October 09, (THEWILL) – In a significant shift for the prestigious Wimbledon tennis tournament, organisers have announced the implementation of electronic line-calling from 2025. This decision marks the end of an era for the iconic line judges who have been an integral part of the Grand Slam event for nearly one and a half centuries.
The All England Club, which oversees the tournament, stated that the move aims to strike a balance between tradition and innovation. The new system will cover all Championship and qualifying match courts, making calls for ‘out’ and ‘fault’ that were previously the responsibility of line umpires.
This change aligns Wimbledon with other major tournaments worldwide, including the Australian Open and US Open, which already utilise similar technology. The decision follows extensive testing conducted during the 2023 Championships and builds upon the existing Hawk-Eye system that has been in place since 2007.
While acknowledging the valuable contribution of line umpires over the decades, Wimbledon officials emphasised that this technological advancement would ensure maximum accuracy in officiating. The move also brings consistency for players, who have experienced electronic line-calling at other tour events.
In addition to the line-calling changes, Wimbledon has also announced that the men’s and women’s singles finals will now commence at 4:00 pm local time, two hours later than the traditional start time. The 2024 Wimbledon Championship is scheduled to take place from June 30 to July 13.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
