MELBOURNE, Australia, January 22, 2025 – A clear double bounce in the Australian Open quarter-final between Iga Swiatek and Emma Navarro has reignited the debate over how tennis uses video technology.
Navarro lost a point when she trailed 6-1 2-2 A-40 despite the ball bouncing twice in front of a stretching Swiatek, who went on to win 6-1 6-2.
Because Navarro continued playing, instead of immediately stopping the point, the American eighth seed was unable to challenge the call.
The Australian Open has introduced a video review system for the first time this year – but it can only be used on a point ending call or when a player stops play.
Afterwards Navarro said the incident did not “cause a momentum swing” but still believes there should be a change to the system.
“I think we should be able to see it afterwards,” Navarro said.
“It happened so fast. In the back of your head you’re like, ‘OK maybe I can still win the point even though it wasn’t called’.
“It’s going to be a downer if I stop the point and it turns out it wasn’t a double bounce.
“It’s tough.”
Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek said she “wasn’t sure” if it was a double bounce after it was suggested she should have conceded the point.
“It was hard to say because I was full sprinting. I don’t remember even seeing the contact point,” said the Polish second seed.
“I don’t know. Sometimes you don’t really look when you hit the ball.
“I thought this is like the umpire’s kind of job to call it. I was also waiting for the VAR, but I didn’t see it so I just proceeded.”
When have video reviews been used for double bounces?
The Australian Open is the second of the sport’s four major tournaments to introduce the video reviews.
It was called into action later on Wednesday in the men’s quarter-final between American 21st seed Ben Shelton and Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.
In an incident similar to the one involving Navarro and Swiatek, Sonego stopped when he thought there was a double bounce and raised the challenge.
Umpire Thomas Sweeney checked the replay and ruled in favour of Sonego, who was trailing 6-4 1-2 15-0.
“The ball did bounce twice before Ben got to the ball. The score is 15-15,” Sweeney told the crowd.
Technology has been used to decide line calls for many years, but the 2023 US Open was the first time umpires could access replays to make a decision on double bounces.
It has been trialled at the ATP Finals and Next Gen Finals in recent seasons.
