The BBC was forced to apologise to viewers after a scoreboard malfunction during Novak Djokovic's second-round match against Arthur Rinderknech at Wimbledon left the score unavailable for part of the third set.
Scoreboard Malfunction
During the third set, after Djokovic had won the opening two sets 7-5 and 6-4, the scoreboard graphic suddenly vanished from television screens, leaving viewers confused. The graphic was removed entirely, forcing BBC cameras to repeatedly pan to the actual scoreboard inside Centre Court, leaving the top-left corner of the screen empty.
Lead commentator Andrew Cotter said: "Apologies for the lack of score graphic, we are working on it."
Djokovic's Third Set Struggles
When the scoreboard reappeared, viewers saw Djokovic trailing 3-0 in the third set. He quickly fell 4-0 down and struck himself in the leg 11 times during a changeover. He lost the third set 6-1, raising concerns in the Wimbledon heat, which was the warmest day of the championship so far. However, Djokovic bounced back to win the match 3-1 in sets.
Djokovic, 39, had struggled with heat during his loss to Joao Fonseca at the French Open and used the self-striking as a massage technique.
BBC's Ongoing Criticism
The BBC has faced persistent criticism during the tournament's opening week, including accusations of biased coverage during Serena Williams' return. However, the broadcaster is not believed to be responsible for the scoreboard malfunction. Centre Court feeds at the All England Club also lost scoreboard access, which are linked to the BBC's system.
Viewers also complained about constant channel-switching between BBC1, BBC2 and iPlayer. The broadcaster moved BBC1 coverage from Wimbledon to the World Cup for England's knockout match against DR Congo, despite many expecting tennis coverage to continue as previously scheduled.
