Annabel Croft has now given her verdict on the line calling at Wimbledon, after Emma Raducanu was vocal in her criticism of the new technology.
This year marked the first since the All-England Club’s decision to abolish human line judges, instead ushering in a new era of electronic line calling.
It was a decision that split many tennis fans, with some lambasting the loss of tradition, whilst others welcomed the clinical, correct system.
However, Emma Raducanu was left frustrated on more than one occasion yesterday during her match with Aryna Sabalenka, voicing her displeasure to the umpire.
Croft, however, thinks that despite some flaws, this technology is here to stay.
Annabel Croft reacts to Emma Raducanu’s Hawkeye complaints
Chatting with the BBC just today, she then weighed in on this Wimbledon debate, noting: ‘Well, it’s difficult to say. I mean, one of the first angles it does look long. But, you watch it on the next angle and it looks like it could be in.
‘There were plenty of calls either way actually that I thought Ooh, that looked a bit close. It wasn’t a massive point. It’s not like we were looking at a point here where we’re looking at a break point or game point or a really crucial scoreline. Yes, she was ahead in the score, it was 15-0 on the Sabalenka serve, so I don’t feel like that particular call swung the match either way, so it’s difficult.
‘I think everybody’s adjusting to the fact that they don’t have line judges there this year, it’s a bit sad, you think of all the characters we’ve had over the years, they all troop out and it’s all very ceremonious.
‘Everybody’s making adjustments, and I guess technology is moving on all the time. It will only improve as time goes on.’
Then asked about how players can trust that, Croft continued: ‘Yeah, I mean I think we’ve had a few calls where players have definitely gone up to the umpire and kind of queried it, but it’s not to say that players don’t question marks even if it’s out there on the tour when we have electronic line calling and then they show it back on the replays and they go “Oh okay I got that one wrong”.
‘As I said, the technology will always be improving, hopefully. They always say it’s about one millimetre difference, so who knows whether that call might have been within that one millimetre that could have been right or wrong.
‘At the end of the day, I’m actually for the fact that it’s more clinical and it moves forward quicker and we have less time-wasting when you’re discussing calls in or out.’
Emma Raducanu needs to prepare for the US Open well
Now that Raducanu is coming off the back of what has been a really successful grass-court season, preparation must begin for the upcoming US hard-court campaign, including the site of her greatest triumph to date.
However, ensuring that her preparation is correct will be of paramount importance both in terms of improving her technical assets and maintaining her physical condition.
Raducanu was told the exact thing she must improve to bridge the gap between her and the very best, but that starts with proper physical preparation.
Fortunately, 2025 feels like the first year in so long where we have seen the 22-year-old able to compete almost weekly without her body breaking down as it used to.
Ensuring that Raducanu finds the perfect balance now, heading into a tough portion of the season, is so crucial to build on the foundation that these first seven months have laid.
If she gets this right, big things could be coming, and 2026 might be the real breakthrough year for her where she actually establishes herself as part of tennis’ elite.
