Hawk-eye replaces line judges in Milan
In its ongoing bid to shake up the sport, the Association of Tennis Professionals announced yesterday that it would trial live electronic line calling this year.
The launch of “Hawk-eye Live” at November’s Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan – where the eight best youngsters of 2017 will compete – will mean no line judges and leave the chair umpire as the sole official on the court.
“Hawk-eye Live” will be used on all lines throughout every point, and when triggered it will generate an automated “out” call. The new technology will mean there is no need for the electronic review challenge system, but close calls will be accompanied with visualisations of the “out” call on big screens around the court.
Foot-faults will be determined by an official who will be monitoring via cameras placed on the base and centre lines.
These innovations are among a raft of potential reforms that the ATP is trialling at the Next Gen Finals. In April, The Daily Telegraph revealed that the event would experiment with a shotclock, sudden-death deuce points, no service lets and sets of first to four games. A shot-clock was trialled at the US Open qualifying last month.
If successful, the rule changes could be implemented at ATP tournaments from next year. The grandslams have already followed the ATP’S lead, with the US Open also permitting on-court coaching at its qualifying event.
Reflecting on the use of Hawkeye Live in Milan, Gayle David Bradshaw, the ATP executive vicepresident (rules and competition), said: “This could be a landmark moment for officiating in our sport. We look forward to monitoring the results and assessing the merits of this new system.”
The Next Gen ATP Finals will take place from Nov 7-11, with Alexander Zverev, Denis Shapovalov and US Open quarter-finalist Andrey Rublev expected to feature.