Wimbledon is set to embrace technology by introducing Live Electronic Line Calling (ELC), phasing out the traditional human line judges who have been part of the tournament for nearly 150 years. This move, aimed at improving officiating accuracy, has stirred mixed emotions among fans and line callers alike.
For decades, line judges at Wimbledon have been responsible for making crucial “out” and “fault” calls, often at pivotal moments of the match. Their on-court decisions have brought both elation and heartbreak. However, after 147 years of human involvement in officiating, Wimbledon announced its plans to replace these officials with an electronic system starting with the next tournament.
Sally Bolton, Chief Executive of the All England Club, explained the decision in a statement released on Wednesday: “The introduction of Live Electronic Line Calling at Wimbledon follows an extensive period of evaluation and consultation.”
Bolton noted that after a successful testing phase, the tournament officials determined that the ELC technology is now reliable enough to implement. “We believe the time is right to take this significant step toward achieving maximum officiating accuracy,” she added.
Despite the promise of greater precision, the decision has sparked some sadness. Many fans, and even the line judges themselves, hoped that the traditional role could coexist with technology. While Hawk-Eye technology has been used for the past 17 years to review line calls, it had supplemented rather than replaced human judgment until now.
Bolton acknowledged the importance of the tradition while emphasizing the need for progress. “We take our responsibility to balance tradition and innovation very seriously. Line umpires have been a key part of Wimbledon’s officiating team for decades, and we are grateful for their contributions and dedication.”
The move is part of a larger strategy to modernize the tournament, ensuring that finals day draws a global audience as large as possible, according to Bolton. The ELC system will standardize match conditions, something most players have already experienced in other international tournaments.
Wimbledon has been slower to adopt full automation compared to other Grand Slam events. The Australian Open has used electronic line calling for several years, and the US Open followed suit in 2022. Now, with Wimbledon joining the automation wave, the French Open remains the only Grand Slam still employing human line judges.
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