British tennis player’s frustration over Australian Open
A British tennis player has expressed her frustration with the sport’s electronic line-calling system after losing a crucial point in her first-round defeat at the Australian Open. Sonay Kartal was unable to face defending champion Aryna Sabalenka after Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, currently ranked 52nd in the world, won the match with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) Sunday.
Kartal could have extended the match with a decisive third set, but from the start, luck did not seem to be on his side. After opening the match by holding her serve, she lost a point for no real reason when Bouzas Maneiro made her first shot in the second game. Indeed, while she was returning a ball with a forehand, Kartal heard a line call broadcast over the public address system and abandoned the point.
Suddenly, the chair umpire announced: “15-love”. The line call actually came from a neighboring court, which created confusion among the players. The two competitors, confused by this announcement, were arrested. “The call was reported as outside, where is this mess coming from?” commented Chris Bradnam on the European commentary stream. This mix-up left both players confused, while Bouzas Maneiro chose to accept the point without calling for a replay.
Ultimately, the Spanish player maintained her serve and won the next eight games, thus depriving Kartal of any chance of reversing the situation. Disappointed by her performance, Kartal however expressed her dissatisfaction with the electronic system. Since 2021, the Australian Open has used electronic line calls, a transition accelerated by the pandemic. Players are just getting used to the absence of linesmen and pre-recorded voices.
“That’s one of the difficulties I have with not having linesmen, because all these voices sound the same,” Kartal said. She clarified: “I was paying attention to the male voice, because that’s the one I recognized.”
Good to know
- Since its introduction at the Australian Open, the electronic line call system has sparked debate among players and spectators.
- Electronic line calling technology has been adopted to reduce human errors and ensure more accurate decisions.
- A number of tennis tournaments also use similar systems, which could change match dynamics in the future.
- Source image(s) : 7news.com.au
- Source : https://7news.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-debutant-sonay-kartal-robbed-in-weird-electronic-line-call-moment-c-17369030
Watch Sports Live ????
Our editors use AI to help them deliver fresh items from trusted sources to our users. If you find any image or content that is inappropriate, please contact us via DMCA form and we will promptly remove it. / Our editors use AI to help them offer our readers fresh articles from reliable sources. If you find an image or content inappropriate, please contact us via the DMCA form and we’ll remove it promptly.
Related News :