Ostapenko slams electronic line-calling after Australian Open exit

| by Alfredo Bassanelli

Jelena Ostapenko lost in the 2023 Australian Open quarterfinals to Elena Rybakina, and during the match, she was visibly upset about the electronic line-calling.

Already after her fourth-round match, the 2017 Roland Garros champion said, that she doesn't trust the electronic line-calling system. During her quarterfinal match, Ostapenko wasn't happy about some calls again, and she expressed her frustration after the match.

"I'm not really happy with the system they are using. But couple times it was really, like, not even by couple of centimeters. It was much more than that. But I cannot do anything about it, because it is the way as it is."

"I honestly haven't really doubted it" - Ostapenko on chances of winning 2nd Grand Slam
"I honestly haven't really doubted it" - Ostapenko on chances of winning 2nd Grand Slam

"But I feel like some lines, sometimes the system is not, how you say, not ignoring, but sometimes the calls are -- first of all, they are really late sometimes. You already hit the ball, and then you hear "Out," which is normally not the way it is with the line umpires. And second of all, some balls were quite, how you say, not a little out. They were a bit out and they were not called."

The Latvian also said that she would welcome the return of hawk-eye system with line umpires, as she thinks it would bring more precision to the line calling.

2023 Australian Open ATP & WTA Prize Money & Points Overview - $76,500,000
2023 Australian Open ATP & WTA Prize Money & Points Overview - $76,500,000

"Honestly, in my personal opinion, I wish it would be the Hawk-Eye system and the line umpires, because I feel like that way it's more -- precise? More precise and much less mistakes, in my opinion, my personal opinion."

"To have just the Hawk-Eye system, because this is the live system, but to have a Hawk-Eye but still have the line umpires. I think it's also, I don't know, that way it looks a little better for me on the court how it is. Not just the calling-wise but in general how the court looks. Because with no line umpires, for me it looks a little empty."

Jelena Ostapenko reveals she doesn't trust electronic line-calling
Jelena Ostapenko reveals she doesn't trust electronic line-calling

Read the full article

Just in

Look at more articles