The 148-Year Tradition Wimbledon is Breaking with Technology
There are few things that are quite as British, or quite as traditional, as Wimbledon.
Each summer thousands of tennis fans descend on this picturesque corner of Southwest London, ready to enjoy the world's oldest tennis tournament.
Throughout Wimbledon's 148-year history, its organisers have been committed to preserving the traditions that have become a key part of its visual identity.
From the players' all-white kits to the strawberries and cream served in the stands, Wimbledon's traditions help to distinguish it from every other tennis event.
From its inception in 1877, one of the most identifiable features of Wimbledon has been its sharply-dressed line judges.
These officials — always kitted out in striped shirts, white trousers and ties — have been a staple on the courts for decades, helping umpires to make marginal calls.
From this year on, though, things will be a little different as the judges will be replaced by AI ball-tracking technologies.
Technology replaces tradition at Wimbledon
While Wimbledon is a very traditional affair, it's always tried to move with the times technologically.
Since the millennium's turn, SW19 has introduced a retractable roof for Centre Court, Hawk-Eye challenges and AI commentary. You can now even get the Wimbledon classic strawberries and cream in sandwich form.
The All England Club's choice to replace its line judges with AI calls follows on from the ATP Tour's complete embrace of automated line calling in all its tournaments this season.
The WTA has also moved to introduce AI into its umpiring this season.
The ATP has stated that the shift to electronic line calling aims to "optimise accuracy and consistency across tournaments, match courts and surfaces".
The system uses cameras, computers and sensors to monitor ball paths to detect whether shots have landed inside or outside the lines, all without the need for human intervention.
Unlike other championships using standardised automated voices, Wimbledon has decided that its team members will deliver the electronic calls over loudspeakers.
"We will use different voices on different courts so there is no confusion across courts that are close together," says Eloise Tyson, Head of Communications at Wimbledon.
The voices will feature tour guides and backstage Championship staff, though the tournament has stressed it will not make individuals the face of electronic line calling.
How will players adjust to the technology?
There have been a few hiccups in the rollout of the AI-driven systems so far.
British #1 Jack Draper experienced some confusion at Queen's Club earlier this summer when the automated calls were drowned out by crowd noise during a vital set point.
"They have used very calm voices — it sort of sounds like the voice isn't sure," former line judge Pauline Eyre, who worked the lines at Wimbledon for 16 years, told BBC Sport.
"Sort of like it's saying 'out… I think'. It feels a bit awkward."
Britain's Sonay Kartal also encountered some problems with the technology at the Australian Open earlier this year, where she could hear automated calls from neighbouring courts, assuming they were meant for her own match.
Despite these rocky moments, it's clear that precision of AI will completely outmatch that of human officials, meaning we're unlikely to witness the frustration of players like John McEnroe, who famously argued with officials at the 1981 championship after a dubious call.
The future of AI in sport
As of this year, Roland Garros stands as the sole Grand Slam tennis tournament to maintain human line judges, with the organisers referencing the preservation of tradition as their main reasoning.
The French Open will also continues to prohibit challenges and replays, preserving human decision-making throughout matches.
Malgorzata Grzyb, Chair of the Association of British Tennis Officials, says that tennis officials will need to modify how they are trained as AI becomes a greater part of the system.
"Instead of starting solely as line umpires, new officials now receive training in both line and chair umpiring from the outset, enabling them to progress more rapidly to chair umpire roles," he explains.
Meanwhile, chair umpire Thomas Sweeney, who supervises matches at tennis's elite level, believes human officials will remain an vital component of the sport.
"There will always be that need to have a human to facilitate at the end of where technology has its limitations," he says.
"There are aspects to life that can't be prepared for, and you need that human to be able to absorb pressure, provide the opportunity for understanding and empathy for a player."
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