Wimbledon, the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world, is shaking things up this year in a way that will shock traditionalists and tech skeptics alike. Say goodbye to line judges – technology is taking over their job! Yes, you read that right. Instead of humans standing at the edges of the court calling balls in or out, sophisticated systems will do the job, having made only one mistake during the qualifiers.
But wait, there’s more! The prize money has jumped by a whopping 7%, now totaling a staggering €62.5 million. The winner will pocket a cool €3.5 million, while first-round losers will still walk away with €77,000. Inflation has also hit the iconic Wimbledon strawberries and cream, with prices rising from £2.50 to £2.70 (about €3.16).
Organizers have left no stone unturned – with 18 official courts and a total of 88 courts in use, daily tests are conducted on ball bounce height and surface hardness. Every day, 21 unopened boxes of balls are delivered to the courts, and a whopping 28,000 plants will be planted around the tournament.
This tech takeover and record-breaking prize fund are sure to stir up controversy. Is this the end of traditional tennis as we know it? Will players and fans embrace these changes? Or is this just the dawn of a new era where technology rules the sport?
Got thoughts on these Wimbledon shake-ups? Drop a comment or crack a joke – who knows, maybe your take will be the ace of this tennis revolution!
