Wimbledon organisers issue public apology after new line-technology system was turned off

The automatic line-calling at Wimbledon failed during Sonay Kartal’s last-16 clash with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – forcing Wimbledon chiefs into a public apology.

Line judges are not being used at the All-England Club for the first time in its 148-year history.

The umpire halted the match and checked the technology was workingCredit: BBC

Pavlyuchenkova was convinced the shot was long and was proved rightCredit: GettyThis is because they have been replaced by an electronic line calling system.

This uses cameras, computers and sensors to track the ball’s trajectory – similar to what is used in cricket’s HawkEye system.

Up to 18 cameras are used on each court to project where the ball lands in real time, with an automated voice calling out.

This system quite clearly failed during the Centre Court match on Sunday with a ball landing nearly a foot out, but no call came.

Read more on tennisThe umpire immediately stopped the play at the crucial juncture in the match with Pavlyuchenkova having the deuce advantage on her serve to make it 5-4.

A call was immediately made by the umpire to check the system was in effect, after several minutes he announced the point would be replayed.

He said: “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your patience. The automatic line calling system was unable to track the last point so we are replaying the point.”

In total, the line-calling system missed three calls in that game, leading a Wimbledon spokesperson to say: “It is now clear that the live ELC system, which was working optimally, was deactivated in error on part of the server’s side of the court for one game by those operating the system.

“In that time, there were three calls not picked up by live ELC on the affected part of the court.

“Two of these were called by the chair umpire, who was not made aware that the system had been deactivated.

Replays showed just how out the shot wasCredit: BBC“Following the third, the chair umpire stopped the match and consulted with the review official. It was determined that the point should be replayed.

“The chair umpire followed the established process. We have apologised to the players involved.”

Before adding: “We continue to have full confidence in the accuracy of the ball-tracking technology.

“The live ELC system relies on the Hawk-Eye operators, the review official and the technology to work in harmony. This did not happen. In this instance there was a human error and as a consequence we have fully reviewed our processes and made the appropriate changes.”

Pavlyuchenkova went on to lose that game in question, but battled back to win the first set on her watch to victory.

Thought she fumed about the moment as she sat down during the changeover.

Kartal’s dream Wimbledon run came to an endCredit: GettyShe said: “I don’t know if it’s in or it’s 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.”

The umpire replied: “If they tell me [inaudible] there’s nothing I can do. If they tell me we don’t have it, that’s the rule.”

But Pavlyuchenkova replied: “They stole the game from me, they stole it.”

The decision went in Kartal’s favour and she refused to blame the umpire for anything, saying he handled the situation well.

After the defeat, she said: “That situation is a rarity. I don’t think it’s really ever happened, if it has. What can you do? The umpire’s trying his best in that situation. I think he handled it fine.

“I think the system just malfunctioned a little bit and I think the fairest way was what he did, to replay the point. I think obviously it was just a bit unlucky that happened. But I think it’s.. there’s hardly been any of them.”

Line judges are on hand if the technology failsCredit: GettyThe automatic line calling system has come under huge scrutiny at Wimbledon, with many players refusing to trust it.

Emma Raducanu believed it had got a number of calls wrong during her defeat to Aryna Sabalenka.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Jack Draper has stated he didn’t trust it after his second round defeat to Maran Cilic.

“I don’t think it’s 100 per cent accurate, in all honesty,” he said.

“A couple of the ones today it showed a mark on the court. There’s no way the chalk would have showed.”

Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, said she had confidence in the system.

‘Coming from him’ – Carlos Alcaraz snaps back at nightlife claim after double Wimbledon champion fears raised

“It’s funny, isn’t it, because when we did have linesmen, we were constantly asked why we didn’t have electronic line calling because it’s more accurate than they do the rest of the tour,” she told BBC Sport.

Read More on talkSPORT”The players wanted it because they were asking us, why do we have linesmen? Because of potential human error. And now we have it in situ.

“We have to think of innovation and we’re just moving with what the court and mostly what the players expect.”