For decades, human line judges were as central to Wimbledon’s identity as strawberries and cream. But in a move that defined her fierce drive for modern innovation, Sally Bolton, the first female Chief Executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, decided to replace those centuries of tradition with technology. Now, after a transformative six-year tenure that fundamentally reshaped the iconic Grand Slam, Bolton is stepping down.

As reported by prominent tennis journalist Charlie Eccleshire, Bolton is due to leave after this year’s Wimbledon. Bolton was a strong proponent of the expansion plans, and under her leadership, the Club obtained a legal ruling in its favor stating that expansion would not violate any land laws.

During her reign, she relaunched the event after the pandemic and ensured that expansion plans were in place for future growth. “I am proud of what we have achieved together – particularly bringing the Championships back following the pandemic and in shaping a clear path for the future…The All England Club is a very special institution, and I look forward to seeing it continue to flourish in the years ahead.”

Bolton was only the fourth CEO in the history of AELTC. Bolton was the AELTC’s strategic planning and operations director before taking over from Richard Lewis in 2020. She helped deliver the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and was the managing director of the organising committee for the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London.

2026 has been a year of change for the top executives in tennis. Earlier this year, Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley stepped down from his role after 20 years. Unlike Bolton, he is staying on the Grand Slam scene, having shifted to the US Open and will be overseeing affairs at the USTA.

Under Bolton, Wimbledon introduced many innovations, which were really radical for the Slam, known for its conservative traditions.

Sally Bolton’s Leadership Saw Disruptions in the Traditional Norms of the All-England Lawn Tennis Club

Apart from restarting Wimbledon after the COVID pandemic, Sally Bolton oversaw the introduction of many innovations at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. One of the most radical measures taken under her leadership last year was Wimbledon’s decision to discontinue the use of line judges. Line judges were an intrinsic part of Wimbledon’s heritage but were replaced by an electronic line-calling system, a step towards the tournament’s digital modernization. Under her leadership, Wimbledon started play during the Middle Sunday in 2022, while tradition saw no play during the Middle Sunday for over 100 years.

Bolton was at the forefront as the AELTC launched its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, which aimed at making the historic Slam a more inclusive place for players and staff alike. She had a vision of rooting out discrimination across the broader British Tennis scene, while working with organizations such as the LTA, Tennis Scotland, and Tennis Wales. One of the most telling milestones for Bolton in this regard is that the All England Lawn Tennis Club was among the companies awarded the UK’s Best Workplaces for Women Award in 2021.

This year’s Wimbledon will begin on 29th June and run till 12th July, and there will be plans to bid Bolton a proper goodbye. AELTC will also be tasked with finding a worthy successor for Bolton’s legacy.