Wimbledon AI could not tell that this ball was out

Telegraph

6 days ago

Wimbledon's new AI technology had its biggest malfunction yet at a crucial moment in the fourth-round match featuring Sonay Kartal.
The new line-judge technology has already come under fire from Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper – and during the first set of Kartal's clash with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the technology failed in a dramatic way.
With the score four games apiece, and Pavlyuchenkova holding advantage on her service, Kartal fired a forehand way beyond the service line, with the ball appearing to be at least a foot out.
But there was no intervention from the automated line-calling technology and and the point continued before umpire Nico Helworth told the players to halt play, calling 'stop, stop' mid-rally. Helworth clearly believed the ball had gone out, even though it had not been called on the electronic system.
The match was paused for around four minutes as the umpire announced that there was to be a check on whether the new AI system was working properly. There was also no replay shown on the screen by Hawk-Eye, as usually happens for points deemed to be a 'close call'.
After the delay, during which both players stood on court in confusion, it was announced that the point was to be replayed. The Russian player could be heard telling the umpire: 'I don't know if it's in or out. How do I know? How can you prove it? Because she is local, they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.'
Intriguing scenes!
Pavlyuchenkova thinks Kartal has put her forehand long and stops before the Brit slams back a winner.
The umpire checks and confirms the electronic line calling system was unable to track the point, which leads to the point being replayed. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/Qkz3Rickj5
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 6, 2025
Pavlyuchenkova then lost the point and was broken in the game by Kartal. However, the Russian went on to win the first set anyway.
Wimbledon broke from its 147-year tradition this year, replacing its impeccably-dressed line judges with the AI technology that has become commonplace on the tour.
Both Raducanu and Draper said in their post-match press conferences that they had been subject to incorrect calls during their matches, with Draper questioning the accuracy of the technology.
Two leading coaches also told Telegraph Sport that they had little confidence in the Electronic Line Calling (ELC) to make the right decisions, claiming it worked less well on grass than on the hard courts of Melbourne and New York.
The claims were heavily disputed by Wimbledon, with All England Club chair Debbie Jevans saying the players had wanted the introduction of the new technology.