Game, set, botch: AI umpiring at Wimbledon goes long
Briefly

In a recent match at Wimbledon, AI line-calling technology failed to make a decisive call at a critical moment, resulting in confusion on the court. When Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova appeared to win a point, the absence of a call from Hawk-Eye prompted umpire Nico Helwerth to announce that the point would be replayed due to the system's failure. Pavlyuchenkova voiced her frustration, claiming the game was taken from her, despite ultimately winning the match. The incident sparked debate over the reliability of AI technology in tennis.
At 4-4, game point for Pavlyuchenkova, Kartal went long. At least Pavlyuchenkova seemed to think so, but in the absence of any call from Hawk-Eye, confusion rippled through the court. Umpire Nico Helwerth subsequently announced, 'The electronic line-calling system unfortunately was unable to track the last point so we will replay the point.' This led to groans from commentators and jeers from the crowd, as it was clear that Kartal's shot was out.
Pavlyuchenkova expressed her frustration to the umpire exclaiming, 'I don't know if it's in or out. How do I know? How can you prove it? You took the game away from me... They stole the game from me.' Her remarks highlighted the confusion surrounding the implementation of AI technology in crucial match moments.
Despite the controversy, Pavlyuchenkova won the match with a score of 7-6 (7-3) 6-4. However, she conveyed her disappointment in the post-match press conference stating, 'I expected a different decision. I just thought also the chair umpire could take initiative in such situations.' This incident raises concerns about the reliability of technology in sports.
Read at Theregister
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