London, UK – This year, Wimbledon go carry better wahala enter dem tournament as dem gree cut line judges for di first time in 148 years! Instead of our smartly dressed paddy dem, wetin don dey call ball lines, now na electronic line calling (ELC) go take over duty. E be like say technology don finally win dis battle!
For many years, line judges like Pauline Eyre wey don dey call lines for Wimbledon for 16 years, enjoy di sweet perks like natty blazers and free tickets. Dem even get chance to enjoy special moments up close, like when John McEnroe decide to vex for dem. (Imagine di glares and shoutings!) But now, dem go just dey miss all dat flair as machines dey control di calls.
The All England Club don talk say dem wan balance tradition with modern technology. Na why dem decide say it don reach time to embrace di ELC technology dey trend for tennis world. Even Aussie Open don already waka dis path while di US Open also join di gang.
But no be say line judges go just kpafuka fall, at least 80 of dem go still dey on ground as ‘match assistants’ to support di umpires in case di technology fail. Na wetin dem dey call backup plan for when machines no fit deliver di proper call (abi na dem robots fit make mistake too?).
With di number of umpires on di court dey reduce, some observers dey fear say di quality of officiating fit turn wahala in di future. If dem no send line judges go bin dey call di lines, who go gree be di next big names? Why go bother to train if you no fit aspire to work at Wimbledon? Dis wan get some people worried!
As Wimbledon dey change, dem also dey bring updates to di tournament space itself, with prize money dey rise to a whopping £53.5 million! Di singles champions go waka home with £3 million each, quite di upgrade from previous years. Even di food price for strawberries and cream don increase. From 2.50 pounds, now na 2.70 pounds! E be like sey dem dey take our pocket again!
Dis year, di start time for di men’s and women’s singles finals don change to 4pm, after di doubles finals. Na di organizers sabi why dem dey change di game. At di same time, fans don dey find am difficult as dem must now download di Wimbledon app to join di queue. Haba! No be everybody get smartphone!
Wimbledon fans fit still expect T.V highlights with Clare Balding and Isa Guha leading di pack. Ol’ school loyalists will miss di crowd appeal of line judges, but if dem wan see progress, e be like dis na di direction we dey go.
Di essence of Wimbledon remains but as technology dey take over, one fit wonder how much longer di traditional aspects go last. As Paul Hawkins wey invent di Hawk-Eye tech don talk, maybe it don reach time to move on. Well, if we no sabi anything, one thing we sabi be say: technology no dey sleep!
