The emptiness of the courts is noticeable on Center Court and Court One, where the vast space behind the baseline is now occupied only by ball boys.
British’s Cameron Norrie said it “looked cool” with the line umpires in place and contributed to the “tradition” of the tournament.
“Obviously there are a lot of jobs and people who love tennis, and they will definitely miss it,” he said.
But while many players agree that linesmen are part of the show, few can dispute the accuracy of the decisions.
“As a player, it’s pretty black and white with the calls,” Norrie added.
“In, out… there’s no mistake, nothing happens. You definitely have to feel compassion for these linesmen and these people. It’s a little difficult for them, but it’s pretty black and white with the decision.”
The theater of players contesting calls has also been a notable absence, with fans unable to get involved in the drama of a close call replayed on the big screen.
American Frances Tiafoe, seeded 12th, said she would have liked to see the Wimbledon linesmen.
“I actually like being with them (the linesmen) on the field, because I think marching band is better,” he said.
“If I had to hit a serve on a big point, you take on the challenge, is it in, is it out? The crowd goes ‘ohhh’. There’s none of that.
“If I hit a good serve now and they point it out, you might still think it’s good, but it doesn’t matter. I think it kills it.”
