The French Open will continue to use line judges for the 2026 edition despite the other three Grand Slams having already switched to an Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system, the French Tennis Federation said.
The ELC system was first deployed as an experiment at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in 2017 before being more widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ATP Tour has implemented the system at all of its events from this season, and while the Australian Open, US Open and Wimbledon now rely on the technology Roland Garros is opting to retain the human element for at least another year.
The French federation (FFT) said its officials had delivered a high standard of refereeing at the tournament.
“For the next Roland Garros, the FFT will continue to highlight the excellence of French refereeing, recognized throughout the world, and which brings complete satisfaction to the organization of the tournament,” it said on Monday.
In the 2025 edition of the major, 404 referees were present with 284 from France alone.
At Roland Garros, officials can inspect traces left by the ball on the red dust to help them make decisions, though there remains room for human error.
ELC, which has been developed to account for the differences in grass, hardcourt and claycourt surfaces, is now also available across a wider range of tournaments below the Grand Slams and elite tours.
While it is mostly popular, the system received mixed reviews at Wimbledon this year due to malfunctions, while some players were left baffled by ELC calls during claycourt events in Madrid and Stuttgart.
French Open to stick with line judges for 2026 edition
https://arab.news/4tpme
French Open to stick with line judges for 2026 edition
- Three other Grand Slams having already switched to an Electronic Line Calling system
- The ATP Tour has implemented the system at all of its events from this season
Talwar leads on opening day of 2025 Saudi Open
- The 26-year-old from Delhi set a new course record of 8-under 64 at Dirab Golf & Country Club
RIYADH: India’s Saptak Talwar opened the first day of the 2025 Saudi Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, with a new course record of 64 (8-under) after finishing his round with a birdie on the final hole in fading light at the Dirab Golf & Country Club.
The 26-year-old from Delhi, who has competed in only a handful of Asian Tour events since turning professional in 2021, delivered a flawless round that included four birdies on each nine, placing him at the top of the leaderboard.
In second place are American John Catlin, the defending champion and reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, and Australia’s Jack Thompson, both carding 65.
Meanwhile, rising Moroccan talent Adam Bresnu stole the spotlight as the leading Arab player on the opening day, after a strong performance that placed him firmly in contention.
Despite still being an amateur, Bresnu exemplified the Arab Golf Federation’s vision of creating clear pathways for regional talent to reach the highest levels of the professional game.
Through its partnership with the Arab Golf Federation, Golf Saudi is expanding high-level opportunities for amateur and professional Arab players.
Bresnu said: “The conditions were really good. What I liked most about the course was how firm the greens and fairways were. The greens are excellent, and I’m really happy to be here.”
“I’ll keep the same mindset. Patience is the main goal,” he added. “It’s a four-round tournament, day by day, shot by shot. My goal is simply to enjoy playing.”
Saudi Arabia players are still in contention as they progress into day two.
Shergo Al-Kurdi said: “Representing the Kingdom is amazing, the crowd support is definitely a big one. In general just being in Saudi, I always enjoy my time here and just want to perform the best I can. It’s a good place to have a nice week.”
He added: “The amount of support Saudi gives to their players is absolutely fantastic and it’s what golfers need to get into a higher level of golf. It is what is needed and they are prepared to do it. It’s very good what they’re doing.”
