The end of a British-accented era for tennis. Wimbledon, that place where grass is sacred, dress codes seem to come out of a Jane Austen novel, and tennis players become legends, has just taken a technological turn that would have scandalized more than one purist: line judges have been completely eliminated.
In its place, an electronic calling system based on computer vision and machine learning dictates with robotic precision each “Out”, “Fault”, or “Let”. Yes, artificial intelligence has arrived at the tennis cathedral, and it’s here to stay.
Why did the traditional tournament opt for technology?
The change was not abrupt, but rather an evolution. Since the pandemic, Wimbledon began experimenting with automatic review systems on some courts, but 2025 marked the point of no return: there are no longer people on the sidelines pointing out bad calls or demanding a replay with a firm voice. Instead, high-speed cameras analyze every movement of the ball in real-time, projecting 3D images for immediate verification.
The most ironic thing: the same British people who clung for decades to total white clothing and the use of “Miss” and “Mister” in advertisements are now surrendering without a fuss to an algorithm. Tradition? Yes. But stronger is the desire not to make a mistake in a Grand Slam final.
How does the system that sees better than humans work
The system used by Wimbledon 2025 is not the classic Hawk-Eye that tennis fans have known for years. It is an evolution powered by computer vision, generative AI, and pressure sensors, capable of determining the position of the ball with a margin of error less than 3 millimeters.
At each court of the All England Club, 12 tracking cameras have been installed, synchronized at 1200 frames per second, capable of detecting not only the exact point where the ball impacts, but also its deformation, rotation, and angular velocity. The reason? At that level, a ball can flatten enough to “touch” the line even when it visually appears out. The AI considers these factors and instantly reproduces a 3D animation live, which is projected on the screen as soon as the player challenges the point.
Tennis players no longer raise their hands to request a review: the system is automatic and final. And most strikingly: AI has its own voice. Literally. Wimbledon allowed a British synthetic voice, tuned by a Google DeepMind voice model, to say each “Out” and “Fault” with the right intonation so that no one misses the traditional judge.
Reactions: between nostalgia and surgical precision
The decision divided players and fans. Novak Djokovic, always critical of the excessive technification of sports, commented that “a human part of tennis is lost, that occasional mistake that makes it more real”. In contrast, young players like Coco Gauff celebrated the measure: “If technology can make sports fairer, welcome it,” said the American tennis player.
But the truth is that the precision is undeniable: throughout the tournament, not a single confirmed error has been reported by the system, nor a valid appeal. In other words, as cruel as it may sound, the human judges... were unnecessary.
What’s coming? Drones, virtual umpires, and smart stadiums
The implementation of automated systems in Wimbledon could be just the tip of the iceberg. Sports and technology experts foresee a not too distant future where chair umpires are also AI, capable of detecting unsportsmanlike behavior, illegal coaching, or even muscle micro-injuries based on movement patterns.
There is also talk of smart stadiums that adjust lighting, temperature, and humidity in real time according to the game strategy, or of assistant drones to detect touches on the net or impacts outside the field of view of current cameras.
Wimbledon has already shown that even the most orthodox temples can adapt. If that happens on sacred grass, the rest of the sports have few excuses to stay behind.