The Credit One Charleston Open is set to make history as the first clay court tournament on the Hologic WTA Tour to implement Electronic Line Calling Live (ELC Live). This advanced technology will be utilized throughout the event, scheduled from March 29th to April 6th.
ELC Live provides instant “out” calls during matches and has become a standard feature across various court surfaces. Charleston will be a pioneer in using this technology on clay for all qualifying and main-draw matches within the Hologic WTA Tour.
Compared to traditional line calling, ELC Live offers superior accuracy and consistency. Its implementation follows rigorous testing over several seasons, as detailed in the video below. Later in the season, ELC Live will also be featured at prestigious WTA 1000 events, including the Mutua Madrid Open and the Internazionali BNL d`Italia in Rome.
Tournament Director for Charleston, Bob Moran, stated, “The introduction of Electronic Line Calling at the Credit One Charleston Open marks a significant milestone, not only for our tournament but for all clay court events on the Hologic WTA Tour. This innovative technology will elevate the precision and reliability of line calls on clay courts, establishing a new benchmark in tennis. By embracing innovation, we are committed to providing a more dependable and seamless experience for players and fans alike, thereby enhancing the overall quality of competition at clay court tournaments in the future.”
Fabrice Chouquet, WTA Senior Vice President – Competition & On-Site Operations, added, “We extend our gratitude to Charleston for adopting Electronic Line Calling Live this year. We are excited to see an increasing number of WTA tournaments embracing the benefits of evolving technology. ELC Live serves as an invaluable officiating tool, ensuring consistent and complete accuracy in line calls. This minimizes interruptions during play, which is advantageous for players, fans, media, and ultimately, the smooth operation of tournaments.”
This advancement is part of a broader wave of innovations being introduced on the Hologic WTA Tour, including the challenge-based Video Review System, which will also be available on two courts in Charleston.
