Wimbledon has quickly moved to prevent a repeat of the “human error” that caused a significant electronic line-calling malfunction during a fourth-round match on Sunday.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced Monday that it has removed the ability for Hawk-Eye operators to manually deactivate the ball-tracking system, ensuring such an incident “cannot now be repeated.”
The issue occurred during the match between Britain’s Sonay Kartal and Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
An “operator error” led to the ball-tracking technology being turned off for a crucial game. When Kartal hit a backhand long, the system failed to detect it, prompting umpire Nico Helwerth to replay the point, which Kartal subsequently won.
This decision drew criticism from Pavlyuchenkova and pundits, who argued Helwerth should have overruled the call given clear TV replays showing the ball out.
Pavlyuchenkova called for a video review system similar to football’s, a suggestion the AELTC confirmed would be “among the matters considered” after the Championships.
While defending Helwerth’s adherence to established protocols, the AELTC’s swift system change highlights its commitment to fairness.
This incident has reignited debates about technology in tennis, particularly Wimbledon’s lack of a video review system present at other major tournaments.
Despite this, the AELTC maintains “full confidence in the accuracy of the ball-tracking technology.”
