Wimbledon apologises for AI line-call errors missing three calls

Wimbledon organisers have apologised after the electronic line-calling system on Centre Court was mistakenly deactivated for an entire game during a fourth-round match between Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Sonay Kartal, resulting in three missed calls. Pavlyuchenkova claimed a game was 'stolen' from her when a clear out call was not made on Kartal's shot, leading to the point being replayed and Kartal winning the game, shifting momentum. The chair umpire, unaware of the system being off, stopped play and followed protocol by consulting with officials before ordering the point replay, which Pavlyuchenkova felt was biased due to Kartal being a local player. Wimbledon confirmed the error was due to human error on the server side and stated they have reviewed and amended their processes to prevent recurrence. Despite the mishap, the All England Club expressed continued confidence in the accuracy of the ball tracking technology. The incident has sparked debate among players about the balance between human judgment and technology in tennis officiating.