Wimbledon, often revered as the most traditional of the Grand Slams, surprised the tennis world this year by replacing its iconic line judges with electronic line calling. But the shift to technology hasn’t come without its problems. British No. 1 Jack Draper voiced his skepticism, stating he doesn’t believe the system is “100 percent accurate.” Emma Raducanu even halted her match against Aryna Sabalenka to protest a call she felt was clearly wrong. But the biggest stir came during Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova’s clash with Sonay Kartal, when a shocking glitch forced tournament officials to issue formal apologies.

Kartal, the last Brit left in the women’s singles draw, struck a ball that clearly landed well beyond the baseline during the opening set. The game was 4-all with the Russian serving at deuce. With no “out” signal from the system, Chair Umpire Nico Helwerth promptly paused play, contacted the ELC team, and controversially ordered the point to be replayed rather than awarding it to Pavlyuchenkova. What followed made matters worse when Kartal broke serve shortly after, and a visibly emotional Pavlyuchenkova was left in tears, telling Helwerth that the game had been “stolen” from her.

In the aftermath, a spokesperson for the All England Club confirmed that both players had received apologies after it was determined that the ELC system had malfunctioned during that game. The official statement read, “We have had the opportunity to undertake further investigation, including speaking to the players, Chair Umpire, Hawk-Eye operators, and Review Official. It is now clear that the live ELC system, which was working optimally, was deactivated in error on part of the server’s side of the court for one game by those operating the system.”

It was also acknowledged that three incorrect calls were missed during that time. The first two were judged by the chair umpire, unaware the ELC system wasn’t functioning. “Following the third, the Chair Umpire stopped the match and consulted with the Review Official. It was determined that the point should be replayed. The Chair Umpire followed the established process. We have apologized to the players involved,” the statement concluded.

The 34-year-old eventually went on to win the set and the match. But her post-match conference didn’t come without her taking a jibe.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova calls out officials for controversial line call

Speaking after her match against Sonay Kartal, the Russian didn’t hold back. “I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take the initiative,” she said candidly in her post-match press conference. “He also saw it out, he told me after the match. I thought he would do that (call it out), but he didn’t.”

She also hinted at the decision to replay the point being influenced by the fact that Kartal was British. “Instead, they just said replay. I don’t know if it’s something to do with the fact that she’s local, but yeah, that was a particular moment,” Pavlyuchenkova said.

Her frustration didn’t stop there. Taking a jab at the inconsistency of officiating, she added, “They’re [umpires] very good at giving fines though and code violations. This, they don’t miss. Every time, any little thing, they’re just right there on it. I’d prefer they looked at the lines and calling the errors, mistakes better.”

Despite the controversy, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova now finds herself in the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the second time in her career. Her previous appearance at this stage was back in 2016. In total, this marks her tenth Grand Slam quarterfinal. Her deepest run at a Major came at Roland Garros in 2021, where she made it all the way to the final before losing to Barbora Krejčíková. She’ll now face Amanda Anisimova next, hoping to keep her campaign alive amid the storm surrounding the tournament’s technological transition. Experience the Championships as they unfold with EssentiallySports’ real-time updates.