Tim Henman and Emma Raducanu have publicly disagreed over Wimbledon's electronic line-calling system, which replaced traditional line judges in 2025 after 147 years. Henman, a BBC commentator and All England Club committee member, called player complaints about the system's accuracy 'utter garbage', while Raducanu insisted the calls have been 'very wrong' in some matches.
Henman Defends Technology
Speaking about the Hawk-Eye system, Henman said: 'The narrative around players questioning the accuracy of the calling is just utter garbage. Is the technology accurate? Absolutely, 100 per cent.' He noted that when reviewing slow-motion replays, the ball consistently hits the line, sometimes leaving a 'puff of white chalk'. Henman added: 'We have the technology, let's use it because the ball is travelling around 140 miles an hour and it's really difficult to call the lines. It's garbage that the players say it is garbage.'
Raducanu's Frustration
Raducanu, the British No. 1, expressed disappointment with the system during the 2025 tournament. She said: 'It's kind of disappointing, the tournament here, that the calls can be so wrong. For the most part they've been okay. It's just, like, I've had a few in my other matches, too, that have been very wrong.'
Human Error Incident
The controversy follows a 2025 fourth-round match between Sonay Kartal and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, where the technology was accidentally turned off for a single game. The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) confirmed the mistake was 'human error' and has since 'removed the ability for Hawk-Eye operators to manually deactivate ball tracking'. The system remains in place for 2026 with this minor change.
Wimbledon 2026
Wimbledon 2026 is approaching, with tickets available via Seat Unique. The tournament continues to use the all-electronic system, ending a 147-year tradition of human line judges.
