Roland Garros 2026 to Stick with Human Line Judges, Defying Electronic Trend
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has confirmed that it will stick to human line judges for the 2026 edition of Roland Garros. This decision, backed by FFT President Gilles Moretton, comes despite the widespread adoption of Electronic Line Calling (ELC) systems in other Grand Slams and tours. ELC, which accounts for surface differences, was first used at the Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017 and has since been adopted by the Australian Open, US Open, and Wimbledon. The ATP Tour also implemented ELC at all its events from the 2025 season. However, the FFT has chosen to maintain its high standard of human refereeing at Roland Garros. The system has faced mixed reviews, particularly at Wimbledon this year, due to technical glitches and player confusion, especially on clay courts. At Roland Garros, officials can use ball marks on the red clay to assist in decision-making, a unique advantage of human umpires. While other Grand Slams and tours have embraced Electronic Line Calling, the FFT, under President Gilles Moretton, has decided to retain human line judges for the 2026 French Open. This decision comes despite ELC's wider adoption across various tournaments.
