World No. 2, Germany`s Alexander Zverev, shared his perspective on the electronic line-calling system used in tennis, addressing its accuracy and potential for human intervention when errors occur.
Zverev highlighted a recent incident at the Madrid Masters during his match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. He disputed the electronic system`s call on his opponent`s shot, believing it was out when the technology indicated it was in. Zverev even took a photograph of the ball mark on the clay court, an action for which he received a warning.
When asked about Roland Garros` decision to retain human line judges, Zverev wryly noted that human officials have also “let him down” in the past. He referenced a specific controversial call during his match against Carlos Alcaraz last year that went against him at a critical moment, affecting a break point opportunity.
Despite these frustrations, Zverev stated that he generally prefers the electronic system, citing positive experiences such as its seemingly flawless performance at tournaments like Monte Carlo and Munich. He suggested that the issues encountered in Madrid were likely specific technical glitches at that particular event, which should ideally be recalibrated quickly.
Discussing the possibility of overturning decisions when the system appears obviously wrong, Zverev mentioned another clear miscall he observed in Madrid on his own serve. While he admits he doesn`t have a definitive solution, he proposed that in cases where the electronic system makes a clearly visible error, potentially by several centimeters (three, four, or five), the chair umpire *might* need the authority to come down from their chair and make an overruling judgment. However, he emphasized that this potential human override should not apply to marginal calls involving millimeters.
Zverev made these comments during a press conference at the Rome Masters.
