Wimbledon always brings the drama—but this time, it wasn’t just the players creating the buzz.
A controversial moment unfolded on Centre Court during a nail-biting round-of-16 match between Britain’s Sonay Kartal and Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and it had fans and players alike fuming.
A Key Point Sparks Controversy
In the first set, with the score balanced at 4-4, Pavlyuchenkova had a golden opportunity to hold her serve.
She was sitting on game point when things took an unexpected turn.
Kartal returned a shot that clearly went past the baseline—but the electronic line-calling system didn’t register it as out.
No call came. The point was still live.
AI Misses the Mark
Despite video replays confirming the ball landed out, the AI-powered line judge remained silent.
With no correction from the system, the point stood.
The officials eventually decided to replay it, but that didn’t sit well with Pavlyuchenkova, who knew she should’ve already won the game.
Pavlyuchenkova’s Frustration Boils Over
The Russian veteran was visibly upset, voicing her frustration to chair umpire Nico Helwerth.
Her comments hinted at a deeper concern: “I don’t know if it’s in or it’s out,” she said.
“How do I know? How can you prove it?” She didn’t hold back in suggesting that Kartal’s home crowd advantage may have influenced things, adding, “Because she is local, they can say whatever.
You took the game away from me.
They stole the game from me.”
Kartal Takes the Momentum
Adding salt to the wound, Kartal not only benefitted from the missed call but also swung the momentum completely in her favor.
She went on to break Pavlyuchenkova’s serve, a turning point that arguably changed the entire course of the set.
What’s Next?
While the tournament rolls on, this incident is sure to stir up discussions about the reliability of AI officiating in tennis—especially in crucial Grand Slam moments.
For Kartal, it’s another big win in front of her home crowd.
For Pavlyuchenkova, it’s a bitter reminder that even in today’s tech-heavy tennis world, human frustration still finds a place on court.