Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in employing video review systems.
Replay technology will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to contest particular calls from the chair umpire, following the system currently in operation at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
This innovation is slated for use on the main stadium and the number one court for the duration of the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This move arrives only a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which effectively ended the 147-year role of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Competitors will not be permitted to challenge the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to re-examine other situations, such as:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or person on the way past.
- Possible hindrance end of a rally.
Importantly, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a player can initiate.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in a recent tournament recently, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Further Updates
A further change at The Championships this year involves the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where the crowd have sometimes been uncertain if a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, organizers have also announced an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
