Wimbledon apologise to Pavlyuchenkova after line-calling mistake

 Wimbledon apologise to Pavlyuchenkova after line-calling mistake

Wimbledon organisers were forced to apologise after a major error involving the tournament's electronic line-calling system affected a key fourth-round match between Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Britain’s Sonay Kartal. During one game on Centre Court, the line-calling system was mistakenly turned off on part of the court, leading to at least three incorrect calls. One crucial point, in particular, was not flagged as out when Kartal hit a ball beyond the baseline. If correctly called, it would have given Pavlyuchenkova a 5-4 lead in the first set.

The mistake went unnoticed initially. Chair umpire Nico Helwerth was unaware the system had been deactivated and decided to replay the point instead of awarding it. Kartal went on to win the game. Pavlyuchenkova voiced her frustration after the match, suggesting possible bias because Kartal is British, saying, “Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.”

Wimbledon later confirmed that the electronic line-calling system had been "deactivated in error" by staff managing the technology. In a statement, officials admitted human error was responsible and said the chair umpire followed standard procedure once the issue became apparent. Tournament CEO Sally Bolton told reporters the system itself was functional and had simply been turned off without notice. She added that the team had reviewed the situation and made process changes to prevent such an incident from happening again. The affected players were spoken to and offered direct apologies by tournament staff.

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The line-calling incident has reignited concerns about Wimbledon’s decision to fully rely on automated systems for judging calls. Starting in 2025, Wimbledon joined other Grand Slam tournaments like the Australian Open and US Open in removing human line judges completely. Instead, the tournament now uses a fully automated electronic line-calling (ELC) system, supported by a small number of match assistants per court. Around 80 former line judges are now tasked with assisting umpires rather than making calls themselves.

Despite the system’s overall reliability, several players, including British stars Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper, have raised questions about its consistency and transparency. The glitch during Pavlyuchenkova’s match further intensifies scrutiny over whether full automation is truly error-proof or whether human oversight still plays an essential role.

Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Club, was firm in defending the use of the system, stating that there is no need to reintroduce human line judges. She explained that the malfunction was not a failure of technology but rather a human error in operation. The system was fully functional; it had simply been turned off accidentally. Once the error was realised, officials acted according to protocol, although the mistake had already influenced the match's momentum.

Wimbledon officials have promised that procedures have now been adjusted to ensure such oversights do not occur again. The controversy may fuel wider debate in tennis circles about the risks of relying solely on automation. For now, however, Wimbledon stands by its technology, stating that the incident was an isolated case and not a reflection of system-wide issues. The All England Club hopes the updated safeguards will restore confidence in the system as the tournament continues.