The famous line judges, once a staple of tradition at SW19, were nowhere to be seen. In their place stood the cool precision of electronic line-calling. With this, Wimbledon finally fell in step with the US Open, Australian Open, and the broader ATP Tour. But even precision can falter, and when it does, the consequences echo loudly across Centre Court.
On Sunday, Sonay Kartal stood alone, carrying the hopes of British women’s tennis as she faced off against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the fourth round. The crowd roared for Kartal, turning Centre Court into a battleground not just of skill, but of atmosphere. Yet, amid the rising tension, another opponent revealed itself: technology.
At four games apiece, the match was balanced on a knife’s edge. In the crucial fifth game, Pavlyuchenkova held the advantage on her serve. A point away from claiming the game, she seemed poised to tilt the momentum in her favor. But then, a Hawkeye call changed everything. The system glitched, calling a ball out that had clearly caught the line. The point, and with it the advantage, swung to Kartal. Frustration surged. The Russian, stunned by the error, turned to the chair umpire and said sharply, “You just stole me the game.”
Simply PATHETIC situation on Centre Court.
Pavlyuchenkova just lost a game that… she won.
At 4-4.
4th round of a Slam.
Centre Court.
“You just stole me the game”.
She is right.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 6, 2025
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