Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay technology will be launched at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors are granted the option to contest specific decisions from the official, following the practice already in place at each of the American Grand Slam and the Aussie major.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and the number one court throughout the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles matches.
This move arrives only a season following the AELTC rolled out electronic line calling, which brought an end to the longstanding role of line officials.
Scope of Challenges
Players will not be permitted to challenge the call of the ELC system, but are allowed to ask for the official to review specific situations, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has bounced twice.
- If a ball touched an opponent's racquet or body during play.
- Possible hindrance at the conclusion of a rally.
Notably, there is an unlimited number on the amount of challenges a competitor can request.
Case in Point
An illustrative example took place in Indian Wells last week, where a top player initiated the review system against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
The umpire viewed a replay and ruled the player was guilty of hindrance, granting the rally to Medvedev.
Wider Implementation
Video reviews are not new for major tournaments. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Furthermore, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit plans to have the system implemented at all of its tournaments.
Other Changes
A further innovation at The Championships this year will be the introduction of visual indicators on scoreboards to complement the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses situations where the crowd have sometimes been unsure if a shot was in or out.
In other news, with precisely 100 days remaining until the beginning of the tournament, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily attendance at the qualifying competition in the qualifying venue.
