The French Open has long upheld tradition by opting out of Electronic Line-Calling (ELC) systems in favor of human line umpires at its iconic clay courts, thus keeping its tradition intact and emphasizing human judgment over technological aids as officiators for matches on this renowned tournament. Unfortunately, however, such dedication to tradition resulted in heated exchange between Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Lorenzo Sonego during their recent match on court No 2.
Under the floodlights of Court Simonne-Mathieu, Sonego took an early advantage by narrowly winning the opening set via tiebreak. Sonego handled pressure moments more effectively while engaging his fans early with an impressive start.
Herbert fought back, winning the second set and revitalizing his chances in front of the supportive home crowd.
The pivotal moment arrived in the fifth set when Herbert faced a break point at 0-1. Convinced that Sonego’s shot had landed out, the 35-year-old immediately challenged the line call and looked to the chair umpire for a ruling.
The chair umpire descended from his seat to inspect the clay mark closely. After a brief review, he ruled the ball in, which ignited a fiery response from Herbert.
Visibly frustrated, Herbert argued passionately with the official, his emotions spilling over in front of the home fans who loudly backed him throughout the confrontation.
“You had the wrong mark anyway; it was on the line,” Herbert shouted. “No! You’re gonna see it. Look at me in the eyes. You’re gonna see it. It’s gonna be out. And you’re gonna be really, if you don’t say sorry after that one, I’ll never speak to you again. You don’t even imagine,” he added during the heated exchange.
Clay courts can be tricky when close calls arise because although the surface leaves a visible mark where the ball lands, these marks are not always perfectly reliable. The clay itself can shift or spread upon impact, sometimes distorting the impression and making it appear slightly larger than the actual landing spot.
This is where technologies like Hawk-Eye are valuable, using multiple cameras and tracking the ball’s trajectory to virtually pinpoint contact points. When technology indicates a shot is out despite a seemingly “in” clay mark, players and fans often doubt the system, while the surface distortion may actually be responsible for the confusion.
After the disputed call, Sonego capitalized on the opportunity, securing the vital break and moving ahead 2-0 in the deciding set. He eventually closed out the grueling match in five sets, lasting over four hours, marking it as the longest contest of the day.
Controversies over human line calling are not new to Roland Garros and have influenced outcomes in previous years as well.
Alexander Zverev’s Frustration Over Controversial Call in 2024 Final
During the 2024 French Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev, a critical line call significantly shifted momentum. Zverev had taken an early lead and appeared confident heading into the fourth set. However, tension escalated in the second game when Zverev hit a forehand that was called out, a decision he strongly contested.
The chair umpire again left his seat to examine the clay mark, but instead of easing tensions, the incident intensified the drama within Court Philippe-Chatrier. The crowd gradually turned against Zverev as he continued to protest the ruling, which ultimately stood and contributed to Alcaraz regaining momentum en route to his maiden French Open title.
Roland Garros decided not to introduce electronic line-calling for their 2025 tournament despite controversy and some concerns from players and officials alike. French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudice supported this stance while acknowledging some potential margin of error but reinforcing trust in human officials on clay courts.
As tensions flare once more at this year’s tournament, debate regarding Roland Garros’ continued use of human line calls is very much alive and will play an integral part in deciding its legacy or succumbing to modern technologies. Upcoming matches could play an invaluable role in assessing this possibility.