Wimbledon Technology Malfunction Sparks Controversy

Wimbledon's line-calling technology failed, depriving Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of a point against Sonay Kartal. A malfunction forced the umpire to replay a point that replays showed was out, causing Pavlyuchenkova's frustration and claims of unfair treatment. Despite the incident, she regained composure to win the opening set.

Wimbledon's cutting-edge line-calling technology came under scrutiny after a critical malfunction during a match between Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Britain's Sonay Kartal. At game point, a shot from Kartal appeared long, but no call was made, prompting Pavlyuchenkova to halt play.

Television replays confirmed the shot was out, yet umpire Nico Helwerth, after consulting with officials, declared the point needed replaying due to a failure of the Hawk-Eye system to capture the shot. This decision saw Pavlyuchenkova lose her serve and express visible frustration, accusing the officiating of favoritism.

Despite the technical hiccup, Pavlyuchenkova managed to refocus and ultimately secure the opening set, though the incident has reignited debates about the reliability of automated officiating technology in high-stakes tennis.

(With inputs from agencies.)