Wimbledon is known for its tradition, pristine courts, and world-class tennis.
But this year, it’s not just the serves and volleys making headlines—it’s the electronic line-calling system that’s causing a stir.
And to make matters worse, tournament officials are now under fire for blaming a ball boy after a second major glitch disrupted play during a men’s quarter-final match.
What Happened on Court One?
During a high-stakes clash between Taylor Fritz and Karen Khachanov on Court One, the tech that’s supposed to replace human line judges made a mess of things.
In the opening game of the fourth set, a forehand from Fritz clearly landed inside the baseline—but the automated system wrongly called it a fault.
That triggered Swedish umpire Louise Azemar-Engzell to halt the point, prompting boos from the crowd.
She addressed the confusion by saying, “We will replay the last point because of a malfunction. The system is now working.”
Blame Falls on the Ball Boy
And then came the twist—Wimbledon officials pinned the error on a ball boy.
According to a spokesperson for the All England Club, the issue wasn’t the system itself but the timing of the ball boy’s movement across the court.
He had apparently crossed back to position after collecting a ball just as Fritz was starting his serve.
That brief overlap supposedly confused the system, which then misread the serve and issued the wrong call.
“The system didn’t recognise the start of the point,” the club explained, “so the umpire instructed the point be replayed.”
Not the First Time the System’s Failed
This isn’t the first time Wimbledon’s new line-calling tech has glitched.
Just two days earlier, during Sonay Kartal’s match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the system was accidentally turned off for over six minutes.
Three calls were missed during that stretch, and players had to replay points—understandably frustrating for everyone involved.
Following that incident, officials launched an internal review and said the system had been upgraded overnight to prevent it from being switched off again.
Despite these hiccups, Wimbledon insisted it had “full confidence” in the technology.
Players Are Getting Nervous About the Machines
Not all players are thrilled with the tech takeover. Karen Khachanov, who eventually lost to Fritz in four sets, said he prefers the traditional line judges.
He called it “scary” to leave everything to machines and questioned why such mistakes were still happening.
“Is it just an error of the machine, or what’s the reason?” he asked after the match.
And he’s not alone. Big names like Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu have also voiced concerns about the system’s accuracy during the tournament.
Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie Crashes Out
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Cameron Norrie, the last Brit standing, was knocked out of the tournament.
He lost in straight sets to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a match that lasted just one hour and 39 minutes.
The 29-year-old Brit couldn’t keep up with the 22-year-old Spanish star, who dominated the match on Centre Court and now continues his campaign for another title.
A-List Celebs in the Royal Box Steal the Spotlight
Off the court, the star power was in full swing.
Sienna Miller turned heads in a floral mini-dress as she enjoyed the day’s action from the royal box, joined by Jodie Foster, 62, and Katherine Jenkins, 45, who wore a stunning embroidered pink gown.
Tom Holland also made an appearance in the stands and was spotted wishing Alcaraz good luck before the match began.
And Sir Mark Rylance was seen fully engaged while watching Aryna Sabalenka triumph earlier in the day.
Tech, Tension, and Tradition Collide at Wimbledon
With the tournament heating up, Wimbledon finds itself at a crossroads between tradition and technology.
As players push for titles and celebs light up the royal box, the debate over AI-driven line calls vs. human judges is only just beginning.
One thing’s clear: no one wants to see a ball boy blamed for a machine’s mistake again.