On July 8, 2025, Wimbledon’s new electronic line-calling system malfunctioned during a quarterfinal match between Taylor Fritz and Karen Khachanov, prompting a replay due to a ball boy’s interference.
During the fourth set of Fritz’s 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(4) win over Khachanov, the electronic system erroneously called a “fault” mid-point, as a ball boy crossed the net, per CNN Sports. Umpire Louise Azemar-Engzell, after a phone consultation, ordered a replay, citing the system’s failure to recognise the point’s start, per the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC).
Wimbledon’s electronic line-calling system malfunctions at quarterfinal match https://t.co/j8MMzR9kFj pic.twitter.com/llbvd4DEY2
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) July 8, 2025In 2025, Wimbledon replaced human line judges with electronic calling, joining the ATP, WTA, and the Australian and U.S. Opens. This change left Roland Garros as the only Grand Slam tournament still using human judges. An earlier incident during a match between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Sonay Kartal, where the electronic system was accidentally turned off, prompted an apology from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) for a “human error”. While adjustments were made, issues continued to arise.
Wimbledon’s automatic line-calling system faces further scrutiny after a malfunction led it to mistakenly shout “fault” during a matchhttps://t.co/QQkvxgLYFk
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) July 8, 2025Players such as Emma Raducanu, who referred to the system as “dodgy,” and Jack Draper expressed their frustration, with 60% of surveyed players questioning its accuracy. Tommy Fritz, who advanced to the semifinals, downplayed the incident, but fans remained concerned. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) defended the system, stating that it has an accuracy rate of 99.7% in testing. However, 70% of fans are calling for improvements.
