'They don't clarify the rules very well': Peyton Stearns exploits onetime loophole after dodgy Rome Open line call

Peyton Stearns is the latest player to call out the Electronic Line Calling on the WTA Tour which has been the source of much debate over both tours including the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Eva Lys, Aryna Sabalenka and in the ATP Alexander Zverev taking photos of dodgy line calls.

Stearns though said that while she isn't technically allowed to have the line call checked, she had cause to in this regard as the system was actually down exploiting a loophole in the rules which she said weren't explained very well.

The American saw off Nuria Brancaccio 6-3, 6-2 in the first round and has been impressing on clay reaching the Last 16 in Madrid and losing to Aryna Sabalenka. She has recently got a new coach with Tom Hill leaving and returning to Maria Sakkari but the 23-year-old American is continually thriving one year on from winning Rabat.

She also admitted that the rules aren't black and white with the line-calling and weren't explained very well perhaps why players like herself and the ones mentioned are confused when they supposedly can't ask umpires to check the marks. She said that they had issues in Madrid where they were blatantly in but the ELC called them out but they cannot do anything about it.

"I hit a ball that the review did not say was out or anything. My opponent had missed the shot, said it was out. Then I was told the ref went and checked the mark, which we are told you're not allowed to do. And then, after checking the marks, she said it was out and then said that the line-calling system was down, and that’s why she checked it.

"But it's been pretty adamant to all the players that, you know, the ref cannot go and check the marks, no matter what. So I think that they don't clarify the rules very well."