Tennis players criticize AI technology used by Wimbledon
Wimbledon’s pioneering adoption of AI line judges has faced considerable scrutiny from top tennis players, as reports emerge detailing widespread dissatisfaction with the electronic line calling (ELC) system. This year marks the first time the prestigious tournament has fully replaced human line judges with AI, leading to a series of contentious moments and player criticisms.
Numerous athletes have voiced concerns over the AI technology, primarily citing incorrect calls that have directly impacted match outcomes. British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu highlighted a notable incident where the AI system failed to register an out-of-bounds shot from her opponent, forcing her to play the ball as if it were in. Television replays subsequently confirmed the ball was indeed out, as reported by The Telegraph via Yahoo Sports.
Joining the chorus of criticism, British No. 1 Jack Draper expressed his doubts regarding the system’s accuracy, stating his belief that the AI technology was not “100 percent accurate.”
Further incidents underscore the challenges faced. Player Ben Shelton was compelled to expedite his match due to warnings that the AI line system was on the verge of malfunctioning because of diminishing sunlight. Additionally, players struggled with the new automated speaker system, with one deaf player articulating the significant disadvantage of losing the visual hand signals previously provided by human line judges, making it impossible for her to discern when points were won.
A critical technical glitch occurred during a recent match between British player Sonay Kartal and Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Despite a ball clearly landing out, the AI system failed to make the call. The umpire intervened, stopping the rally and instructing players to replay the point due to the ELC’s failure to track the ball. Wimbledon later issued an apology, attributing the incident to a “human error” where the technology was inadvertently switched off. Following this, Wimbledon announced adjustments to the technology to prevent similar errors in the future.
Debbie Jevans, chair of the All England Club, which hosts Wimbledon, responded to the player complaints by noting the historical demand for electronic line calling, suggesting it was often perceived as more accurate than human judges on other tours.
This is not an isolated incident for AI in tennis. German player Alexander Zverev previously called out the same automated line judging technology in April, publicly sharing an image on Instagram that depicted a ball called in that appeared clearly out.
These ongoing critiques at Wimbledon highlight the inherent friction in the complete replacement of human roles with AI systems. They underscore the growing argument for a necessary human-AI balance, particularly as more organizations globally integrate such advanced technologies. This perspective aligns with recent discussions in the tech industry, including statements from companies like Klarna, which, after a push for automation, has recently emphasized the importance of human workers for premium customer service.
