Motionless men and women dressed in the finest summer attire has been a reliable indicator that Wimbledon is in full flow since the competition’s first edition was held 147 years ago.
But the picturesque sight will be consigned to history after the All England Club announced the iconic line judges are to be replaced by automated electronic line calling on every court at the tournament, The Times reports.
The Hawk-Eye Live system has been used on the tour for a number of years and was rolled out at a Grand Slam for the first time in the 2020 US Open.
It is an upgrade of the original technology, first introduced at tennis’s premier competition in 2007, which has gifted players with the ability to review calls they feel to be incorrect.
Wimbledon is set to replace its famous line judges with an automated system
This system will also now be ditched as automated voice calls can now make a decision within a tenth of a second after a ball lands out.
Several cameras will be able to track the ball’s flight throughout the rally as an additional video operator watches on in a separate room away from the court.
Some things will remain the same, however, with the chair umpire continuing to lead the officiating team out in the heart of the action, but the edges of the court will take on a decidedly quiter feel from 2025.
More to follow.