Replacing line judges with live electronic calls will kill the ‘romance’ of Wimbledon, says an official who had an infamous clash with John McEnroe.
Line judge Raghbir Singh Mhajan took on the American after being accused of bias – saying yesterday that the American had behaved like a ‘spoiled brat’.
The 1981 championships were noted for McEnroe’s much-parodied anger over a line call that went against him. He shouted angrily at referee Edward James: ‘You can’t be serious.’
While Hawkeye was introduced in SW19 in 2007, allowing players to challenge calls, line judges have remained until now.
But it was announced on Wednesday that they will be replaced by electronic monitors at next year’s championships. Mr Mhajan says the decision will spoil the 147-year-old tournament.
Line judge Raghbir Singh Mhajan took on John McEnroe, pictured, after being accused of bias
Lines judge Raghbir Singh Mhajan, back, says decision to replace Wimbledon with electronic monitors will spoil 147-year-old tournament
The 1981 championships were noted for McEnroe’s, in the middle, much-parodied anger over a call that went against him.
Speaking from his home in west London, surrounded by memories of his career, the 89-year-old told The Mail on Sunday: ‘What can you do? If the players are happy with this decision, they should do what they want.
‘It’s sad that the linesmen are no longer there after 140 years. It was something unique, I think.
“Unfortunately, it won’t be the same without them, replacing them with computers, Hawk Eye or technology. It will lose some of its romance because the court will be virtually empty. For me, Wimbledon is the top tournament in tennis; it is the place where every player wants to play.
‘And the linesmen were part of that, part of the tradition and the atmosphere, with their uniforms and discipline. But the most important are the players. They must be happy.’
Mr Mhajan said he had angered McEnroe on several occasions but his memory of his 1981 collision was still crystal clear. It came during a quarter-final doubles match against Indian brothers Vijay and Anand Amritraj.
Mr. Mhajan, who created history
as the first Sikh linesman at Wimbledon said in 1973: ‘McEnroe said to me, “You’re cheating, you’re Indian.” He and Fleming played the Amritraj brothers, I was a line judge and I wore my turban.
‘So I calmly said to him, “John, I’m not Indian, I’m Kenyan. I am from Kenya.”
‘I had a lot of respect from all the other players because they thought I was honest. But unfortunately McEnroe was just a spoiled brat.’