Full Breakdown
Rybakina’s Dispute Over Hawk-Eye Call Revives Debate on Clay
4/28/2026, 11:00:42 PM
The Disputed Call
In the round-of-32 at the 2024 Madrid Open, Elena Rybakina (World No. 2) lost a point when Zheng Qinwen’s serve was called an ace by the Hawk-Eye electronic line-calling system, despite a visible mark on the clay. Chair umpire Julie Kjendlie said the decision could not be reviewed. Rybakina went on to win 4-6 6-4 6-3 but said she would no longer trust the technology.
Background
The Hawk-Eye system replaced line judges at the Madrid Open in 2020 and now operates at all ATP and WTA events above the 250 level and at three of the four Grand Slams. The French Open continues to rely on human judges and ball-mark inspections on its clay courts.
Key Figures
- Elena Rybakina – Kazakhstani player.
- Zheng Qinwen – Chinese opponent.
- Julie Kjendlie – Chair umpire.
- Alexander Zverev – Player who faced a similar dispute in 2023.
- Alex Eala – Player who raised a similar complaint in 2022.
- Hawk-Eye (Sony) – Provider.
System Scope
Hawk-Eye is used at the Australian Open (since 2021), the US Open (since 2022) and Wimbledon (since 2023). The Madrid Open’s adoption has produced disputes, highlighting tension between coordinates and visible clay marks.
Official Tournament Response
Umpire Kjendlie said officials “cannot go down” to inspect the mark and must follow the system’s ruling. Tournament officials and Sony’s Hawk-Eye division did not comment, leaving the stance undocumented.
Player Criticism
Rybakina called the system “wrong” and said she would not trust it after the disputed ace. Zverev warned of a “defect in the system” and said he would raise the issue with ATP supervisors. Eala asked, “Can you make it make sense?” Their remarks show growing player dissatisfaction with automated calls on clay.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No data on the frequency of erroneous Hawk-Eye calls at Madrid has been released, and the tournament offered no formal explanation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The system is wrong, this is not a joke,” — Elena Rybakina, Player
- “Well with this thing, I won't trust it at all, because there was no mark even close to what the TV showed.” — Elena Rybakina, Player
- “I will talk to the supervisors, I will talk to the ATP because, as I said, this is not normal. For a mistake to happen like this, yes, one or two millimeters I understand, but four, five centimeters is not normal.” — Alexander Zverev, Player
- “Can you make it make sense?” — Alex Eala, Player
Impact and Outlook
The episode has reignited debate over automated line-calling on clay, where ball marks are visible. Tournament supervisors may face pressure to adjust protocols or restore human judgment for disputed calls. Rybakina’s match against Anastasia Potapova on Monday will be watched for any further challenges.
