Rolling with the Punches: Debating the Use of Electronic Line-Calling at Roland Garros
Roland Garros Abandoned Electronic System for $100,000: Reason Behind Ditching Digital Tennis Tournament Setup
In the world of tennis, the buzzword is technology. The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) have dived headfirst into adopting electronic line-calling systems, such as Electronic Line Calling (ELC) or Hawk-Eye Live, in their tournaments. However, one major clay-court Grand Slam tournament, "Roland Garros," remains steadfast in its refusal to jump on the bandwagon. Instead, the tournament continues to rely on human line judges - a decision that often stirs up controversy.
Why the reluctance? Gilles Moretton, President of the French Federation of Tennis, explains it as a matter of preserving national pride and sportsmanship. "France sets the standard for referee training, and we want to continue that tradition," he states. According to Moretton, rapid technological advancements should not overshadow the importance of human control in a game steeped in history and tradition.
Now, we all love tradition, right? But, you might ask, has the human element been serving us well? Across Roland Garros seasons, one can't help but notice an inkling of contentious episodes. In 2013, the Ukrainian player, Sergiy Stakhovsky, took his frustration to social media after a questionable referee's decision. As a result, he faced a fine for about one-tenth of his first-round prize money.
An Emotional Outburst: Viktor Troitski's Rebellion
The tradition vs. technology debate became especially heated in 2013 during a clay "Master" in Rome. During a match between Viktor Troitski and Ernest Gulbis, the judges called an out after a hit from the Serbian. "Oh, you know you're wrong!" Troitski shouted angrily at the referee. "Seriously! There's no gap between the line and the ball. No! I don't want to play like this. You don't want to change your decision because you always think you're right. But you're not!"
The worst part? These disputes tend to come to a head during crucial matches. Who can forget the 2021 French Open semi-final between Barbora Krejcikova and Maria Sakkari? Despite the tournament introducing the electronic Hawk-Eye system for the first time, only for television broadcasts, spectators remained in the dark about the system's accuracy. On match point for Krejcikova, the referee called a hit on the line, but Hawk-Eye showed a significant out. Yet, the Czech still managed to close the game and ultimately claimed the title. The organizers took a hit to their reputation, despite their best attempts to modernize the game.
The tech-nical conundrum
While electronic line-calling systems like Hawk-Eye have proven beneficial on hard and grass courts, clay surfaces pose a challenge. In the fast-paced landscape of Roland Garros, the margin of error for these systems increases significantly due to constant movement and changes in the court's surface. Despite this, Alexander Zverev and other players have vocalized their dissatisfaction with the system's performance during clay-court tournaments.
At the 2025 Madrid tournament, the third-ranked Zverev found himself questioning the electronic system after a ball from his opponent landed outside the line on the clay with a noticeable gap. Approaching chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani, he compared the system's performance to a rare malfunction in football's Video Assistant Referee system (VAR). The umpire, however, refused to take further action, citing his lack of authority and the non-alterable nature of the electronic system's calls.
As with any technological advancement, opinions are divided, much like the use of VAR in football. On one hand, proponents, such as 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, argue that "although officials are part of our culture and traditions, I choose technology." On the other, staunch traditionalists like Stefanos Tsitsipas, Gaël Monfils, and Fils believe that "the human eye is better than artificial intelligence."
With a hefty price tag of $100,000 per court, is the integration of electronic line-calling systems worth the money, or should tournaments continue to rely on the human touch and tradition? Perhaps this debate will rage on… for now.
- Despite the debate surrounding technology in tennis, Roland Garros stands as a bastion of tradition, refusing to embrace electronic line-calling systems like Hawk-Eye, a choice that stems from a desire to uphold national pride and sportsmanship.
- In tense moments, the human element's fallibility is evident, such as the contentious exchange between Viktor Troitski and a line judge during a clay Masters in Rome, where Troitski vocalized his dissatisfaction with the system's accuracy, highlighting the ongoing debate over the merits of technology versus tradition in sports.
