Technology revolution in tennis: ATP abolishes line judges!

London (England) – The annoying “Out” discussions will soon be over! Im still deciding Tennis often a linesman whether the ball was out of bounds or not. From 2025, this model will finally be a thing of the past.

Because then the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in the men’s field will rely on the electronic alternative across the board and make the human source of error superfluous.

As the players’ organization announced in a statement on Friday, “Electronic Line Calling Live” (ELC Live) will be used in all tournaments from the season after next.

“This is a crucial moment for our sport, which we did not achieve without careful consideration,” explained ATP boss Andrea Gaudenzi (49).

And he added: “Tradition is at the heart of tennis and linesmen have played an important role in the game over the years. However, we have a responsibility to embrace innovation and new technology.”

In recent years, the ELC system has been used by the organizers on a voluntary basis and has already been used in several hard court and grass tournaments. The technology established itself especially during the corona pandemic and due to the associated distance rules.

However, on clay courts and in smaller competitions, line judges usually have the last word, which often leads to heated debates on the court.

In addition to greater accuracy, the system also provides an “unprecedented amount of data” that can be used to improve analysis of player performance and develop new statistics.

According to the announcement, ATP also expects additional marketing opportunities. The WTA would probably have to follow suit for this, since numerous Masters and Grand Slams are held together with the women’s organization.

For the organizers of smaller tournaments, however, the rule revolution – like the VAR in the lower football leagues – is likely to trigger mixed feelings because of the potentially rising costs.