Novak Djokovic wasn't really happy with the technology during his first-round match at the 2023 Roland Garros.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion found himself embroiled in a rare moment of contention during the first round of the 2023 Roland Garros. While he comfortably won the match against American opponent Aleksandar Kovacevic, a particular incident left him visibly disturbed.
The match was proceeding smoothly with Djokovic leading after two well-played sets (6-3, 6-2), and in the lead at 1-0 in the third set. However, the calm demeanor of the 36-year-old Serb was disrupted when a service that he believed to be an ace was instead called a let by the electronic detection system at the net.
A let is a serve that touches the net but still lands in the correct service box. If the serve is called a let, it does not count as a fault, and the player is allowed to retake the serve. However, in this instance, Djokovic was convinced that his serve had been clean and should have been an ace, which would have instantly won him the point.
Upon hearing the let call from the machine, Djokovic immediately raised his arms to the sky in disbelief, dropping the ball he was holding in his hands. Not one to shy away from expressing his thoughts, the 22-time Grand Slam winner promptly approached the umpire's chair to voice his complaint.
"Check the machine, this is incredible. But can you check the machine because it's happening for five times this match already."
Despite Djokovic's protests, the umpire stood by the machine's call. The number 3 seed, realizing that his objections were unlikely to change the situation, returned to his position on the court, albeit amidst a few whistles from the crowd.
Interestingly, technology didn't really help Djokovic in this match. However, the Serb is one of the players that welcomes technological advancements on the ATP Tour and also looks forward to the live electronic line calling that is set to be used, starting from 2025.
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