Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in employing video review technology.
Video review systems will make its debut at The Championships in the upcoming tournament.
Athletes are granted the option to challenge certain decisions from the official, echoing the system already in place at both the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on the main stadium and Court One for the duration of the Championships and on the remaining featured courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line officials.
What Can Be Reviewed?
Players will not be permitted to challenge the accuracy of the ELC system, but they can request the official to re-examine specific situations, such as:
- If a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body on the way past.
- Possible interference end of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can initiate.
A Recent Example
An illustrative incident took place in a recent tournament recently, where a top player used the review system against his opponent.
The British player admitted it was a tough situation for the umpire, but believed his opponent had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
This technology aren't new for Grand Slams. The system was adopted at the American major for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have the system implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a ball was out or in.
In other news, with exactly 100 days remaining until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
