This video can not be played
Kartal Secures Contentious Victory Amid Electronic Line-Calling System Malfunction
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova expressed her dismay after an electronic line-calling system failure at Wimbledon during her fourth-round match against Britain’s Sonay Kartal, claiming a game was “stolen” from her.
The incident occurred at 4-4 in the first set when a Kartal backhand, visibly landing long, was not registered as “out” by the system, prompting chair umpire Nico Helwerth to halt play.
Pavlyuchenkova, along with television replays, confirmed the ball’s clear wide trajectory.
Addressing spectators, Helwerth stated: “We’re just going to check if the system was up and running, because there was no audio call.”
Following a telephone consultation, he announced that the electronic system “was unfortunately unable to track the last point so we will replay the point”.
Had the correct “out” call been made, Pavlyuchenkova would have secured the point and the lead.
Instead, the point was replayed, Kartal won it, and subsequently broke serve to take a 5-4 advantage.
The electronic line calling system did not call the shot from Sonay Kartal out
A visibly frustrated Pavlyuchenkova voiced her concerns to the umpire during the changeover: “I don’t know if it’s in or out. How do I know? How can you prove it?
“Because she is local they can say whatever. You took the game away from me.
“They stole the game from me. They stole it.”
An All England Club spokesperson attributed the incident to “operator error,” stating: “Due to operator error the system was deactivated on the point in question.
“The chair umpire followed the established process.”
The automated line-calling system, implemented at Wimbledon for the first time this year, has faced scrutiny this week, with multiple players questioning its accuracy and audio levels.
Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, reaffirmed her confidence in the system’s accuracy and its introduction on Friday.
The umpire explained to the players that there had been no line call
The reliability of the electronic line calling technology has been under question throughout the tournament, with some players expressing a lack of trust in its performance.
This high-profile malfunction on Centre Court, during a match involving a British player, has amplified concerns surrounding the technology.
Emma Raducanu has previously voiced concerns over “dodgy” calls, while Belinda Bencic acknowledged that the technology has been a frequent topic of discussion among players.
Bencic, typically supportive of the technology, stated that “it is not correct” at this year’s tournament.
Electronic line-calling has replaced line judges at many top-tier tournaments, including the US Open and Australian Open.
Jevans stated the technology was implemented because “the players wanted it.” While some have supported the system, Iga Swiatek has expressed the need to “trust” the calls despite having doubts.
Raducanu among players questioning electronic line calls
Why ‘best-dressed officials’ are missing from Wimbledon
‘I can’t hear it’ – Wimbledon’s first day of electronic calling
Pavlyuchenkova’s eventual victory suggests the malfunction was not as detrimental as it could have been.
Anne Keothavong, Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup captain, said the incident “is going to be something the referee and organisers are going to have to reflect on what could have been done better”.
“If there is uncertainty, that creates anxiety,” she stated on BBC TV. “They [players] just need to feel reassured that the technology is working and the person who is pressing the buttons is doing the job they are meant to do.
“Hopefully we don’t see mistakes like this again.”
Tracy Austin described the event as a “one-off” situation.
“An interesting, dramatic situation that I’m sure we will fix in the future but it was tough to watch for those few minutes,” the American added.
Taylor Fritz, who said a similar incident occurred to him in Cincinnati last year, suggested umpires should be empowered to make the call if the technology fails rather than replaying the point.
With line judges absent, electronic reviews were available for challenges. Under the new system, challenges and video replays are no longer an option.
This video can not be played
How Pavlyuchenkova’s ‘incredible mental toughness’ overcame glaring error
Wimbledon 2025
30 June to 13 July
Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app.