Wimbledon controversy arises as electronic line calling fails during critical match
- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova faced a controversial moment during her fourth-round match against Sonay Kartal at Wimbledon.
- A malfunction in the electronic line-calling system led to a critical point being replayed, which upset Pavlyuchenkova.
- Despite the initial setback, Pavlyuchenkova won the match and called attention to the need for reconsideration of the reliance on technology.
At Wimbledon, a failure in the electronic line-calling system occurred during a match between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Sonay Kartal on July 7, 2025. During the first set, a shot from Kartal clearly landed out, yet the automated system did not register the call, causing confusion among players and spectators. The chair umpire, Nico Helwerth, announced the point would be replayed, which led to Pavlyuchenkova expressing her dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that the game was taken from her. Despite the setback, Pavlyuchenkova eventually won the match in straight sets, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2016. The incident highlighted concerns regarding the reliance on technology, with critics questioning the elimination of human umpires in critical gameplay situations. Wimbledon officials later confirmed that the error was due to human oversight, resulting in the electronic system being turned off and leading to calls for a review of their processes regarding electronic line calling, especially in significant moments of matches.