Wimbledon has announced that it will no longer have line judges next year, replacing them with artificial intelligence for the first time in the tournament’s 147-year history.
Starting in 2025, live electronic line calling (ELC) will be implemented on all courts at the All England Club, including the qualifying tournament in Roehampton. This decision follows successful testing of the technology during this year’s championships. Sally Bolton, Wimbledon’s chief executive, stated,
The decision to introduce Live Electronic Line Calling at the championships was made following a significant period of consideration and consultation. Having reviewed the results of the testing this year, we consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating.
Wimbledon first embraced line-calling technology with the introduction of Hawk-Eye in 2007, allowing players to challenge line calls. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of ELC, with major tournaments like the US Open and Australian Open eliminating line judges in recent years.
The ATP has also announced that ELC will be used at all ATP Tour events from 2025. With Wimbledon’s decision, the French Open remains the only Grand Slam yet to commit to ELC.
While the transition to AI officiating is seen as a step forward in terms of accuracy and efficiency, it raises concerns about the diminishing human element in the sport. The removal of line judges reduces part-time opportunities for trained officials and impacts the career pathway for aspiring chair umpires, many of whom begin as line officials.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) acknowledged these concerns, stating, “We understand the reasons behind the decision to introduce live electronic line-calling and we recognize the ongoing changes to officiating around the world. With this in mind, we are already working with the Association of British Tennis Officials to understand the impact on the pathway for British officials and develop a new joint strategy with them that will ensure officials can be retained within the sport, new officials can be recruited and the officiating community will be supported through the changes.”
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