Wimbledon release official statement after major Hawk-Eye error in fourth-round match on Centre Court

Sonay Kartal’s Wimbledon campaign has come to an end in the fourth round, after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets.

Pavlyuchenkova defeated Kartal 7-6, 6-4 in a match that featured controversy over an electric line-calling error.

On the Russian’s game point at 4-4 in the first set, a backhand from the Briton landed out, but the new system failed to register it, with the umpire being forced to put a halt to the match.

After replaying the point, Kartal then went on to break Pavlyuchenkova’s serve in that game, and ultimately took the opening set to a tiebreak.

It was a bad look for Wimbledon, and a statement was released about the situation after the match, which former WTA number one Tracy Austin gave her verdict on.

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Tracy Austin reacts to electric line calling error at Wimbledon

Following the contest, an official statement from Wimbledon read: “Due to an operator error, the system was deactivated during the point in question. The chair umpire followed the established process.”

Speaking on BBC, Austin said of the explanation: “They hadn’t pushed the button, the Hawkeye operator, to employ it for one point.

“The players can see that it is clearly out from the trajectory, and the chair umpire should have as well.

We have got to fix that.

“It does not matter where the point is, but the fourth round of Wimbledon at 4-4. 15-0, maybe not as big of a point. But 4-4! They are all important.

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“What happens after that is Pavlyuchenkova was moving towards the sideline and chair, thinking I am up 5-4, now she has to restart.

“That is so hard to re-engage your mind for the future because it’s so easy to get locked up in the past.

“She lost that game, incredible mental toughness to come back and win that set because Sonay went on to get the set point.

“And interesting, dramatic situation which I am sure we will fix in the future, but it was tough to watch for those few minutes.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova reacts after her win at Wimbledon

In her on-court interview, Pavlyuchenkova said of her performance: “It’s incredible.

“I always thought that I’m not good on grass. That’s just incredible. Especially me getting older and coming year after year.

“I’m so proud of myself for competing with these young girls at this stage and at this level. It’s just incredible.”

Pavluychenkova is now the player with the biggest gap between their first two quarter-finals reached in women’s singles at Wimbledon in the Open Era.

She matches Mary Pierce, with her last appearance in the quarter-finals at the All England Club coming in 2016.

The world number 50 will now face either Linda Noskova or Amanda Anisimova in the last eight.

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