[An image of a Wimbledon match in the 2018 Championships. Photo Credit to Unsplash]

Wimbledon will not use line judges for the first time in its 148-year history, starting with the tournament beginning June 30th, both in the main draw at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and the qualifying tournament in Roehampton.

Wimbledon’s chief executive Sally Bolton said the decision had been made after “a significant period of consideration and consultation.”

The All England Club announced in October 2024 that the 2025 Wimbledon Championships will replace all human line judges with Sony’s Hawk-Eye Live Electronic Line Calling System.

This will mark the first time Wimbledon has relied entirely on automated technology for line-calling on every court. 

Wimbledon previously tested Live ELC during the 2024 tournament and found the system robust and reliable enough to eliminate human error.

Following its introduction at the 2017 ATP Next Gen Finals and broader adoption at other majors such as the US Open in 2020 and Australian Open in 2021, electronic line calling has become increasingly common in professional tennis.

Players moving between Grand Slams will face uniform officiating standards, with pre-recorded calls like “Out!” and “Fault!” announced almost instantly. 

While fans and traditionalists may miss the human presence, many players welcomed this move for its fairness and consistency. 

However, critics claim that line judges positioned around the court have long been a Wimbledon icon, rooted in tradition. 

Bolton acknowledged the emotional weight of this change, stating, “we consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating.” 

This change also means the end of on-court protests—the fan outbursts and tirades over an umpire’s call, a special culture of sorts for tennis spectators.

Bolton also added that she takes “[balancing] tradition and innovation at Wimbledon very seriously,” and acknowledged that “line umpires have played a central role … and we recognize their valuable contribution and thank them for their commitment and service.” 

While chair umpires remain, the elimination of around 300 line judge positions reshapes the officiating staff structure.

Traditionally, line umpiring was seen as a stepping-stone for aspiring chair umpires.

However, responding to these concerns, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) explained in a statement that “with [the change] in mind we are already working with the Association of British Tennis Officials to understand the impact on the pathway for British officials, and develop a new joint strategy …”

With Wimbledon, Australian and US Opens fully automated, the French Open remains the only Grand Slam still using human line judges.

The tournament explains it continues to do so due to clay court complexities and ball-mark reliance.

On clay, human observation and physical inspection of marks are considered quite precise, and the clay court is an area where automated systems struggle to adapt.

Following the officiating change, match start times were also moved from 2 PM to 4 PM local at Wimbledon 2025.

This aligns better with television slots in North and South American markets.

Wimbledon 2025, beginning on June 30th, will mark a definitive moment.

What remains to be seen is how fans and players adjust to a quieter, more controlled officiating environment, and whether the technology will impact play.