Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[ti-amie]

[meganfernandez]

I don't think the players will not ask for some changes to the system. The lateness of the call and perhaps, indeed, the lack of a visual.
But it will be like everything. We will get used to it, us foggies that still want gentlemen wearing a tie calling the lines will move on and watch old matches in our VCR's, and pretty soon everybody will be all smiles about this. It will get ingrained in the game.
Like at Wimbledon. Progress is only achieved when it is no longer perceived.

I don't like that idea of something visual for line calls. It could be problematic - the player has to be looking in that direction, players might be understandably tempted to shift their gaze that way and take their eye off the ball, and there's potential to mistake a glare or reflection for a light coming on. Something audible is better because it's universally accessible on the court - you don't have to be looking in any one direction to receive the message. I think they'll get used to the lag if it can't be fixed. A late call doesn't have negative consequences, it's just a little annoying and hopefully it can be improved. It's only late by a split second. It's not drastic. Just exactly enough time for the player and fan to think "wasn't that out?" Players are just going to have to play those balls if they don't hear the call before they swing. It's not a big deal to me.

[ponchi101]

About Sinner (post above): That's the mentality. He will go far.

[meganfernandez]

About Sinner (post above): That's the mentality. He will go far.

Chances are he'll have a solid career, as long as he gets lucky with injuries and other life events.

[Suliso]

Possibly the next golden generation - Sinner, FAA, Musetti, Alcaraz

[ponchi101]

Next golden generation will be players winning 4 slams each.
We are going to have to find a new metal to nominate these guys.

[Deuce]

I don't like that idea of something visual for line calls. It could be problematic - the player has to be looking in that direction, players might be understandably tempted to shift their gaze that way and take their eye off the ball, and there's potential to mistake a glare or reflection for a light coming on. Something audible is better because it's universally accessible on the court - you don't have to be looking in any one direction to receive the message. I think they'll get used to the lag if it can't be fixed. A late call doesn't have negative consequences, it's just a little annoying and hopefully it can be improved. It's only late by a split second. It's not drastic. Just exactly enough time for the player and fan to think "wasn't that out?" Players are just going to have to play those balls if they don't hear the call before they swing. It's not a big deal to me.

I meant that it would be good to have a visual indication (for the reasons I stated above) in addition to the audible indication, NOT instead of.
If the visual had no value, the linespeople would not have been extending their arms on out calls all this while.

[Deuce]

Some questions about the automatic line calling...

Can it call foot faults?
What about centre line foot faults (which are, unfortunately, rarely called even with linespeople)?

Are those little cameras on both sides of the court, or just on one side?

How can it call a sideline ball out if the camera is blocked by the player? Even if there is another camera on the other side of the net, it would have to look through the net, which is not good.

Not to mention that the blocking issue is even worse in doubles. (Have they been using it in doubles?)

Brad Gilbert and Jason Goodall on ESPN just asked the open question of whether the automatic line calling system can call foot faults or not - and if it can, how does it call them?

So even those guys don't know, and are questioning.

[ti-amie]

I was watching Poots vs Sloane and I really am not a fan of no lines people. Every sport needs a bit of uncertainty, of human error affecting the outcome of the contest. With the NFL it's measuring to see if a team got a first down or not. That sport, along with baseball and basketball, have kept the human factor in and the checking of a call only adds to the suspense. A machine calling lines, even with, for viewers at home, the line shot, just doesn't have the same feeling.

I guess I'm an old fogie.

[ponchi101]

Also.
I am waiting for the first time in which the system will crash down when it is 5-5 in the third set tie-break. In, like, a semi. Let's see how quickly can they recruit 7 people from the stands. Without glasses.

[the Moz]

It would be a shame if electronic line calling became common practice.

[meganfernandez]

It would be a shame if electronic line calling became common practice.

Well it's when, not if. We'll see about smaller events. Not sure how expensive this is. Clay might hold out.

[meganfernandez]

I was watching Poots vs Sloane and I really am not a fan of no lines people. Every sport needs a bit of uncertainty, of human error affecting the outcome of the contest. With the NFL it's measuring to see if a team got a first down or not. That sport, along with baseball and basketball, have kept the human factor in and the checking of a call only adds to the suspense. A machine calling lines, even with, for viewers at home, the line shot, just doesn't have the same feeling.

I guess I'm an old fogie.

Nah, you're not. These things make tennis special. We don't want a fully automated experience. (WE don't. People who are currently under 20 might. They might want to see Wimbledon with the full Twitch treatment.) But I'm not that sentimental about line judges. They didn't add anything to the show for me. Just some pageantry, some polish. It's quaint. But I don't miss them. I want to see beautiful tennis battles.

[Liamvalid]

Would Djokovic have been kicked out of the open for hitting an electronic line judge camera?

[meganfernandez]

Would Djokovic have been kicked out of the open for hitting an electronic line judge camera?

Probably not. Just ball abuse or something. (It was still the right call.)