British tennis star Emma Raducanu has publicly questioned the accuracy of Wimbledon’s new electronic line-calling system following her third-round defeat, expressing disappointment over a pivotal call she believed was incorrect.
The 22-year-old, who had built strong momentum with earlier wins over compatriot Mingge Xu and 2023 champion Markéta Vondroušová, saw her campaign come to an end in straight sets against top seed Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(6), 6-4.
Emma Raducanu Joins Growing Criticism of AI Line Calls at Wimbledon
For the first time in Wimbledon history, the All England Club replaced its iconic human line judges with an AI-powered Hawk-Eye Live system, eliminating all on-court officials aside from the chair umpire. This shift has sparked debate throughout the tournament as players grapple with the absence of the human element that has long been a staple of the sport.
The system is being used on all covered courts, including Centre Court, to streamline calls and reduce human error. However, it appears the solution has introduced a new set of problems, particularly for home favorites like Raducanu and fellow Brit Jack Draper.
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Raducanu’s frustration came to a head during her tight first-set tiebreak against Sabalenka, where she saved seven match points before ultimately falling short. At one key moment, she questioned a call she insisted was “for sure out,” but the system ruled it in. In her post-match press conference, she didn’t hold back.
“It’s disappointing that the calls at the tournament can be so wrong,” she said. “For the most part they’ve been okay, but I’ve had a few in my other matches too that have been very wrong. So, I don’t know. Hopefully, they can fix that.”
Her comments echoed those of fourth seed Draper, who earlier in the week called the technology “not 100% accurate” after a contentious moment in his second-round exit against World No. 83 Marin Čilić.
What to Expect from Sabalenka’s Upcoming Wimbledon Clash
Sabalenka advanced to the Round of 16 for the third time, where she will take on 24th seed Elise Mertens. This will be their 13th meeting on the WTA Tour, with the Belarusian holding a dominant 10-2 head-to-head record. They last met in the 2025 Madrid Open third round, where Sabalenka won in three sets.
The winner of this match will take on either lucky loser Solana Sierra or Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals.