Elena Rybakina Expresses Distrust in Electronic Line-Calling System After Madrid Open Controversy Elena Rybakina, the Kazakh tennis player, voiced her lack of confidence in the electronic line-calling system during her three-set victory over Zheng Qinwen at the Madrid Open on Sunday. The incident occurred in the second set, when Zheng Qinwen was serving at 30-0 and 4-3 down, and was awarded an ace for a serve that Rybakina believed was out of bounds. The 27 April 2026 match, which Rybakina won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, became a focal point for discussions about the reliability of the technology used to enforce line calls. Rybakina, visibly frustrated, pointed to the disputed mark on the clay court and requested that umpire Julie Kjendlie descend from her chair to inspect the line. However, the official declined the request, insisting that the electronic system’s decision was final. Rybakina responded by stating, “The system is wrong, this is not a joke,” and emphasized her unwillingness to trust the technology. She further criticized the system’s accuracy, noting that the mark shown on television did not align with what she saw on the court. The incident echoed a similar controversy from the previous year, when Alexander Zverev, a men’s player at the Madrid Open, faced a warning for taking a photograph of a contested ball mark. Zverev had argued that the ball had gone wide, but the system called it in. He retrieved his phone from his bag to capture the mark, an action that led to a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. Rybakina referenced this past incident, stating, “It was, I think, similar to what Zverev had last year because it was in front of her nose. You can't not see it. It was pretty frustrating.” Rybakina’s frustration extended beyond the immediate call, as she described the situation as a “stolen point.#alexander_zverev #elena_rybakina #zheng_qinwen #madrid_open #julie_kjendlie
