While every other major tennis Slam has embraced ELC, the French Open continues to stand alone, with FFT president Gilles Moretton warning the technology can carry up to a “10% error rate.” Protecting a 135-year-old clay-court tradition, this year’s tournament once again chose human judgment over machines. Yet that very commitment to tradition now sits under scrutiny after a costly line-calling controversy appeared to play a part in Casper Ruud’s dramatic Roland Garros exit against Joao Fonseca.

At 8-7 in the second-set, Casper Ruud was on the driving seat in the tie-break, when a crucial moment changed the direction of the match. Fonseca struck a forehand that landed close to the baseline.

The Norwegian immediately stopped play after hearing a shout from the crowd that sounded like an out call. Believing the ball had landed long, the 27-year-old asked the chair umpire to inspect the mark on the clay.

The umpire climbed down from the chair and carefully examined the spot. After checking the mark, she ruled, “I don’t see a space,” meaning the ball had touched the line and was therefore in.

As a result, the point was awarded to the Brazilian. However, television replays a couple of minutes later showed Hawk-Eye placing the ball out, adding further controversy to the decision.

Instead of Ruud taking the set 9-7, the score moved to 8-8. Fonseca then seized the momentum and closed out the tie-break 10-8 for the second set.

At virtually any other major tournament using ELC, Ruud would likely have won the set. The disputed decision quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the tournament.

The drama did not end there though. A few points later, in the third set, on one of Fonseca’s set points, the Brazilian hit a shot that was called out despite actually landing in.

Even with tensions rising and questions surrounding several line calls, the match continued. Neither player on the court had any option but to move forward and keep competing.

Even amid the growing tension on court, the spotlight briefly shifted to a ball boy during the second set with the Brazilian taking the first set. One of Fonseca’s serves in the fifth game flew toward the youngster, prompting the Brazilian to immediately raise his racquet in apology and check that he was unharmed.

Fonseca eventually secured a memorable victory over the former two-time finalist at Roland Garros. The 19-year-old Brazilian ace defeated the 15th-seeded 7-5, 7-6(8), 5-7, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The issue has not been limited to Ruud’s match. Throughout this year’s French Open, several human line-calling disputes have generated debate among players, officials, and fans alike.

During the match between Thanasi Kokkinakis and Terence Atmane on Court 6 back on May 25, another dramatic situation unfolded. Kokkinakis fired a powerful ace while leading 5-2 in the 4th set, but Atmane immediately challenged the call. 

The chair umpire quickly climbed down to inspect the mark and initially ruled the serve a fault, creating confusion on court. After further discussions and another inspection involving both players and the official, the point was eventually awarded to the Aussie.

A similar controversy emerged during the match between Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Lorenzo Sonego. The local Frenchman openly showed his frustration as emotions boiled over in front of the home crowd. Spectators loudly supported Herbert while he passionately argued with the umpire regarding the disputed decision on the court. Another tense exchange occurred on 31st May during the match between Frances Tiafoe and Jaime Faria, where the American became involved in a heated debate over a call. 

As for Ruud’s encounter with Fonseca, the controversies did not stop with line-calling disputes, as issues involving the advertising boards also led to a confrontation in the court.

Casper Ruud slams Roland Garros over courtside advertising boards

On 29th May, Zeynep Sonmez and Tatjana Maria walked onto Court 6 hoping to continue their doubles run at Roland Garros against Ukrainian pair Dayana Yastremska and Anhelina Kalinina. However, few could have predicted that the match would end in such dramatic fashion.

Yastremska and Kalinina had taken an early 2-0 lead in the first set. Then an unfortunate incident on the court suddenly changed the course of the contest.

While chasing a ball toward the back of the court, the Turkish international lost her footing. She tripped over an advertising board and crashed heavily into the barrier surrounding the playing area.

The impact left her visibly hurt. The chair umpire immediately called for medical assistance for the tournament as concern spread around the court.

The incident quickly sparked fresh discussion about player safety and the placement of advertising boards around the courts. Questions being raised about whether the setup created unnecessary risks for players.

Even in an official statement released afterward, the FFT also acknowledged the concerns surrounding the court layout and the unfortunate incidents.

However, the same debate resurfaced once again during Casper Ruud’s match. The Norwegian even approached the chair umpire to complain about the Lacoste advertising boards positioned near the back of the court.

Ruud argued that player safety should always come before sponsor exposure at any tournament. “I think it’s more important the player health than the frigging sponsor,” he said.

As the already ended match between Ruud and Fonseca added another layer to what has already become two controversial examples of Roland Garros in recent memory, it remains unclear what further action tournament authorities may take as the event continues.