Wimbledon 2025: Alcaraz unstoppable and the Hawk-Eye system fails

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As the second week of Wimbledon 2025 unfolds, several notable stories have emerged on the All England Club's historic grass courts. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz maintains his unbeaten streak, while Americans Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Amanda Anisimova are making strong innings.

Debate on Technology in Tennis

During a fourth-round match between Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Britain's Sonay Kartal, Kartal's shot landed visibly off the baseline, but the Hawk-Eye system, which replaces human linesmen, did not flag the play.

The All England Club reported that the system had been accidentally disabled during three points, attributing the error to human error. Although the system is electronic, press releases clarified that it does not use artificial intelligence and requires human supervision and activation.

Pavlyuchenkova appeared frustrated, though she ultimately won the match. However, the incident reignited the debate about how human involvement remains essential to ensuring fairness and accountability in refereeing decisions.

Jannik Sinner Moves Forward After Injury Drama

World number one Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals after Grigor Dimitrov retired due to a pectoral injury while leading the match. Dimitrov had won the first two sets and was tied in the third when he fell after serving and suffered the injury that forced him to retire. Had he won, it would have been his first Wimbledon semifinal since 2014.

Sinner commented that he didn't consider the result a true victory, and praised Dimitrov's strong performance before the unfortunate outcome. The Italian remains on course for his first Wimbledon title.

Carlos Alcaraz: The Rival to Beat

Second seed Carlos Alcaraz continues to shine at Wimbledon 2025, extending his grass-court winning streak to 18 matches.

The 22-year-old Spaniard rallied after losing the first set to number 14, Andrey Rublev, and secured his place in the quarterfinals.

Alcaraz, who hasn't lost a match since April, will now face Britain's Cam Norrie, the last local representative in singles. Norrie earned his spot with a tough five-set victory over Nicolás Jarry, and the two will battle for a spot in the semifinals.

What Else Is There To Talk About

In the women's draw, world number one Aryna Sabalenka continued her solid performance, reaching her eleventh consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal after defeating Elise Mertens. Her next opponent will be Germany's Laura Siegemund.

Amanda Anisimova, meanwhile, is the last American woman competing. Despite a technological glitch during a key point, she advanced and reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the first time in nine years. She now dreams of becoming the first American Wimbledon champion since Serena Williams in 2016.

Taylor Fritz, the 2024 US Open finalist, advanced after her opponent withdrew due to injury. Ben Shelton, a 22-year-old prospect, also reached the quarterfinals, his best performance at Wimbledon so far. Both are looking to become the first American Wimbledon champion since Pete Sampras in 2000. To achieve that, they will need to beat big names like Alcaraz and Sinne, who are the favorites to win.

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Sources:

• Associated Press
• CNN
• Fox Sports