' as they watched Britain's Oliver Tarvet beat Switzerland's Leandro Riedi on Court 4. 'We couldn't really hear much,' one said. The other added: 'It's quite faint. You don't get that instant reaction of knowing if it's in or out.' Eighty of the 350 line judges have been selected as umpire assistants. They have been relegated to sit off court looking uncomfortable just in front of the youngsters who hold umbrellas over the players and provide chilled towels during breaks in play. Sally Bolton, Wimbledon's chief executive, said: 'The decision we've made is very much about the way in which Wimbledon has always balanced heritage and tradition with innovation. It was time to make that change. It's not a money-saving exercise. It's about evolving a tournament and making sure that we're providing the most effective possible line-calling.' The ball boys and girls have been left alone in their positions around the court without the support of the line judges.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Players criticise Wimbledon's new AI line judges for being ‘too quiet'
Wimbledon's 'invincible' new AI line judges have been criticised for being too quiet. After 147 years of humans confidently - if not always accurately - making their voices heard, players and supporters had the new experience of waiting for computer-generated line calls on the first day of Wimbledon. Some fans complained that it had made some points more difficult to follow, with the Chinese player Yue Yuan complaining that she was left unable to hear the calls. When she asked for the calls to be made louder, Yuan says that she was also told that it was not possible to turn up the volume. 'The voice… I cannot really hear it - it is a bit too low,' she said. 'So I asked the referee, 'Can you improve it up a little bit?' 'He said he cannot. He said he will try to let us know [the call] because he has a machine that can look it up, and if we didn't realise [the call], he can let us know. I don't really mind but just want to hear it clearly. [The umpire's] voice is a lot louder than the automatic one so we can hear that clear.' Yuan was playing on Court 8, which is in close proximity to Courts 9, 5 and 4, and said that it did not cost her a match which she lost 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 to Germany's Eva Lys. 'If they make these sounds loud we will of course mix it up,' said Yuan. 'If the umpire can let us know, it is fine. Other tournaments don't really have this problem. But I remember other tournaments … if they put this voice loud, they will also mix it up if the courts are close to each other.' The new system uses the pre-recorded calls from the build-up to the tournament of around 20 Wimbledon employees. Only one voice can be heard in each match, but different courts do have different voices in an attempt to avoid any confusion. British number three Cameron Norrie said that the situation was easier on Court 18, which is isolated from adjoining courts. 'I think at the beginning I thought it could be a bit quiet, but then it never made any difference, and I was able to hear what was being called and what was not,' he said. 'There were no bad calls or nothing happened like that. It's good. You get on with it. There's no kind of getting mad at anyone for missing a call or saying something or moving during the point or something happening. You get on with it, and that's what it is. I've not had any problems with it in the past. It's pretty black or white with the calls. In, out, and you hear it. There's no mistake.' Norris, though, said that the absence of line judges, with their colour-coordinated blazers, shirts and trousers, was felt. 'I think it looks cool with the people there,' he said. 'It looks traditional. Obviously there's a lot of jobs and people that love tennis, which will definitely be missed from them. 'Definitely you've got to feel for those linesmen and those people that are travelling, and they love their tennis just as much as I love tennis. That's a bit tough for them, but it's pretty black or white with the calling.' Sonay Kartal, who was another British day one winner, said: 'I hit a few shots that were at a pretty big moment and the crowd kind of went nuts, so maybe I lost it a bit in that. Apart from that, I didn't have any complaints. It was perfectly fine for my court.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Wimbledon's electronic line-calling system already mired in controversy - because it's too QUIET for players to hear
The new electronic line-calling system that replaced traditional judges is already mired in controversy after a player and spectators complained they can't hear the calls. China 's Yuan Yue raised concerns during her first-round match on Court 8, asking the umpire to increase the volume of the automated calls. She went on to lose the match to Germany 's Eva Lys in a tight three-set contest: 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. 'The voice -I couldn't really hear it, it was a bit low,' said the 26-year-old after the match. 'So I asked the umpire to put it up… He said he can't, and he would try to let us know.' Despite the issue, she said she just 'kept playing' adding: 'I didn't really mind, but I did want to hear it clearer… his [the umpire's] microphone voice was louder than the automated calls.' She acknowledged the challenge of balancing the volume with the practicality on the outer courts which are side by side. 'It's a big tournament and some of the courts are very close to each other, so if it was louder it could confuse the players.' The All England Club has said that it is using a mix of male and female voices on the outside courts, specifically to avoid confusion due to the proximity of matches. It pre-recorded the calls in the build-up to the tournament using around 20 Wimbledon employees with the 'best voices'. However, fans on Centre Court said the new system was also causing confusing on the show court. One visitor said: 'You don't' know when the call is out, it isn't clear. Sometimes someone from the crowd calls it and you don't know what's going on.' It comes as viewers at home also voiced frustration, taking to social media to complain that the line calls were difficult to hear with some fans even demanding the return of traditional line judges. 'Technology is great but I'm already missing the line judges at Wimbledon,' wrote one viewer, James Stewart, on X. 'A flat pre-recorded 'fault' is no replacement for someone who shouts it loudly in panic as an errant ball whistles just by their head at 125mph.' Another fan, Penny Morgan, echoed the sentiment: 'We want our line judges back.'
CNN
2 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
Record heat at Wimbledon has players and fans alike trying to keep their cool amid scorching conditions
Wimbledon baked in its hottest-ever opening day on Monday, but the unprecedented London heat didn't stop players from putting on a show on the grass. Even before midday, temperatures near the grounds rose to 29.7 degrees Celsius (85.5 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Met Office, surpassing the 2001 tournament for the warmest opening day in the tournament's 147-year history. Highs of 33 or 34 degrees Celsius (around 93 degrees Fahrenheit) are expected on Monday and Tuesday, edging towards Wimbledon's hottest day in history – 35.7 degrees C (96.3 degrees F) on July 1, 2015. For those toiling away on the court, the conditions were brutal. 'Tough. Really, really tough,' Germany's Eva Lys told reporters about playing in the heat. 'I think one thing that really helped me is to know my opponent has the same situation as me. I was sweating a lot, so my racket was very slippery. 'It's the first time playing with heat on grass. I feel like it's really tough on the legs. This is especially what I felt in the third set. I think the spectators didn't have it easy either. I feel like everyone is kind of struggling with the heat right now.' When temperatures are at or above 30.1 degrees C (86.2 degrees F), Wimbledon implements its 'heat rule' policy, allowing players to request a 10-minute break in play to leave the court. It gives them a chance to hydrate and recover, but coaching or medical treatment is not allowed. The rule applies beyond the second set of three-set matches and after the third set of five-set matches, providing they are not being played under a roof. Even with those 10-minute breaks, players can still be placed under 'considerable physiological stress,' Chris Tyler, a reader in environmental physiology at the University of Roehampton, told CNN Sports. 'High heat impairs both physical endurance and cognitive function and can cause dangerous drops in blood pressure. 'Without effective cooling strategies, players are at risk of dizziness, fainting, and poor decision-making. Hydration, cooling garments and pacing will be essential to maintain performance and safety.' Elmer Møller, Denmark's world No. 117, said after his first-round defeat against US star Frances Tiafoe that he drinks more salts and electrolytes before going onto the court in hot conditions. He added, however, that the heat wasn't a 'bad factor' in his match – even preferable to playing in the wind. Tiafoe felt similarly. 'I didn't feel that hot out there,' the American 12th seed told reporters. 'Like, it was hot, I was sweating, but it wasn't that hot. That could have been me going in mentally thinking, 'This will be hot' – but it really didn't feel that hot. 'I don't know if wearing white helped as well, but I didn't really feel that hot.' Tiafoe said that he changed his shirt four or five times due to the amount he was sweating in the 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win against Møller, a tactic other players wished they had deployed. 'I think a bit of a rookie mistake, not doing a change of clothes at the end of the set,' Great Britain's Sonay Kartal told reporters. 'It was hot, but I had ice towels, cold drinks and stuff. I wouldn't say it affected me too much.' Though unusual for London and the UK, most players have experience battling with these kinds of conditions at tournaments around the world. At the Australian Open in Melbourne, for instance, temperatures have exceeded 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) on several occasions, while the US Open in New York has also reckoned with scorching heat. Spectators, however, might feel less prepared. The Met Office advised those attending the first two days of the tournament to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and bring a hat amid 'very hot' temperatures and 'strong sunshine.' Hand-held fans, wide-brimmed hats and linen shirts were put to good use, particularly with many taking on the uphill, sweat-inducing walk from the train station to the grounds. Others braved potentially hours of sunshine in the long and snaking 'Queue' just to get a ticket. Inside the venue, organizers issued messages over the loudspeaker system about the high temperatures, while water refill stations were in high demand. Many of the outside courts offer very little shade, with the heat intensifying the closer you get to the action. The UK's Health Security Agency issued amber alerts across most parts of the country, including in London, warning of a rise in deaths among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. An amber alert in the United Kingdom is related to weather incidents. There are currently at least 20 countries across Europe with heat alerts in place. Temperatures in London and around the UK are expected to cool off later in the week, with the Met Office forecasting sun and the possibility of rain on Wednesday. Perhaps then it will feel more like the typical British weather many have come to expect from Wimbledon
