End of tradition: Wimbledon replaces human line judges with AI
What's the story
In a historic shift, Wimbledon has decided to do away with line judges from its 2025 tournament onward.
The change comes as the first time in the championship's 147-year history, that matches will be officiated without human line judges.
Instead, AI-backed live electronic line calling (ELC) will be implemented on all courts for both the main draw at the All England Club, and the qualifying tournament in Roehampton.
Technological shift
A tested and reliable solution
The decision to adopt ELC technology was taken after a lot of consideration and consultation. The technology had been successfully trialed during this year's championships.
Wimbledon's Chief Executive Sally Bolton, said the results of the testing were satisfactory and the technology is robust enough for implementation.
She emphasized that this move aims to ensure maximum accuracy in officiating.
Global adoption
ELC: A global trend in tennis officiating
Notably, the transition to ELC isn't exclusive to Wimbledon, but rather a wider trend in tennis.
After the pandemic-induced hiatus in 2020, several major tournaments, including the US Open, started using ELC on select courts.
The Australian Open became the first Grand Slam event to eliminate line judges from all courts.
The ATP also announced that all ATP Tour events will adopt ELC on every court from 2025 onward.
System functionality
How does the ELC system function?
The ELC system, called Hawk-Eye Live, works by employing 12 tracking cameras placed around each court. These cameras precisely track the trajectory and bounce of every ball.
The system has been tested more extensively on natural surfaces such as clay and grass than hard courts.
With Wimbledon's decision to adopt ELC, the French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament yet to embrace this technology.
Tradition vs innovation
Wimbledon's tradition and innovation balance
The All England Club has also announced a major change to the tournament's final weekend scheduling.
The singles finals, which usually start at 2:00pm will now start at 4:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday. This change is aimed at providing a better viewing window for fans in North and South America.
Despite these changes, chair umpires will still be retained in the tournament.