Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at The Championships this year.
Players are granted the option to contest particular decisions made by the official, following the system already in operation at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
This technology is slated for use on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the other four featured courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This step follows just a season following the AELTC rolled out ELC, which brought an end to the centuries-old tradition of line judges.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but they can request the umpire to re-examine specific decisions, such as:
- If a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- Whether a ball touched an rival's racket or person during play.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is no cap on the amount of reviews a player can request.
A Recent Example
A recent incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player initiated the review system against his opponent.
The British player conceded it was a tough call for the official, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews aren't new for major tournaments. The system was adopted at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Furthermore, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Other Changes
Another change at Wimbledon this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on scoreboards to complement the audio calls from the electronic line calling system.
This solves instances where fans have sometimes been uncertain whether a ball was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
