The recent incident between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper in the Cincinnati tournament highlights a recurring problem in tennis: the lack of a reliable and consistent refereeing system. After the match point controversy, it is clear that tennis needs to reevaluate its use of video replay.
In the deciding set of their match, Auger-Aliassime hit a return that clipped the net tape and rolled over. Draper, believing he had hit a fortuitous winner, walked towards the net for a handshake. However, Auger-Aliassime believed the ball had hit Draper’s side of the court. The umpire, Greg Allensworth, ruled in favor of Draper, declaring it a fair shot and awarding him the win.
This incident comes after another controversial moment in the tournament, where Allensworth was unable to intervene and reverse an incorrect non-call from the Hawk-Eye ELC system. The ATP Tour has since announced that if a review official determines during a rally that a ball was out earlier in the point but was not called by the system, that decision will stand. While this is a step in the right direction, it does not address the larger issue of video replay in tennis.
In the case of the Auger-Aliassime and Draper match, Allensworth had to make split-second decisions on whether Draper volleyed or half-volleyed the ball, if he hit it into the ground, and if he hit the ball with his racket twice. Replays suggest that Draper knocked the ball into the ground on his side before it spun back off his racket. However, there is no definitive frame that conclusively shows whether the ball hit the court after the racket.
The lack of a reliable and consistent refereeing system puts players like Draper and Auger-Aliassime in difficult positions. Draper should not have to defend his integrity when trying to pick up a ball, and Auger-Aliassime should not have to explain his case after losing the opportunity to win a match. Allensworth should not be the sole arbiter of such a tight call when fans watching can see replays that he cannot act on.
The use of video replays in tennis sometimes meets resistance due to logistical challenges, as it cannot be implemented in all events. Even at the upcoming U.S. Open, only three-quarters of the singles matches will have video replay coverage. This inconsistency can lead to situations where the same call gets overturned on one occasion but remains in error on another.
Tennis should learn from the growing pains that football has experienced with the use of video replays. While it cannot eradicate subjectivity entirely, a clearer realization of its limitations and a more comprehensive implementation of video replays could prevent such controversies. Tennis needs to address these issues to avoid further self-inflicted problems and preserve the integrity of the sport.