Wimbledon 2017: Laura Robson the victim of tournament's first controversy as Hawk-Eye accused of showing wrong replay
Robson was serving to stay in the opening set of her first round match when commentators thought she had become the victim of a very unusual Hawk-Eye replay, costing her a point
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Your support makes all the difference.Laura Robson was involved in Wimbledon’s first minor controversy on Monday morning as the British player was said (wrongly as it turned out) to have been the victim of an incorrect Hawk-Eye decision.
The Hawk-Eye electronic line calling system was first introduced on Centre and No 1 Courts in 2006, before being rolled out across other courts shortly afterward.
The system is renowned for its accuracy, and yet BBC commentators initially believed it had failed to work correctly during one point of Robson’s first round match, unfairly costing her a point.
Robson, a former Wimbledon Junior Girls’ champion who reached the fourth round in 2013, was playing Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia on Court 18.
The Brazilian broke Robson in the very first game of the match to seize the initiative in the opening set.
Serving to stay in the opening set at 5-3, Robson was then the victim of what she thought was a dubious line call.
Haddad Maia hit a long groundstroke from the back of the court, which was initially called out. However the chair umpire felt the ball had clipped the line, and overruled the call.
After a short discussion with the umpire, Robson then decided to appeal the decision, meaning the call was reviewed by the Hawk Eye system. Hawk Eye ruled the ball was indeed in, giving Maia the point.
Sam Smith, the former tennis professional who was commentating on the match for the BBC, thought the Hawk Eye replay footage showed a completely different shot from another moment during the rally.
Robson certainly looked bemused by the decision, as did the spectators watching the opening round match on Court 18, who jeered the decision.
Fans were also quick to express their disappointment on Twitter.
However, it later emerged that Smith had erred, as she took to twitter herself to say that she "needed an eye test" and "thank goodness for Hawk Eye".
Robson managed to recover to win the game, but lost the opening set 6-4.
She eventually lost to her 21-year-old opponent in straight-sets: 6-4 6-2.
* This article has been updated after it emerged that the BBC commentary team had been wrong to suggest Hawk Eye technology had shown the wrong replay during Robson's match. 19/7/17
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