Carlos Alcaraz was left fuming during his clash with Jan-Lennard Struff because he felt the Hawk-Eye system was not working correctly. Line judges have been replaced by technology for the first time this year, but many players have complained about the switch.
Hawk-Eye is supposed to provide instant correct decisions but many players have voiced their concern about the accuracy. Alcaraz grew annoyed with numerous calls and flipped his lid midway through the fourth set of his third-round clash.
During a change of ends, the Spaniard complained to the umpire: “I’m not sure about it. I would have asked for a challenge.
“It’s not the first time I’ve seen the machine… it’s not the first time. I’m not sure about some calls.”
On the shot which Alcaraz questioned, replays showed a cloud of chalk whip up into the air after being caught by the ball.
Commentating for the BBC, Tim Henman said: “When you see it bounce from that angle it looks like it caught the back edge.”
But Wimbledon’s problems may be mounting over their technology as Alcaraz is the latest star to complain about the line judge replacement.
British No.1 Jack Draper said: “I don’t think it’s 100% accurate in all honesty. A couple of the ones today, it showed a mark on the court. There’s no way the chalk would have showed that. I guess it cannot be 100% accurate – it’s millimetres.”
Tournament director Jamie Baker defended the technology following Draper’s statement, commenting: “The concept of live line calling is absolutely standard across the tour now – mandatory across the ATP tour. Two of the other grand slams have had it for four or five years.
“What that has meant also actually [is] that the level of sophistication and certification around the system has become more professional and more robust as time has gone on.
“The accuracy and the reliability and the robustness of the system and the process as a whole, in terms of officiating, is in as good a place as it has been for tennis.”
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