LONDON, Oct 9, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Wimbledon announced Wednesday that it is scrapping its iconic line judges in favour of electronic line-calling, changing the face of the grass-court tournament. Smartly dressed umpires and line judges are as much part of the Grand Slam as strawberries and cream and the all-white kit that players must wear. The men's ATP Tour in 2023 announced tour-wide adoption of electronic line calling (ELC) from 2025 in a move to "optimise accuracy and consistency across tournaments". The All England Club announced it would make the switch to live ELC from 2025. "The decision to introduce live electronic line calling at the Championships was made following a significant period of consideration and consultation," said All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton.
