Despite the shift of the other three Grand Slams to an Electronic Line Calling (ELC) system, the French Open will maintain the use of line judges for the 2026 tournament, as confirmed by the French Tennis Federation.
The ELC system was initially tested at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan in 2017 and gained wider usage during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This season, the ATP Tour has fully integrated the system into all its events. While the Australian Open, US Open, and Wimbledon have adopted this technology, Roland Garros will continue to employ human judges for at least another year.
The French Tennis Federation (FFT) praised the high quality of refereeing at their tournament.
“For the upcoming Roland Garros, the FFT will continue to showcase the excellence of French refereeing, acclaimed worldwide, ensuring complete satisfaction for the tournament’s organization,” it stated on Monday.
In the 2025 tournament, there were 404 referees, with 284 hailing from France.
At Roland Garros, officials use the ball marks on the clay to make calls, although human error can still occur.
ELC, designed for grass, hardcourt, and claycourt surfaces, is now available in more tournaments beyond the Grand Slams and top tours.
While generally favored, the system received mixed reactions at Wimbledon this year due to glitches, and some players found ELC decisions confusing at claycourt events in Madrid and Stuttgart.
