Wimbledon Admits Costly Blunder as ‘Out’ Call Missed Due to Electronic System Shutdown…Read More…
Wimbledon, London – July 7, 2025 — One of the world’s most prestigious tennis tournaments found itself at the center of controversy this week after tournament officials confirmed that a crucial call was missed during a high-stakes match due to the electronic line-calling system being offline at the time. The incident, which occurred during a tightly contested third-round match on Centre Court, has reignited debates over the reliance on technology in tennis and the importance of maintaining consistent officiating standards at Grand Slam events.
The controversial moment happened late in the fourth set of the match between world No. 7 Matteo Berrettini and rising American star Brandon Holt. With Berrettini serving at 4-5 and down 15-30, he struck what appeared to be a wide first serve. Holt immediately gestured to the umpire, indicating the ball was clearly out, but the chair umpire allowed play to continue, citing the absence of a review signal from the court’s automated Hawk-Eye system.
After the match—which Berrettini went on to win in five hard-fought sets—tournament officials issued a statement acknowledging that the line-calling system had been “momentarily disabled due to a technical issue” and therefore was unable to assist in making or reviewing the critical call.
“We regret that during a crucial point in the match between Matteo Berrettini and Brandon Holt, the electronic line-calling system was not operational,” read the official Wimbledon statement. “As a result, a ball that was later confirmed to have landed out went uncalled. We extend our apologies to both players and spectators and are investigating the root of the system failure.”
Players Respond with Frustration
Brandon Holt, who was visibly upset after the point, addressed the issue during his post-match press conference. “It’s frustrating, man,” he said. “You work so hard, grind through four sets, and then something like this happens. I’m not saying I would’ve won, but when a system that’s supposed to make it fair for everyone goes down at the worst time, it hurts.”
Holt refrained from directly blaming tournament officials but made it clear he felt the moment shifted momentum heavily in Berrettini’s favor.
Matteo Berrettini, who advanced to the fourth round following the match, expressed sympathy for his opponent. “It’s unfortunate when something like that happens. You want the match to be decided by skill and effort, not by technical issues. I didn’t realize it was out in real-time, and I just played on,” Berrettini said.
Experts and Fans React
Tennis analysts and former professionals were quick to weigh in on social media and broadcast commentary. ESPN analyst and former player Patrick McEnroe tweeted, “No excuse for this at Wimbledon. If you’re going to rely on tech, it has to work. Otherwise, bring back full line crews.”
Martina Navratilova, an all-time great and Wimbledon legend, expressed concern on-air, stating, “The integrity of the game is paramount. A Grand Slam can’t afford glitches like this. That point could have changed everything.”
On social media, fans erupted in frustration, with many demanding greater transparency about the cause of the outage and how officials plan to ensure it doesn’t happen again. The hashtag #WimbledonFail began trending on X (formerly Twitter) within hours of the match’s conclusion.
Tournament Officials Scramble to Contain Fallout
In a follow-up press conference, All England Club Technology Director Michael Radford elaborated on the system issue, citing a “brief and unexpected software reboot” that disabled the Hawk-Eye system for less than 60 seconds. However, the incident happened during a pivotal point of the match, magnifying its significance.
Radford assured the press that backup protocols had since been reviewed and reinforced. “We have now implemented a manual override alert system for chair umpires to be notified immediately if the system goes down. While the outage was brief, it is unacceptable at this level, and we are taking corrective measures.”
A Larger Debate Looms
The incident has stirred broader debate over whether tennis has become too reliant on technology and whether there is still a place for human line judges in elite tournaments. Wimbledon was one of the last Grand Slams to adopt full electronic line-calling, having made the shift during the COVID-19 pandemic when minimizing court personnel became a safety concern.
While many players have lauded the consistency of Hawk-Eye Live, purists argue that the human element—while not flawless—adds a layer of accountability and tradition to the sport.
“You can’t just shut down the human side completely and expect perfection from machines,” said former British No. 1 Tim Henman during the BBC broadcast. “There needs to be a hybrid approach or at least a backup system that involves trained eyes on the court.”
What Happens Next?
The All England Club has confirmed it will conduct a full audit of the system’s performance over the remainder of the tournament. There have been no reports of other outages since the incident, but the spotlight is now firmly fixed on Wimbledon’s technical infrastructure.
As the tournament heads into the second week, the pressure is mounting—not just on players chasing Grand Slam glory, but also on the systems and people ensuring the game’s integrity.
With millions of fans watching around the world and careers hanging in the balance, even the slightest glitch can shake trust. Wimbledon, long heralded as the gold standard in tennis tradition and excellence, will now be judged just as much by how it manages its technological missteps as by the champions it crowns.
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