In a groundbreaking move, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has announced that traditional line judges will be phased out at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, replaced by cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology. This revolutionary change marks a significant departure from the tournament’s 147-year history, where human officials have played a crucial role in calling shots in and out.
The AELTC has confirmed that automated electronic line calling (ELC) will be implemented across all 18 courts, ensuring maximum accuracy and consistency in officiating. This technology has already been successfully tested and adopted at various tournaments, including the US Open, and is set to become the standard on the ATP Tour from 2025.
The introduction of ELC means the challenge system will be abolished, with automated voice calls taking over the responsibility of judging line calls. This development builds upon the existing ball tracking and line calling technology that has been in place for many years, according to the AELTC.
Sally Bolton, CEO of the AELTC, emphasized that the decision to introduce Live Electronic Line Calling was made after thorough consideration and consultation. “We have reviewed the results of our testing and are confident that the technology is robust and ready for implementation,” she said.
Players will benefit from the consistency and accuracy provided by ELC, which they have already experienced at other events on the tour. The AELTC also acknowledged the valuable contribution of line umpires, who have played a central role in officiating at Wimbledon for decades.
In another significant change, the women’s and men’s singles finals will start at a later time in 2025, with provisional start times set for 4 p.m. local time. The women’s singles final will follow the men’s doubles, while the men’s singles final will follow the women’s doubles.
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