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Wimbledon announces change after line call controversy

Getty Images / Umpire Nico Helwerth opted to replay a point when a 'human error' led to the line-calling technology being deactivated

Getty Images / Umpire Nico Helwerth opted to replay a point when a 'human error' led to the line-calling technology being deactivated

Wimbledon 2025

Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England Club

Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage guide.

Wimbledon has made changes to its electronic line calling system to remove the possibility of "human error" after it was accidentally deactivated in a controversial episode on Sunday.

An "operator error" meant the ball-tracking technology was turned off for one game in the fourth-round match between Britain's Sonay Kartal and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Centre Court.

"Following our review, we have now removed the ability for Hawk-Eye operators to manually deactivate the ball tracking," the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) said in a statement to BBC Sport.

"While the source of the issue was human error, this error cannot now be repeated due to the system changes we have made."

Kartal sent a backhand long when game point down at 4-4, but this was not detected by the line-call system, which instead made two automated calls of "stop".

Umpire Nico Helwerth opted to replay the point - which Kartal won - but was criticised by Pavlyuchenkova and some pundits for not using his authority to overrule and call the ball out.

TV replays had shown the ball was well long and Pavlyuchenkova suggested there should be a video review system, similar to that in football, which would have enabled the umpire to make the call.

The AELTC said Helwerth had "followed the established process", but later added that the issue of video reviews would be "among the matters considered" at the end of the Championships.

Club chief executive Sally Bolton said earlier on Monday that Helwerth was "having a rest day".

"We have rotation of our umpires regularly. A little bit like the players, the umpires also need rest days throughout the tournament," Bolton told BBC Sport.

"He's having a rest day today. He's fine.

"It's really important to say that the umpire followed the protocols in place. He did what he needed to do on court and acted entirely correctly."

Author: Laura Scott, Sports News Correspondent

Source: BBC News:

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